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NRC 05-08-2024NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION MENDOTA HEIGHTS CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS May 8, 2024 Mendota Heights Natural Resources Commission Page 1 of 5 Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 6:00 p.m. Meeting Minutes The regular meeting of the Mendota Heights Natural Resources Commission was held on Wednesday May 8, 2024, at Mendota Heights City Hall; 1101 Victoria Curve. 1. Call to Order Chair Swank called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. Roll Call Natural Resources Coordinator Spreiter called the roll. Commissioners present: Commissioners Fahnhorst, Knosalla, McCaslin, Sheets, Stein, Swank, and Student Commissioner Trudeau. Commissioners Absent: Commissioner Husbands Staff present: Natural Resources Coordinator Krista Spreiter and Recycling Coordinator Courtney Selstad. 3. Adopt Agenda Motion to approve the agenda by Fahnhorst, second by McCaslin. Motion passed 6-0. 4. Approval of Minutes a. Approval of April 10, 2024 Natural Resources Commission Meeting Minutes Commissioner Sheets noted she was present at the meeting and should be added to the Roll Call. Motion to approve the revised Regular Session Minutes by Stein, second by Knosalla. Motion passed 6-0. 5. Citizen Comment Period (for items not on the agenda) No one appeared to address the Commission. Chair Swank noted there were 11 people in attendance. 6. New Business a. Oak Award Recipients Recognition Natural Resources Coordinator Spreiter The Mendota Heights Natural Resources Commission created the Oak Awards Program in 2023 to celebrate leadership, education and outreach, and project efforts that advance natural resources within the City. Recipients are recognized in the following categories: May 8, 2024 Mendota Heights Natural Resources Commission Page 2 of 5 Acorn Award – recognizes exemplary youth leadership in the advancement of our city’s natural resources. Eligible youth include individuals or groups 18 years of age and younger, or a current student in 12th grade or under. Leaf Award – recognizes significant contributions of an individual, family, company or organization that has demonstrated extraordinary leadership for the stewardship of our city’s natural resources. Canopy Award – recognizes lifetime achievement of an individual, family, company or organization that has demonstrated extraordinary leadership for the stewardship of our city’s natural resources. Recipients for their achievements in Natural Resources within the City in 2023 include: Acord Award – Benjamin Moe – Ben led and coordinated a pollinator planting in Valley Park as part of his Eagle Scout project. The project included the planting of over 200 native pollinator plants, as well as the creation of a webpage, complete with QR code and signage, educating the public on the benefits of pollinators and how to protect them. The website created was shown to the Commission. Leaf Award – Tim Minea – Tim has set an example in his own landscape by planting a beautiful mix of native trees and plants, many originally planted by his father a generation ago that he has continued to care for. He also has planted several pollinator plants along the East and South sides of his property. Neighbors say ‘Tim is also really great at getting kids excited about plants. Once he brought the neighborhood kids some acorns and a bucket of dirt so they could see how the acorns grew into trees. My girls loved watching the bucket grow into tiny trees.’ Tim Minea thanked the Commission for the award. Canopy Award – Leslie Pilgrim – Leslie has spent countless hours in the service of natural resources, including water resources, throughout the metro area but especially within Mendota Heights. Some of the community efforts she has created, led, and volunteered for include: Neighborhood Greening – a non-profit dedicated to community environmental education and stewardship, Roots in the Ground – A local non-profit initiative with a goal to plant 5,000 trees in Mendota Heights in 5 years to help mitigate the loss of ash trees to Emerald Ash Borer, the Natural Resources Management Plan Update Steering Committee member, partnering with the Mendota Elementary School to create an elementary forest planting project, and serves as a member on the board of the Lower Mississippi River Watershed Management Organization. Leslie is also committed to continuing education in natural resources, and has gained certifications in and serves as a Master Naturalist and Minnesota Water Steward. Leslie thanked the Commission for their work on the Commission and for the award. Each award recipient was invited to come forward to receive their award, as well as to speak to their efforts in Natural Resources if they wish to do so. Photographs were taken of the recipients along with the Commissioners. b. GreenStep Cities Update. Recycling Coordinator Courtney Selstad reviewed per direction from City Council, City Staff are working to advance Mendota Heights in the GreenStep Cities (GSC) program. The GSC program May 8, 2024 Mendota Heights Natural Resources Commission Page 3 of 5 covers all aspects of sustainability, promotion hundreds of best practice activities and accompanying resources. A city achieves Steps 1-3 when a specific combination of those activities is completed. Steps 4 and 5 are achieved through a comprehensive set of data reporting and improvements on key metrics. Recycling Coordinator Selstad continued during the 2023-2024 GSC reporting period Mendota Heights advanced from Step 2 to Step 3 and doubled its number of reported activities. Step 3 involved additional reporting on sustainability activities that took place over the past few years, as well as completion of specific best practice actions required to advance in the program such as establishing sustainable purchasing guidelines and a Living Streets policy. During the 2023-2024 GSC reporting period Mendota Heights advanced from Step 2 to Step 3 and doubled its number of reported activities. Step 3 involved additional reporting on sustainability activities that took place over the past few years, as well as establishing sustainable purchasing guidelines and a Living Streets policy. City staff will begin to work on Step 4 of the program which involves data collection activities on 12 subjects such as city fleets, wastewater and energy. Staff anticipates Step 4 to be more time intensive than previous steps and are working on a timeline for the next couple years that accommodates achieving Step 4 along with the City’s other sustainability initiatives. Commissioner Stein asked if Ms. Selstad knew of cities that have achieved Step 4? Ms. Selstad stated South St. Paul has made it to Step 5 and West St. Paul is working on Step 4 currently. Chair Swank asked if there are tasks the Commission can assist with please let the Commission know. 7. Old Business a. Earth and Arbor Day Celebration Recap. Natural Resources Coordinator Spreiter reviewed the 2024 Mendota Heights Earth and Arbor Day Celebration was held Monday, April 22 – Saturday, April 27, 2024. The purpose of the celebration is to gain awareness and educate the community on natural resources issues and topics, as well as to encourage participation and connect with residents, business, and other community groups in Mendota Heights. The following events and programs were included in the week-long celebration: Picnic in the Park: Celebrating Earth and Arbor Day in Mendota Heights Unfortunately, this event had to be canceled due to weather. Several groups and individual volunteers still made it out to the City’s parks and open spaces throughout the week to collect trash and help clean up the City as part of the city-wide clean-up event. Some of the volunteer groups included several baseball teams from the Two Rivers Athletic Association, Endeavor Air (part of Delta Airlines), RTI, Inc., and a local Scout Troop. Tricia and the Toonies ENVIRO-Show The Tricia and the Toonies performed their ENVIRO-show for children and adults, teaching about pollinators, resources, recycling and caring for the environment. The show entertained everyone with colorful puppet characters, and got everyone up moving, dancing, and singing along in the interactive performance. Find the Frog “Lily the Frog” was placed in Valley Park during Earth Week. Residents were invited to find Lily and provide the answer to her riddle located next to her. Those that submitted an answer were May 8, 2024 Mendota Heights Natural Resources Commission Page 4 of 5 entered in to win an Earth Day Basket. There were 20 people that participated, and the two winners were Emma and Isaac. Daily Enviro Tip Daily Tips were provided on social media throughout the week on ways residents can help improve our environment. Fresh Air Fridays Kick-off Fresh Air Fridays encourages residents to find ways to reduce their emissions and practice Fresh Air Fridays. For example: Finding alternative, sustainable modes of transportation or reducing their energy use. Oak Awards The City announced the recipients of its first annual Oak Awards. The Mendota Heights Natural Resources Commission created the Oak Awards Program in 2023 to celebrate leadership, education/outreach, and project efforts that advance natural resources within the City. The Oak Awards program includes the following annual awards: • Acorn Award – recognizes exemplary youth leadership in the advancement of our city’s natural resources. Eligible youth include individuals or groups 18 years of age and younger, or a current student in 12th grade or under. • Leaf Award – recognizes significant contributions of an individual, family, company or organization that has demonstrated substantial leadership for the stewardship of our city’s natural resources. • Canopy Award – recognizes lifetime achievement of an individual, family, company or organization that has demonstrated extraordinary leadership for the stewardship of our city’s natural resources. Commissioner Knosalla asked if the amount of trash picked up was calculated. Ms. Spreiter stated she does not have that number as she did not get feedback from all the groups that participated. Kits were provided for those that asked for one. Commissioner Stein stated the partnership with the baseball teams is great. b. Committee Reports • Ordinance and Policy Development – Commissioner Stein stated the Planning Commission and City Council will be reviewing. • Education and Outreach – Commissioner Sheets stated she attended the Environment Commissions Conference last week. She explained some of the efforts done to restore the Oak Savannah in Burnsville. She also learned what other cities are doing. • Urban Forestry and Restoration – Commissioner Knosalla stated she and Ted met prior to this Commission meeting. The next meeting will be rescheduled. They have been working on the Murray Park demonstration planting. • Strategic Planning – Commissioner Knosalla stated they met yesterday and talked about funding strategies and volunteer recruitment strategy. May 8, 2024 Mendota Heights Natural Resources Commission Page 5 of 5 • Sustainability – Commissioner Stein stated the 3rd of 5 workshops were held. The focus was an overview of Excel’s energy programs that could be participated in. The next workshop will be held June 6. 8. Staff Announcements Coordinator Spreiter announced June 11 is the rain barrel and compost bin pick up from 9am-12pm at Public Works. There will be an Intro to Backyard Composting on May 9, 2024 at City Hall. It is Pollinator Awareness Month and new this year is the photo drawing for a Pollinator Gift Basket. A Commission worksession will follow this meeting this evening. 9. Commission Comments Commissioner Sheets stated this coming weekend there is a Plant Sale at Garlow. One sixth of the plants are natives. Next week on May 18 the City of Burnsville has a Plant Sale. Commissioner McCaslin stated the awards given was fun. Chair Swank commented on the quality of the awards. 10. Adjourn Motion to adjourn the meeting by Fahnhorst, second by Knosalla. Motion passed 6-0. Chair Swank adjourned the meeting at 6:50 p.m.