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Environmental Minutes | January 5, 2022

TOWNSHIP OF MONROE

ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES 

Meeting January 5, 2022

  1. CALL TO ORDER- Chairwoman Karen Polidoro

                          Pledge to Flag

  1. Sunshine Law- Read into the record
  2. Roll Call – (Commissioners and Associates)

                Karen Polidoro (Chair)

                Renee Haider

                Roger Dreyling

                Ken Konya

               Joe Slomian

              Giada Schwam (Student Liaison)

               Daria Ludas

              Mihir Majmudar

              John Riggs

             Lucille di Pasquale

            Surabhi Agarwal

            Irene Goldberg

            Theresa Zamorski (Seceretary)

Adoption of Minutes:  Ken Kona motion the December minutes and Renee Haider second the motion, All in favor.               

  1. Applications:
    1. Speaker: No Applications- nothing to report
    2. The commission had the following concerns: None
  2. Committee Reports:
    1. High School Student Liaison- Giada Schwam-
  • The EAC held a plastic bag drive for all students and staff to participate in. Some members stayed after the meeting to crochet bags together to create mats. The mats will be donated to the homeless shelters by the end of January or early February.
  • The 3rd Annual Eco Night will be a virtual event that will take place sometime after spring break in April. The executive board began planning the logistics of this event. So far, we plan to appoint members for the Eco Night sub-committee positions by the end of the month and get them acquainted with their rolls and start completing tasks by the end of February. This is the EAC biggest event, so more planning and decisions will be made soon for this event to be a success. 
  • The EAC’s Preschool Collaboration is a 3-day event held in conjunction with the Falcon’s Nest Preschool, and possibly the Shade Tree Commission, to create an activity to educate the students in environmental concepts and sustainability. The club will create a committee of 3 students to organize and plan activities, coordinate with Falcon’s Nest, and oversee the completion of the project. After confirming activity ideas with Falcons, Nest, we will have our student volunteers come into the preschool classroom at a determined time to run the event.  We aim to complete the activity during the 3rd marking period, in either February or March.

        b. Trails and Bike Paths Committee- Coordinator Karen Polidoro -Nothing to report

        c. Storm Water & Streams Committee- Coordinator Joe Slomian. Karen Polidoro advised us that the               Stream Cleanup will be April 23, 2022, from 9-11AM at the Community Gardens. Also, thinking of doing               another Stream Cleanup with Jamesburg. Renee Haider Advised the Commission to get credit for                           Sustainable Jersey they will have to give an education report.

      d. Energy Committee – Coordinator Ken Konya- Nothing to report

      e. Open Space- Coordinator John Riggs-No Status on Masterplan.

      f. Education Committee Report- Coordinator Renee Haider – going to tell Harold Klein that they will                use the $2000.00 grant money to support education outreach programs.

     g. Sustainable New Jersey – Coordinator Renee Haider-Discussed scheduling a meeting with Alan                       Weinberg and Joe Slomian to go through the list of action. Also, get in touch with the Clerk’s office to take              Len Baskin off the Green Team and add Rupa Siegel.

     h. Green Fair Committee Report – Coordinator Mihir Majmudar-The Commission discussed having the            Green Fair in person/outdoor this year, possibly at Dey Farm or the Senior Center depending on                              availability. Also, thinking about changing the date to September for warmer weather.

  1. Planning Board – Nothing to report
  2. Old Business – New Business – Nothing to report
  3. Open to Public –Comments- Surabhi Agarwal would like to present taking precautions for curbing pollution and light. She has seen other towns do such a good job with it and would like to see if Monroe Township would consider doing something similar.
  4. Adjournment 8:13 pm MOTION: Karen Polidoro              Second: Theresa Zamorski
  5. NEXT MEETING DATE: February 2nd, 2022