HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes 11-14-06City of Falcon Heights
Environment Commission
Meeting Minutes
November 14, 2006
Present: Peter Lindstrom, Susan Harding, Jim Kielsmeier, Debbie Tretsven, Sam Bontrager, Justin Miller
Absent: Linda Smith, Gretel Keene, Frank Meah
The commission meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM.
Recap of garden presentation made to the council. Council approved the motion to move forward with the plans for a community garden. Mayor Sue Gerhz sent an email to the U of M regarding
use of community park land for a community garden.
It was agreed upon that we should reconnect with citizen who expressed interest in the garden via the ice cream social and/or the web site. Gretel has taken on the responsibility of
contacting residents in the past, and we would like her to email all interested citizens to inform them that the motion to move forward on the community garden has been approved by the
council and we will have the first steering committee meeting on January 8th at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. We would like for citizens to RSVP.
Justin can make room arrangements for this meeting so we have a bigger space to accommodate all of us.
January 8th is the same night the Environment Commission is scheduled to meet. EC will meet at 6:30 to prepare any last minute details for the steering committee meeting.
Agenda items for this first meeting:
Ice breaker/introductions
Background information on the garden plan (feasibility report)
Goals for the steering committee
Elect a steering committee chair, or co-chairs
Look at items from garden works, such as; job descriptions and garden rules
Jim will invite Sarah Ulmer and Ila Duntemann of Gardenworks to the initial meeting.
Susan offered to be the liaison to the garden steering committee. EC agreed that the commission and the steering committee should have joint meetings for the next several months, in
an effort to plan how the garden will operate, who are the key contacts, setting up time lines, etc.
Justin will write a press release and Peter will get it to the local papers. The community garden project will also be featured in the January newsletter. Justin will put an “ad” in
the papers in December (separate from the press release).
Justin also mentioned a grant opportunity which awards $5000-$8000 to city sponsored/school sponsored gardens. He offered to research the grant more. MN Green also has listing of other
grants.
Other things to note:
Next months meeting is cancelled, but the comprehensive planning meeting will be held in its place. All commissioners are encouraged to attend. Parks and open space may be an item
of interest.
Commissioners are interested in any Bell Museum updates.
Look at getting information and education on invasive species from the U of M.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM. Submitted by Deb Tretsven