Bordentown City Environmental Commission

Bordentown City Environmental Commission (BCEC)

Minutes of January 14, 2015

Carslake Community Center Senior’s Room

Minutes prepared by Leah Ducey

Meeting called to order at 7:30 pm

Attendance: (Quorum present) Ralph Tolomeo (Chair), Joel Dowshen (Vice-Chair), Leah Ducey, Mike Lahr, Mike Tunney, Andy Richardson

(Members of the public present): Cathy Elliott-Shaw, Katie Nosker, Mayor Malone, Sallie Miller

No minutes to approved.  September and December minutes approved.

Public comment:

Communications and Announcements:

1. Lime Kiln Park update: Mayor to meet with Lime Kiln Committee to review maintenance plan, Mike Tunney will mark out where to cut for city workers. Mayor Malone will ask the county to cut Ships Alley with flail mower once a month to keep growth back. Message kiwannis about taking over care of Butterfly garden- weeding/ mulching. MAy 2nd garden clean up and teach Kiwanis how to keep weeded. Pavilion will be set up down by the creek.
2. Oliver Street Park update: Need to establish paths and maintenance plan.
3. Green Team updates: No update to school garden. Plans to attend DBA meeting to talk about handing out reusable bags for Chocolate walk in February and possible ordering more. Green Business Recognition Program for new laundromat in town, GT working on Green Business Award. Laundromat was focus of green business Register News article. City GT looking into working with Township GT for Green Fair to ease work load. Next Green Team meeting 1/20, 7pm at Carslake Community Center.
4. Community Garden Update– Leah Ducey is working on fence quotes. We still need quotes for water pipe installation- Mayor says about 4K, resurfacing basketball court, pavilion, and walking track. Looking to hold a Community meeting about garden in February or March. Leah, Andy, Cathy and Cindy are working on Sustainable Jersey grant for garden due 2/1.
5. BCEC membership update: Need to replace Brooke’s position, Mike Tunney and MIke L expire 5/2015. Letter to be sent to members who no longer attend meetings to ask if still interested, if not we will look to replace them.
6. Crosswicks Creek water issue was brought to our attention to look into. Mayor said it already has been decided to put in a treatment plant.
7. Mayor Malone said he would ask City attorney about updating Master PLan and if old city plan leaves us vulnerable to unwanted development at the old Ocean Spray plant.
8. City water has had low levels of radioactives, Water plant has plans to drill new well and update filters to address issue.
9. Mayor Malone and Ziggy Targonski attended meeting with PA DEP to argue new Hazardous waste disposal plant across river in Bristol, PA.
10. Mayor has recommended that the BCEC does not create a facebook page for liability reasons.

BCEC Events:

1. 2/17 Skunk and Groundhog talk
2. 4/18 Rain Barrel workshop
3. 4/25 Drug collection
4. 5/2 Clean up at Butterfly Garden in Lime Kiln
5. 5/16 Street Fair
6. 6/13 Greenfair
7. 10/3-10/4 Cranberry Festival

Planning Board

1. Board looking to nominate people for Ocean Spray redevelopment committee- Mike Lahr and Deb Branson.
2. New owner of Ocean Spray is Dan Popkins, owner of Recycled Modern Spaces. Redevelopment grant to assist with redevelopment of 3rd street to rt 206 on Park St (possible Brewery, upscale market). Elizabeth st most likely to stay a warehouse.
3. Aldi taking over Bottom Dollar and Dunkin Donuts going in parking lot.

BCEC 2013 Budget:

1. $3600 new budget

Meeting Adjourned at 9:20 (the next meeting will be February 11th at 7:30pm.)

Bordentown City Environmental Commission (BCEC)

Minutes of December 10, 2014

Carslake Community Center Senior’s Room

Minutes prepared by Leah Ducey

Meeting called to order at 7:35 pm

Attendance: (Quorum present) Ralph Tolomeo (Chair), Joel Dowshen (Vice-Chair), Leah Ducey, Mike Lahr, Mike Tunney

(Members of the public present): Cathy Elliott-Shaw

No minutes to approved.

Public comment:

Communications and Announcements:

1. Lime Kiln Park update:  Need master maintenance plan so we can give to city. Message kiwannis about taking over care of Butterfly garden- weeding/ mulching.
2. Oliver Street Park update: Need to establish paths and maintenance plan.
3. Greenteam updates:  Cathy Elliott-Shaw’s husband met with high school class to talk about soils for their garden, waiting for teacher to lead next steps. Reusable bags were a hit for shop local saturday, they were stuffed with recycling fliers and handed to customers who bought from the local city stores; going to do again for chocolate walk and look into ordering more bags with shop local logo.
4. Community Garden Update–  Leah Ducey, Mike Tunney and Cindy Gallagher staked out potential community garden- 50 ft by 140 ft. Leah going to get fence quotes and work on Sustainable Jersey grant- Due Feb.1.  Jim Lynch said the city could get water to the garden location.
5. Need to get new members off the sign-up sheet and looking for new BCEC members to replace those who no longer are involved.
6. Mike Tunney asked for Green Certificate for new laundrymat on Farnsworth. Alot of work was put into making it energy efficient and it would be good to recognize the eco- efforts.

BCEC Events:

1. 2/17 Skunk and Groundhog talk
2. 4/4 Rainbarrel workshop
3. 6/13 Greenfair

Planning Board

1. St. Mary’s nursery school for sale looking for residential zoning.
2. Stores on 206/130 by empire pizza looking to have restaurant zoning.

BCEC 2013 Budget:

1. $336.33 left in budget

Meeting Adjourned at 9:15 (the next meeting will be  January 14th at 7:30pm.)

Bordentown City Environmental Commission (BCEC)

Minutes of September 10, 2014

Carslake Community Center Senior’s Room

Minutes prepared by Leah Ducey

Meeting called to order at 7:35 pm

Attendance: (Quorum present) Ralph Tolomeo (Chair), Joel Dowshen (Vice-Chair), Andy Richardson, Leah Ducey, Mike Lahr

(Members of the public present): Cathy Elliott-Shaw, Cindy Gallagher

No minutes to approved.

Public comment:

Communications and Announcements:

1. Lime Kiln Park update:  Butterfly garden needs to be weeded- looking for volunteers.
2. Oliver Street Park update: Need to establish paths and maintenance plan.
3. Greenteam updates:  Cathy Elliott-Shaw met with Principal Lynch and Jill Popko for high school garden, asking teachers and students for input on what type of garden they would like.
4. Community Garden Update–  Leah Ducey, Ralph Tolomeo and Ellen Werhman met with the School Superintendent to discuss the use of Clara Barton Annex lot. Superintendent supported idea and school board will vote on decision 9/17/14.  Leah also met with Temple design class on 9/3 and the students are including Community Garden ideas for project.
5. Library Garden looks great!  Marsha Dowshen and Leona Lee have cleaned up garden and marked native plants with new plant ID markers.
6. See Andy for staffing the booth for Cranbury Festival 10/4 and 10/5- people needed to staff booth
7. We are co-sponsoring events with Abbott Marsh and this posted on BCEC website
8. BCEC is looking for a place to store street fair materials.

BCEC Events:

1. Cranbury Festival 10/4 and 10/5
2. 9/23 Earth talk and video on new single stream recycling
3. 12/9 Earth talk on vultures by APHIS

Planning Board:

1. New member- Deborah Branson
2. 2 lots on the corner of Spring and Ann st were approved for building houses
3. Part of Tutek office is approved to be converted to residential

BCEC 2013 Budget:

1. We have $2460.20 left from $3200 and are looking to purchase reusable shopping bags.

Meeting Adjourned at 9:15 (the next meeting will be October 8th at 7:30pm.)

Bordentown City Environmental Commission (BCEC)

Minutes of July 9, 2014

Carslake Community Center Senior’s Room

Minutes prepared by Leah Ducey

Meeting called to order at 7:35 pm

Attendance: (Quorum present) Ralph Tolomeo (Chair), Joel Dowshen (Vice-Chair), Andy Richardson, Leah Ducey, Mike Tunney

(Members of the public present): Cathy Elliott-Shaw, Patrick Froelich

May minutes approved.

Public comment:  Patrick Froelich is running a water monitoring workshop 6/12 at 508 Hughes Dr  Hamilton NJ.

Communications and Announcements:

1. Lime Kiln Park update:  Maintenance has to be kept low, we need to establish a maintenance plan.
2. Oliver Street Park update: Need to establish maintenance plan.
3. Greenteam updates:  Green Fair Recap: Most exhibitors and attendance since 1^st Green Fair. 6/13/15 next fair.
4. Community Garden Update– Member of the green team and BCEC met with Jill Popko of the Bordentown Township greenteam to discuss their challenges and successes of starting a community garden; the BT greenteam would like to pair with BC greenteam to start a garden at the high school.
5. Andy Richardson attended NOFA’s Symphony of Soil film and suggested it as a possible Earth Talk.
6. Library Garden looks great!  Marsha Dowshen and Leona Lee have cleaned up garden and marked native plants with new plant ID markers.
7. Bordentown City is going to single stream recycling- we can now recycle # 3,4,6,7
8. Sean Murphy of the Burlington County Times would like to know what’s going on with the BCEC for an article.
9. See Andy for staffing the booth for Cranbury Festival
10. We are co-sponsoring events with Abbott Marsh

BCEC Events:

1. Cranbury Festival 10/4 and 10/5
2. GreenTeam Earth talk on Vultures In december

Planning Board:

1. No update

BCEC 2013 Budget:

1. No new news

Meeting Adjourned at 8:50 (the next meeting will be August 13th at 7:30pm.)