HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes CITY OF OSHKOSH SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
Minutes
October 1,2018
PRESENT: Margy Davey, Lurton Blassingame, Pat Dwyer Hallquist,Vic Oliver,Jake Krause, Robert
Turner,Jason Kalmbach
EXCUSED: Adam Maslowski, Michelle Bogden Muetzel
ABSENT: None
STAFF AND OTHERS: Steven Wiley, Lynn Lorenson(City Attorney), Scott Williams (Oshkosh
Media), Tom Ekvall (Oshkosh Herald),Alicia Alsberg, Mary Jo Vanderloop, Lynnsey
Erickson(Winnebago County Health Department)
I. Call to Order
Chair Margy Davey called the meeting to order at 6:08 pm and a quorum was declared present.
II. Public Comment
Chair Davey asked if there were public comments. Alicia Alsberg explained that she was working with
the director of the Farmers Market to look further at encouraging customers to bring their own containers
and bags to get away from the use of Styrofoam and plastic bags. She stated that the Farmers Market
was working on such an initiative but wanted an organization to manage and fund the effort. Ms.
Alsberg explained that she was also continuing to work with the schools and had met with someone
from their food service. She stated that the reason the schools continue using plastic silverware packets
is because many schools in OASD do not have dishwashers and it saves the students time in the process
of picking up breakfast and lunch. She mentioned that for idling, she had not heard much but had seen
parents shutting off their vehicles in school zones.
III. Approval of Minutes,August 6,2018
Chair Davey asked if any board members had any revisions to the minutes. No members had revisions
so the board approved the minutes 6-0. (Blassingame/Turner)
IV. Presentation-Robert's Rules and Procedural Considerations -City Attorneys
Mr. Kalmbach arrived during this item. Chair Davey introduced City Attorney Lorenson to the board.
Ms. Lorenson provided an overview of the Attorney's office and its functions. She then presented on a
number of legal considerations for public officials and elected/appointed boards and commissions. She
provided a book to each SAB member with all of the information in it and she referred to this book
throughout the presentation. Ms. Lorenson's presentation included the following:
• Wisconsin Open meetings law-an overview of the Statutes, purpose of the laws, and what this
means for staff,board members,notices,meetings, etc.
• Public Records-maintaining of any records related to business of the SAB as a public body.
• Ethics-regulations placed on local officials (prohibition of personal profit from holding public
office and participating in decisions where the official has a financial interest).
• Conduct of Meetings-Civility pledge,meeting attendance,motions,rules pertaining to
meeting conduct
• Role and Responsibilities-of staff, the SAB, and other boards and commissions
Ms. Lorenson concluded her presentation and stated that board members could contact Mr. Wiley or
the Attorney's office with any follow up questions. Ms. Lorenson left at this point.
V. Protecting Human Health and Aquatic Life from Toxic PAH Pollution in Stormwater
Chair Davey made a motion to withdraw this item from the agenda and Mr. Turner seconded. The
board voted 7-0 to withdraw this item.
VI.UW-Oshkosh Environmental Studies Projects-Fall 2018-Update
Mr. Wiley stated that Professor Jim Feldman and his Environmental Studies students were again
working with the SAB for the fall 2018 semester. Mr. Wiley and Chair Davey had met with the UWO
students and given the class their charge for the semester. The class would get into the Green
Infrastructure Audit and examine the Architectural Design Standards, Landscaping, Permeable
Pavement, and Community Outreach and Education sections. Mr. Wiley was in the process of
completing the sections of the Audit that asked for ordinance language and the students would then
research case studies,best practices, and model language that the City could consider. Mr. Wiley
reminded the board that the goal of the Audit was to examine the City's ordinances and determine
where ordinances could improve to become more hospitable to sustainable infrastructure.
VII. Environmental Leadership Award-Update
Chair Davey and Mr. Wiley explained that they had adjusted the timeline for the environmental
leadership award. They mentioned that they had asked Mr. Krause to make an announcement
regarding the creation of the award at an upcoming Council meeting. Mr. Wiley stated that he and
Chair Davey had sent Mr. Krause a revised timeline and write up for what he could present at Council.
Mr. Krause stated that he would make the announcement at an upcoming Council meeting.
VIII. Terrace Tree Proposal-Update
Mr. Wiley explained that he had talked to Mr. Davis (Community Development Director) and Mr.
Burich (Planning Services Director) and that they had recommended placing the Terrace Tree proposal
on the Development Review Committee (DRC) agenda to seek input from Public Works staff on the
proposal. Mr. Wiley said that the proposal would then go to the Council for consideration.
IX. 2018 Oshkosh Farmers Market-Update
Mr. Turner provided an update on the Farmers Market. He explained that the Market was done for
2018 and he wanted to create an actionable list of items that he could hand to people. The list would be
a one-page handout. Mr. Blassingame asked Mr. Wiley to place the item on the November SAB
agenda. Mr. Turner stated that City Manager Rohloff had stopped by the SAB booth during one of the
Saturdays and supported the idea of doing a one-page handout. Ms. Oliver mentioned that she had
put together a jar of straws. She explained that she gave metal reusable straws as prizes to the person
that had the closest guess on the number of straws in the jar.
X. Menominee Shoreland Restoration-Update
Chair Davey explained that due to Ms. Bogden Muetzel's absence no update would occur for this item.
XI. September 6 Sustainable Communities Network (SCN) Meeting-Update
Mr. Wiley and Chair Davey provided an update on the SCN meeting that had occurred at City Hall in
September. Mr. Wiley stated that the SCN was a group of Fox Valley communities and organizations
and that they met quarterly to share ideas regarding sustainable initiatives. Mr. Wiley had presented
to the SCN group on the Green Infrastructure Audit and the UWO collaboration. Other members of
the group presented research on wild buckthorn and parsnip.
XII. Agenda Items for Future Meeting
Mr. Turner asked to include the one-page handout for the Farmers Market and Chair Davey asked to
place discussion on PAH pollution on the November agenda. Mr. Wiley stated that ongoing items
would also remain on the agenda.
XIV.Adjourn
The board voted 7-0 to adjourn at 7:13 pm (Oliver/Turner).
Recorded by:
Steven Wiley,Assistant Planner