07-12-00 Minutes
CHANHASSEN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
July 12, 2000
Meeting called to order by Dotti Shay at 7:10 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Dotti Shay, Jack Atkins, Sharon Beduhn, Susan McAllister, Jo Mueller
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Clay Smith
STAFF PRESENT:
Jill Sinclair, Environmental Resources Specialist, Lori Haak, Water
Resources Coordinator
GUEST:
Joe Enfield, Assistant Director Carver County Environmental Services
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Minutes from the June 14 were approved.
GUEST SPEAKER:
Joe Enfield, Assistant Director Carver County Environmental Services,
presented an overview of the Children’s Water Festival. This year the event will take place on
rdth
Wednesday, September 27 at the State Fairgrounds. It’s the 3 Annual and over 1200 5 graders
from the 7 county metro area are expected to attend. There are 28 stations with topics ranging
from the hydrological cycle to fish to lakes and wetlands to how rain is made to erosion and
runoff. Paul Douglas will be speaking on how water affects the weather and the greenhouse
effect. The event is totally funded through private donations from companies like Target, Cargill,
Deli Express, etc. Teachers are provided with a ‘Water Resources Book’ that contains curricula
on water resources. There is a pre- and post-event evaluation that teachers are asked to
complete. It shows that a significant amount of learning happens during the event. The public
cable channel show, the Environmental Channel, filmed the festival in 1999. The commission
viewed the segment. Attendees are chosen by lottery and there are no out-of-pocket expenses for
schools. The organizers try to provide each county with an equal number of classes attending.
Joe says 150 volunteers are needed for the event and if anyone would like to donate their time to
contact him. Volunteers are asked to arrive at the fairgrounds by 8/8:30 am and would finish
around 2:30.
The Carver County Fair is in August and the Environmental Services booth will have a water
theme on Thursday, August 10. The Dept. of Agric. will also be at the fair that day testing water
for nitrates.
Also, on display at the courthouse is Wade’s Cairy Creek, a demonstration of all the different
components of a creek.
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD PROGRAM:
Dotti reported that the chamber loved the idea
and fully supported it. Jill reported the same of the City Council. They will expect a budget
request for the program in 2001. Dotti, Sharon and Susan attended the Trade Fair on July 3 to
promote the program and handed out a number of applications. Sharon and Jill will do an
interview with a reporter from the Villager in a couple of weeks on the program. The
commission would like to run an ad or do an insert the same week the article appears. Other
promotional options include the newsletter, a city wide mailing, asking the Chamber to make
applications available at businesses, the Carver County newspaper, posters around town, and the
city website. Promotion of the program needs to start by the end of August. Susan will put
together the poster and Jo will work on the ad.
WATER QUALITY DEMO:
Commission supported the idea of doing an wetland buffer
education program and demonstration in the Longacres development. Jo will contact the
association and get the commission on the agenda. Lori would provide expertise for the project
and attend the association meeting. The commission will also ask for support from Councilman
Labatt, a resident of the neighborhood.
COMMISSION BUDGET:
With all the new projects the commission is working on, it felt a
budget request for 2001 is appropriate. The proposed 2001 budget includes:
Environmental Excellence Award – awards (plaques/birdhouses), advertising 1100
Pilot neighborhood wetland buffer project – seed, site prep 300
Environmental education – library books 200
Commission publicity 250
Pollution Prevention week – advertising 200
Conferences/training 200
Total 2250
GENERAL DISCUSSION:
A number of ‘to-do’ items were discussed:
?
Delete storm sewer project from October agenda.
?
Check on Clay’s condition.
?
Get up-to-date info on the web page.
?
Add to the 2001 April agenda – fertilizer article to Villager.
?
Put on next month’s agenda – review 2001 work plan.
?
Update recycling phone line.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:55 p.m.
Prepared and Submitted by Jill Sinclair
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