Minutes - Environmental Policy Board - 03/01/2010

Home

Board Member Enstrom inquired if there might be an interest in him talking about topsoil. Chairperson Max cautioned that there was a speaker last year that focused more on selling their product and downplaying competitors rather than educating the audience about the topic at hand. He said that as long as the talk remained educational only that might work and then if anyone was interested in his products, Board Member Enstrom could direct them to his booth at the event if he was going to have one for more specific information. Environmental Coordinator Anderson stated that he is also working with Ramsey Elementary School again this year to coordinate an environmentally themed coloring contest. There would again be a brief awards ceremony during the expo for each of the winners and the local paper would be invited to cover the event. Board Member Enstrom suggested that in the future maybe the coloring contest could have a specific theme such as trees, wildlife, water etc, and that the theme would be different each year. Board Member Enstrom left the meeting at 8:04 p.m. BOARD /STAFF INPUT Board Member Bentz passed around a brochure about new accent LED lighting that is available now. These types of lights are more energy efficient than incandescent or halogen lighting and do not contain mercury like the compact fluorescent lights do. Board Member Freeburg stated that the Anoka Union paper last week had a story on the front page concerning the County's water supply. He stated that it specifically identified Ramsey's Town Center Project and the concern that the City might have to tap the Mississippi River for its drinking water supply and that the cost for that would be significant. He suggested that the Board should be looking at this problem as soon as possible. Environmental Coordinator Anderson suggested that it may be more appropriate to wait and see what the results of the study that the ACD and WMOs are going to conduct are before any specific actions are taken or recommended. He stated that maybe someone from the Conservation District could be invited to a future meeting to talk to the Board about what a geologic atlas is and what information they are hoping to get from this study. Board Member Stodola stated that the Board and the City are doing things already concerning the water supply issue. He mentioned things like the topsoil ordinance and watering restrictions. Environmental Coordinator Anderson stated that the City also utilizes a tiered rate structure for . water, meaning that the more water someone uses, the more it costs them. Board Member Riley- Daniels distributed a flyer about a free event at the U of M on March 4 about the restoration in/or the Mississippi River Gorge. Environmental Policy Board / March 1, 2010 Page4of5