R2C2 Meeting Minutes

R2C2 Meeting Minutes February 27, 2008

Present: Kevin Green - Principal Shopping District, Allen Bryant - Delhi Township, Lori Miller and Steve Chalker - Lansing, Martha Knorek – Ingham County, Cara Clore and Kathy Donahue – Clinton County, LeRoy Harvey – Meridian Township, Dave Smith – East Lansing.

Cara Clore took these minutes; Martha Knorek has offered to take minutes in March, any takers for April?

DEQ Earth Day Event

Kathy Donahue is waiting to sign up pending participation by others to help with the program. Lisa Lafferty offered to work a couple hours. Post meeting update: Renee Franco, Ingham Co., has offered to work with Kathy that day.
Due to the lack of staffing, she will be conducting a program on red worms and vermicomposting, rather than paper making as it requires less on-hands work with the students.
Post meeting update: DEQ is interested in pens or pencils or other items for student goodie bags, they expect about 2,000 to attend.

Spring Collection Events

Joint promotional efforts

We are hoping it might be possible to do a special insert with a green theme in the LSJ but Kevin is having a difficult time getting information from LSJ and is waiting for follow up and will forward to the group once received.
LeRoy has been in touch with Warren Armstrong who is developing a web based calendar to consolidate community activities and help promote regional events and this may be a good option for R2C2 members to share information on local and regional events.

Library Groups – Lori has 6 groups committed to attending the regional collection event on April 5^th in East Lansing. Cara will promote attendance by Clinton County library groups to the events held in the County on April 3 and 4. Any books taken by library groups should be accounted for at a rate of 33 pounds per box.

Electronic waste event – Steve is currently sorting thru bids received for the regional events. Right now proposals submitted by Classic Computer Recovery and Valley City Environmental Recycling are being strongly considered.

Formalizing R2C2

Cara submitted the start to a document to use to communicate to our respective supervisors/boards regarding formalizing R2C2 into a 501C3 organization. Input is needed to help make the case for why this is necessary. Few suggestions were made at the meeting, and it’s not clear if the group will go in this direction.
However it was noted that something needs to be done to address challenges and ensure a fiduciary for the WRAP program as well as funds generated from other programs. Also, in the future it may be necessary to deposit funds received from the rebate of the sale of collected materials, especially as new programs are developed. Currently Clinton County has $350 in an account from last fall’s book collection event, and if the plant plastics event is successful it could generate funds as well.
Opportunities that could result from non-profit status include the ability to solicit grant funds for regional programs, facilitate development of new programs, such as youth and community education model. This could also tie into regional green initiatives and facilitate additional opportunities for collaboration.

It was discussed that it would be helpful to do some research for other examples of regional collaboration, including joint operating agreements, developing an authority, working with an existing non-profit to handle fiduciary responsibilities, etc.
Assignments for all: research other alternatives to 501©3 status that will address fiduciary challenges, and the ability to take in donations to support programs and develop new programs. Cara offered to contact her legal counsel for suggestions (assuming it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg!)

Spring Home & Garden Show

Lori went over the staff schedule; additional help is needed on Thursday 3/13 from 3:00 PM to 9:30 PM.

Regional Pharmaceutical Collection Grant

The proposal was submitted on 2/26/08.

The Garbage Revolution

Cara is having a difficult time communicating to the distributors of this film to clarify what types of licenses are needed to do a one-day fund raiser and also be able to make it available to show to school groups free of charge.

Regional Collection of agricultural details

The event has been scheduled for 7/15 from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM; Martha will follow up on shipping expenses to see how it compares to pricing provided by Mike McNaughton, Waste Alternatives, the vendor taking the plastic
If a flyer is available for the Home Show, Lori will see it is distributed.
Update: Cara sent a copy of the flyer late last week and we are waiting for comments and sign off from Van Atta’s and Waste Alternatives.
Items to be collected include all pots, flats, plug trays and cell packs. The latter three items are typically #6 polystyrene whereas pots can come in #2 or #5 polypropylene.

Rain barrel/compost bin sale

Cara has been in contact with Amy Freeman-Rosa and Norsemen Plastics has just recently designed a rain barrel quoted at $50 each; a price quote for the compost bin the Earth Machine was $40 each. We would be the first community to work with Norsemen to feature the rain barrels with the compost bins in a distribution program. Amy has been asked to provide a picture of the rain barrel and its specifications. She has also been asked to put together a bid for the upcoming event. Amy said she would present a bid with the best distribution scenario for the group. We have discussed a preorder program. Norsemen can offer this and would fund the placement of inserts in local newspapers; residents would then follow up with one or more of us by sending in an order form and a check. Under this scenario we would be required to sell a minimum and would be responsible for any we did not sell. Amy intimated that it’s possible that it may be more cost effective to do an alternate type of distribution. As soon as information is provided to Cara it will be shared with the group.
It was commented that we will definitely want to provide education and instruction on how to use rain barrel, hopefully the manufacturer would provide materials.
Location – the possibility of Clark Corners in DeWitt, Dunham’s in Lansing, and a site in Delta Township was discussed. It may make sense to have three different distribution locations if that can be facilitated.

Green Map Update

Cara has been in contact with the student who has volunteered to do the updates to the map, but is waiting for follow up to see what his time frame is and ensure that he can actually do the work.
Martha’s co-worker is going thru map and getting updates to the existing phone numbers located on the map.
LeRoy also has a co-worker that may have GIS knowledge and be able to help update the map if the student from Olivet College can not.

Thrift Crawl Update

Members need to follow up with Martha on sites they have visited and provided her feedback on whether or not the store should be included in the crawl.

Carpet and mattress recycling

Martha presented information on vendors who are recycling both carpet padding and mattresses. She will approach a carpet retailer to see if they are willing to stage a trailer and if so we would look to promote the service residents.
“Pack up and Pitch in” program at MSU will also be recycling carpet padding collected from students.
Martha will follow up with a mattress recycler to see if there’s a possibility in providing the service to the region.

Tim Wenk’s recycling performances

There is interest in contracting with Tim to offer programs to the region. The approximate cost is $450 per show with a 12 show minimum. April 2009 was targeted as Clinton County’s budget cycle doesn’t begin again until January and no funds will be available until that time.
Kathy also mentioned that a local performer conducts a puppet show to educate about recycling as well and will provide the group with information at the next meeting.
ALL: The next step is to determine how many shows each agency can afford and approach Mr. Wenk for a proposal. Please come to the March meeting with input.

CACF Grant

Kathy is interested in spearheading the development of a proposal to fund an educational event in each county to celebrate ARD. The premise is that in order to engage youth in recycling and waste reduction activities, we must provide them with a sense of place, or a reason to care. This can be accomplished by educating them about animals and ecosystems and connecting with them on an emotional level. The event would then wrap up with giving students and their families a recycling challenge, and promoting recycling and waste reduction as one thing they can do to make a difference.
Kathy will develop a sketch of the proposal including a model of the events to be conducted in each county and forward it to the group for comment. The grant proposal is due the first of April.

Community Updates

Lori Miller is looking at developing a youth environmental initiative that would assign each school a project to help “green” the Lansing area; the effort would culminate in a presentation to the Mayor and the public on project successes.
Allen Bryant said the annual reuse rally and open house will be held on May 10; they will do a recycled art project to create a sculpture of a fish (to tie into water quality awareness) and youth would help build the sculpture by attaching plastic detergent bottles during the event.
Kevin Green contacted MSU regarding staffing for upcoming events but is still waiting for confirmation.
Dave Smith is administering a program regarding restoration of our trees in the tri-county area in response to emerald ash pest. Contact him for more information as his office is a contact for the tri-counties.
LeRoy Harvey provided information on the development of a community calendar, the current focus is on promoting the calendar and encouraging individuals and community groups to submit information; an orientation for R2C2 is also an option. Meridian Township is touring Dart – LeRoy will send information to the group.
Steve gave an update on the comprehensive audit of WRS that has been on-going and the development of future projects is pending following the results of the audit.
Cara mentioned that her position has expanded somewhat and she has taken on many new projects in the last two months. Just like everyone else, she is busy, busy, busy!
Martha is hoping to retire in four yearsJ