[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:01] Call this meeting to order. The Natural Resource Conservation Board is an advisory board to the city council.
[0:09] A board is charged with recommending acquisition of lands for open space and developing a natural resource plan,
[0:16] which includes environmental policy and guidelines for the maintenance and preservation of blends existing in future open spaces and trail corridors.
[0:26] One of the board's functions is the whole public meetings and make recommendations to the city council.
[0:33] For each item, the board will receive reports prepared by city staff provide the opportunity for public response,
[0:41] conduct board discussions, and make recommendations.
[0:45] The city council, however, makes all final decisions on these matters.
[0:51] roll call meet board members unit here or member panning here board member
[0:59] McKinley board member Tushan here board member Philippi chair
[1:07] raffordy here next we have approval of the minutes from last February
[1:16] every twenty first.
[1:36] I move we approve the minutes is written.
[1:40] All right, we have a motion in a second. All those in favor.
[1:47] All right, minutes are approved.
[1:51] Proveal of the agenda for tonight.
[1:56] Sure, everybody. I have a few things I'd like to add to the agenda this evening.
[2:01] One, at the last meeting, board member Jeanette brought up a grant opportunity for additional staff and she's going to send information to Nate, just wondering the process how that went because it's kind of a tight timeline.
[2:18] Second, I understand we have a new board member Ken Anderson that will be joining us next next month.
[2:24] Next month.
[2:25] Yeah.
[2:25] Just one.
[2:26] And then four possible adjunct members.
[2:32] And so I'd like to discuss the onboarding process for new members.
[2:39] And anybody that's interested in the community, new city council representatives just
[2:45] so they understand what the function of the board and some of the priorities put together
[2:52] around the board. And lastly, to talk about, well, not lastly, but the accounting for the 3.5 million bond referendum.
[3:01] And I realized that would be probably at a later meeting, but that would probably be a good time to do that on the next.
[3:09] And then I found friends of the open space on the city website. And so it's still there, it's still buried in there, and I would love to promote that again.
[3:19] So those are way more information than you needed just to add to the agenda.
[3:24] That's very good.
[3:25] All right.
[3:26] We can do that.
[3:27] Proveal the agenda as amended motion.
[3:33] I'll second that.
[3:34] All right.
[3:35] All those in favor.
[3:36] Hi.
[3:37] All right.
[3:39] Next we have open form for citizen input.
[3:45] Since we don't have anybody here, we'll move on to 6.1.
[3:49] one.
[3:53] All right, I'll turn it over to Meg in here.
[3:57] Thank you. We'll start with these items and then I know that Nate does have some information
[4:02] about these added items as a while that we can incorporate into our update later on.
[4:08] Let me go full screen. I think Nate said we had the screens working today. So hopefully you guys can
[4:13] see. I got the bugs. My visual aids tonight. I heard we had some pickups. My first is a brief update
[4:21] on our wetlands sanctuary trail contract that we're trying to get secured.
[4:26] We've got a couple different proposals from three different consulting companies and one of
[4:31] the main things I want feedback on tonight is regarding the possibility of some alternative materials
[4:39] and looking into that as part of the feasibility in site 7 for boardwalk.
[4:45] We've pretty stuck there. We're kind of committed to that same material that we've used previously
[4:51] Because that's what's been approved in our bank application, but as we entered the Southern portion, which is where majority of the trails under
[5:00] These contracts will be constructed. I'm just curious to get some of your feedback in your initial gut reaction on getting information about alternative boardwalk materials in the site 7.
[5:11] We've gone with the timber frame. That more classic boardwalk material.
[5:16] But if we could see some cost savings with something else, I just, I wasn't around for the conversations during the original trail project. So I don't know if it's something we looked into then. I haven't had the time to do the research into that process.
[5:28] but figured I'd get some feedback from you all tonight,
[5:31] if you don't mind.
[5:35] How did we arrive on our choice?
[5:39] Is it recorded anywhere for the site 7 or what
[5:43] that we have?
[5:44] It was a million dollars vote.
[5:47] And would that wouldn't because that was cheaper,
[5:51] or was that not any other choices at the time?
[5:57] I believe from what I've read.
[5:59] And it's been a while since I've dug through that original contract, it's something it was impacted by the army core and the watershed as part of the banking process that we needed to go with that boardwalk trail with a timber material.
[6:15] So as part of permitting through the southern portion we don't have that bank establishment, so you know very well might be that the watershed still requires a timber trail.
[6:24] It's something we certainly look into through the permitting process, but we have a look into that yet if the watershed would have a preference.
[6:34] No, not at this time. We're hearing from our consultants, I think there might be some cost savings if we do have the opportunity to move away from timber.
[6:41] But if that's something that we've already decided to use some sort of composite material or some kind of precast material, there's a couple different proprietary products.
[6:53] If we were to move forward with anything, we would bring that for further review what those products were.
[6:59] But if our gut reaction during the original trails, we wanted timber, you know, that's something I kind of wanted to know now.
[7:06] So I don't remember exactly. I would have to dig back to the minutes and this was in 2014. It's been a while.
[7:17] Oh, then it's prior to when I was on the board.
[7:19] Yeah, so that's yeah, okay
[7:26] But I know the construction like the the footings and the pedestals were were meant to be low impact
[7:39] to the yeah, so and I didn't know if the weight of the boards or you know
[7:45] I'm sure that has something to do with it,
[7:48] and would was much cheaper in 2014
[7:51] than it is in 2023, because the cost difference
[7:55] between composite and would now is much less
[7:59] than it was eight years ago or whatever.
[8:04] It is heavier than timbers.
[8:08] So I don't know if that impacts it, but you're right.
[8:11] If we don't have the requirements from,
[8:16] we do need to make sure that we're very clear
[8:18] on what the regulatory requirements are,
[8:23] and what our obligations are that we have to uphold
[8:26] and that we abide by those.
[8:29] Important to me, too.
[8:31] There were any negative impact on the material
[8:35] that wouldn't be worth the money saving.
[8:38] To me, I would rather do it right
[8:42] for the natural resource, unless it was just sold expensively
[8:48] couldn't pass.
[8:49] And then the other side of it is the composite would
[8:52] be more durable, in terms of the longevity of it
[8:57] and the weathering, the composite would be more durable.
[9:03] And if it's a composite material that's made
[9:05] from recycled materials, then that's a consideration.
[9:10] And if it's, you know, using sustainable materials, that's a consideration as well.
[9:16] The boardwalks wouldn't be crossing wet land.
[9:20] So I'm assuming that we really have to find out from the watershed.
[9:26] What, you know, what their requirements might be now.
[9:30] We are going to have an inspection by the Army Corps this summer.
[9:35] So, you know, if we're not in a terrible hurry, it would be kind of good to know what army court thinks now rather than the leader than the right.
[9:48] And so, yeah, and the watershed too.
[9:51] And this is all within the Rice Creek Watershed district.
[9:54] So, and we have a, we have a blame console person.
[10:00] Who's on the board on board? Yep. So we have a good contact to keep in touch.
[10:06] And Patrick Hughes will be here for our April meeting. So perhaps this is something we can talk about with Patrick Hughes and also with Bowser, Ben Meyer.
[10:27] The other thing would be, now I'll lose my train, I thought, totally.
[10:35] The other thing would be just to be sure we're putting in trails where we need them
[10:43] and not everywhere, are we changing the configuration of the trails we had already been
[10:49] shown?
[10:50] Not significantly, it will depend on our ultimate wetland delineation, because we will be looking for
[10:58] our kind of path of least impact to wetlands, going in the upland whenever we can.
[11:04] Because less impact to our wetlands and it is also significantly cheaper to put in the asphalt trail than build the boardwalk.
[11:11] So the layout we have here is based on some ground tru things, some preliminary delineation in the field,
[11:17] but nothing formally has been delineated, so it will depend on the results of that
[11:23] delineation, which is something our consultant will perform this spring.
[11:27] Also, where we can, I don't want any more asphalt fault than we have to have, and so I would
[11:33] like to see before we go ahead if you show our committee where the asphalt is going to be,
[11:41] where the wood chips or whatever is going to be gravel,
[11:45] whatever, whatever it is, you know,
[11:48] and wherever the boardwalks have to be.
[11:54] So this image is a little hard to tell
[11:57] because it's a very large picture,
[12:00] but in general, any of the areas that are in green
[12:04] are going to be that boardwalk material.
[12:06] So at least phase one that we're looking at constructing
[12:09] in 2023 is a significant amount of boardwalk material versus Bravler asphalt, whatever that
[12:16] alternative is.
[12:17] But it also shows boardwalk going across all of the islands too, does that necessarily have
[12:24] to be boardwalk?
[12:25] No.
[12:26] And that's a little challenging to see with the color scheme on the map.
[12:30] There are small sections of non-boardwalk on any upland.
[12:33] So essentially, anywhere we're constructing an upland, we're looking at having either asphalt or gravel.
[12:40] It's just what's happening in color.
[12:41] Yeah, it does.
[12:42] So that TAN is the upland areas.
[12:46] So that will be, again, investigated further by the consultant.
[12:50] And probably the only spot there is an opportunity for an asphalt trail would be in North Oak's West Park.
[12:59] The rest of it, it will be gravel on any of those uplanders, just like we have in the larger island
[13:06] in the north.
[13:08] So that would be great.
[13:09] But then that's what all that the consultant to look at all that stuff.
[13:13] And I actually went to our state conference last fall and talked to a few man or
[13:18] factors that actually did do composite planking.
[13:21] And I know what is allowed, but again we'll have to verify that and I know our consultant
[13:26] could look at that.
[13:27] But again, it is like board member Jeanette said, it's very, it's a lot more durable.
[13:32] And then it's just going to last longer for us.
[13:34] But again, we'll, we can investigate some of that.
[13:37] But I think it is like we talked about with now that the, the wood prices are a little bit more
[13:42] comparable.
[13:43] Is it cost effective for us to look at that?
[13:46] So.
[13:47] Yep.
[13:47] And really, I wanted kind of a gut reaction, like tell me if I'm going to wrong away with that.
[13:51] So we cut it off now in our consultants know we want timber, don't waste your time.
[13:56] but if they're able to find a sustainable material
[14:01] that they'd like us to take a look at,
[14:02] I can let them know that with something we'd entertain.
[14:05] I would be in support of a sustainable, durable material
[14:10] that would also provide minimal impact to the wetlands.
[14:14] Do you like enough?
[14:15] You know, whatever the VC requirement is.
[14:18] Yeah, talking to some of the manufacturers,
[14:19] it seems the difference between now and our first kind of go around
[14:23] is the piling technology that they set the platforms on that has improved a lot, but getting
[14:30] that new helical piling improved in the wetland is something we need to run through the watershed,
[14:36] because that would be kind of a different construction technique than we did before, so we
[14:39] would need to make sure that's just as low impact.
[14:43] Thank you for bringing this up. I remember Nate bringing those options, and I love them.
[14:48] This predates me whether the original discussion or other. It's what or not. So I'm all for it. Thank you
[14:57] Well, I'm sure it was just cost prohibitive
[15:00] In 2014, even 100%, yeah. And we were looking to reduce cost in any avenue. If it was a very small
[15:09] upcharge to get a more durable material, it's something I think we would entertain, but it will
[15:14] all depend on how that budget comes back. I mean, I look at the decking material. I have
[15:18] my home versus what I have at the cabin for the dock. I mean, I have often said, why can't we
[15:24] have docked because it's so light, I can move sections of that. But you know, you
[15:29] don't want to just blow it away either.
[15:33] In the Cummings flood, I'm kidding.
[15:39] And board member panning, actually, to your point there, one of the
[15:43] manufacturers that I met with that are at the trade show that comes to the
[15:48] conference, they have decking, it's like 15 foot sections and it goes out. So in
[15:54] And again, it was so much cheaper, I was blown away, so to Megan's point, that's why we
[15:59] kind of want to look at that.
[16:00] It makes sense.
[16:01] And if it's lighter, and if you do need to replace the section, it's easier to do, so we'll
[16:09] definitely look at that.
[16:10] And then to your point, too, about cost-effective, we're going to try to put things in the
[16:23] cool spot for people to walk, and it's just, it's awesome. So I mean, if we can mimic that
[16:31] to the south, I mean, I don't know why we wouldn't. It's really the nature center that we lack.
[16:37] I mean, right. That the growing green hearts, I do use it for belly, belly, belly, belly,
[16:46] and for frog studies, and for whatever, whatever she does out there, we had that discussion when
[16:52] When we first met her, and we were decrying that we didn't have a building, and we all sort
[17:00] of got the idea at the same time, but the boardwalk is such a great place to teach.
[17:05] It's not good for everything, you know, or can't you store your stuff on it, but it was
[17:12] a gave us great opportunity to teach there.
[17:17] So maybe that same thing will be happening down in the other.
[17:20] Are we are we going to have any lookout stations or overlooks or anything at all are we planning?
[17:29] So the proposal at this point that we're working with our consultants on is mostly geared specifically towards trail development.
[17:38] I don't see why we couldn't have some alternatives once we see how that budget starts coming back and how that wetland donation looks.
[17:47] if we've got available budget for look-out stations would be on the Upland part.
[17:53] Yeah, and I know there are some Sandhill crane-nesting areas, and because I've had camera
[18:00] trips out there, and I have lots of pictures of baby cranes. So if there was an opportunity,
[18:05] yeah, they're adorable. So if there was an opportunity to put a viewing platform,
[18:11] kind of like we have between the islands and East Lake Park. I have some suggestions where
[18:20] that might go. Very good. You used get to be there and see it. I've spent a lot of time in
[18:28] that southern part of what's been putting out cameras and pulling cameras and it's cool stuff
[18:34] in there. Yeah if you want to share a map of different locations you think would be a good
[18:39] location for interviewing platform, let me know.
[18:42] Unfortunately, a lot of that stuff would be in the wetland area.
[18:46] So that's unfortunate.
[18:49] But either where that little island near North Oak's West Park,
[18:56] the first island at crosses, of course,
[19:00] that's very close to the park.
[19:01] So maybe that's too close.
[19:05] The wetland area that's not on the trail would be a fantastic place
[19:09] So I don't know if moving that dotted yellow line so that it intersects that island rather than go straight to the corner of that new development and then comes down then that would be one of those two islands down there would be a fantastic place or just a little jog.
[19:33] Yeah, so that's I guess that was my suggestion was instead of instead of that yellow line going straight diagonal from that first island closest to North Oak's West Park to that corner
[19:44] Did you see where I'm talking about? I wish I had control of the mouse right now
[19:49] It's so then angle it a little bit more
[19:52] Are we going south or north island go to the island that's further east?
[19:59] It's large one
[20:00] Nope. Nope. That one. Yep. So just angle it that way so that it goes on that little upland area and that other little upland area directly south of it and then it can hook up with where it already is. Yep. And that's where we stage our planting right now. So can confirm that's very, that's high. That's the dry spot. Once you get out there, you have to stretch through a lot of wet to get all the way out.
[20:23] It's finally dry and we stage our plans here when we've been doing restoration with
[20:28] Grey River green and kind of north of that island.
[20:31] I wouldn't know that part of it either is a better ecologically to stay away from that
[20:39] area with the trail or not.
[20:42] I know they spent a lot of time picking out the trail route, but that's a great idea too.
[20:49] I mean as long as it's an observation platform and I don't
[20:53] I don't know, you know,
[20:57] I'm sure there's so much tall grass and wetlands in there, and
[21:01] I know there's a ton of cranes in there.
[21:05] Or members if I could do so this map that you're looking at, we actually just put this together
[21:11] on at a staff of our GIS director.
[21:14] We actually just, so these are very, we're basically just connecting, um, uplands, and then
[21:20] just connecting points.
[21:21] So these are, these are, so this isn't from the consultant, this is just how
[21:24] can we connect points to minimize cost and you know that's what we're in and maximize the
[21:31] upland use within the site. So some of these uplands that you're seeing on the map may not
[21:37] be high enough to even put gravel on. So that's again when you when we get to the consultant
[21:42] when they go out there on the ground and look at that stuff this will get change not I
[21:49] I don't want to see significantly, but again, we're going to minimize how much we're in there,
[21:55] but we are going, there will probably be some change just based on what ecological looks like
[22:01] out there. So. And our timeline right now for that is that either you're in Bay, but probably June
[22:06] meeting, we would have that delineation and some of that preliminary alignment that we can take a look at.
[22:14] Did we have a consultant suggestion for where the drill should go all before?
[22:21] This data preliminary came from site visits with critical connections and then just with a
[22:27] handheld GPS. So there wasn't a lot of physical delineation or actual survey that went into it.
[22:35] It's kind of a best guess that we know this route is kind of dry. So we'll be refining that further
[22:42] with actual measurements and some surveying and some delineations just to make sure there's
[22:48] not a better route out there because if we're looking at some of these uplands, we might
[22:52] have a better path of least resistance available to us based on what we learn.
[22:59] I love the fact that it's one trail through because there are some old maps around that have
[23:08] that haunted us, they were drafts, they were concept plans, concept plans, and we, in
[23:18] no way, I don't think our committee would support like trails all over the place, not good
[23:24] for the resource at all, and not in probably very much more expensive, put trails everywhere,
[23:33] And I just think that really, you know, that really looks like a good concept of the use of the space we have.
[23:43] We don't know much about, we don't know much about the very, that southern part of our strange shape piece of our open space.
[23:58] We don't have much information about that. No, I know 119. She's pointing to you. Correct, we do have a grant going right now with the company called Great River Greening that does restoration work in the 7th portion of Blaine Whitland sanctuary.
[24:16] But they focus more on plant restoration, you know, we haven't done any. We haven't needed to spend the time or any of that grant money to do any formal investigation or delineation.
[24:27] we focus more on trying to manage the canary readgrass and then doing restoration work kind of behind
[24:34] that. And then there was some tree removal involved with that grant as well so we're managing
[24:39] some willow and then a lot of buckthorn throughout that area. We had some interesting birds down there.
[24:47] Beautiful hawk when we visited one of the walks we took through. So there's there's some
[24:55] Good habitat. They're used to be nesting bubble links. I want to down there. A bubble links.
[25:00] There are migratory species that is relatively uncommon. They're not threatened, but they used to be down there, but they've lost so much habitat when that area was cleared for sanctuary preserve.
[25:14] Well, we were the, it was another bird on the corner of Lexington in 1909 that was the westernmost sighting of this bird actually lived there all the time.
[25:29] I wonder, do you remember what kind it was?
[25:30] I have to remember what the name was, but it's all, you know, it's gone.
[25:35] Yeah, so we were all there to see it once with D&R.
[25:43] Mm-hmm.
[25:43] So, Chair Raffady, I'm just like it's straight on what we're doing.
[25:47] So, you have three vendors selected for the RFP that you'd like to invite to quote bid on this.
[25:54] And then you said that you'd have something for the main meeting, what would that be?
[25:58] with an actual who you've selected or once you like how long when you call off for the RFP
[26:06] how long did they have to respond back? Maybe that's yep so we've got some preliminary
[26:10] responses that we're reviewing right now so it's a complicated project so it's taking longer
[26:16] than we expected to review that because we're looking at more than just the number that they're
[26:21] giving us for what they're going to do. We're looking at all those services that come with and what
[26:25] they're missing what we would need to hire on top of that contract and the pros and cons.
[26:31] I'll all of that.
[26:31] So my current plan is I'm thinking it's going to time out between this meeting and your
[26:36] April meeting.
[26:37] I'm probably going to need to email out that information to you so that you have a chance
[26:41] to provide comments prior to bringing it to council.
[26:44] If it times out, we will bring that to your April meeting after those speakers and have
[26:49] a discussion and dialogue about it.
[26:51] We'll just have to see how with our council schedules and our delineation timelines how that phases out.
[26:57] I don't want to promise that I can bring it to April if we need to get it on a earlier council.
[27:02] Can you let us know who those three vendors are?
[27:04] Yes.
[27:05] Yep.
[27:05] So right now we're working with Stanteck.
[27:07] I've got a quote from WSB and we have a quote from SEH.
[27:10] So we're looking through engineering firms.
[27:14] Two of those firms have environmental services in-house.
[27:16] and these third is contracting out to an independent environmental consultant.
[27:21] So that's part of the
[27:24] drug application.
[27:25] Yeah, yep, yep, is reviewing those, you know, they submit their whole portfolio of their project team.
[27:32] So we're reviewing qualifications over just a budgetary number.
[27:39] Okay, I think we're in support of that so.
[27:42] Yes, so the original question, the profit that's on the screen, I think.
[27:47] Yeah, I think we are.
[27:48] have perfect which is very helpful and I will look into that original contract as well
[27:53] to see the determination to why we do go with that timber and if it's still relevant
[27:58] or if we have some options with the watershed. That'll definitely be part of our review process.
[28:05] All right. I go and move on to the six point two of them.
[28:09] Which is a similar conversation. We're looking for our new consulting services contract
[28:16] to get a contract for consultant on board sometime in April to start monitoring work.
[28:22] We are still in the development stage. I'm expecting I will get an RFP and your guys' hands for review early next week.
[28:30] But before I send out that draft free review, I kind of just wanted to get some preliminary comments.
[28:36] So I can make sure we're not only incorporating staff's priorities but trying to incorporate your priorities into that request for proposals as well.
[28:45] So, our previous contract did expire in 2022.
[28:49] I've talked to a couple different cities that do similar contracts.
[28:54] Our wetland bank is unique, as you guys know.
[28:57] So, while nothing's been super comparable,
[29:00] cities of Bloomington and Woodbury do have environmental services contracts.
[29:04] So, kind of borrowing a little from stuff that they've sent out recently,
[29:08] contractors that they work with.
[29:11] We've got a preliminary list right now
[29:13] of, I think, six different contractors consultants that we plan to send this RFP to, which includes
[29:21] critical connections, so we've worked with in the past. I've kind of been in contact with a
[29:25] couple of other companies, gauging interest, Minnesota native landscapes currently does work for
[29:31] the city of Blaine in that southern Blaine wetlands sanctuary. They're employed by Great River
[29:36] Greening, who we have quite a large grant with to do restoration services. A lot of what we do
[29:42] There's done by volunteers, but some work in any herbicide treatment or any large-scale
[29:47] trees is done by a licensed contractor, which is Minnesota native landscapes.
[29:53] So I've been in contact with them.
[29:55] Prairie Restoration's Natural Resource Services have done work in town for very-
[30:00] There is HOAs or different city projects, and then Stantec and WSB have internal staff as well. So that's our short list at this time.
[30:09] If any of you have any experience with any other consultants or contractors that you think would be appropriate to send the request for proposal to, just let me know and we can add that to that list.
[30:21] We normally use a pool for these kind of services, but we don't have an environmental services pool.
[30:27] We have a stormwater pool, which is where I've pulled Stanteck and WSB from, and then we have civil engineering pools, which is a whole different ballgame.
[30:36] So trying to just get the RFP into the hands of as many people to take a look at it, give us their feedback.
[30:42] So if you guys do know or think of any other consultants to send that to, let me know,
[30:48] kind of our high level components of the RFK to get into tonight.
[30:53] First and foremost, we're looking at long-term monitoring of our site seven wet land bank.
[30:57] We're also looking to loop in the long-term monitoring and maintenance of our EDA bank as well.
[31:03] We've received all of our credits for that EDA bank.
[31:08] But what is EDA's development authority of the city of blame has their own wet land bank.
[31:14] those credits are not available for sale publicly.
[31:18] The city of blame retains them for either city of blame projects,
[31:21] but almost all of them have gone towards development in blame.
[31:25] Either sold at a premium for the development authority to make money
[31:29] or for priority sites, so that it just count to help motivate development.
[31:35] They manage that. I administer it, so I do paperwork, so I'm not super familiar,
[31:40] but they have received all their credits but we still plan to maintain and monitor that bank in
[31:47] perpetuity like we have discussed four sites seven. So while our obligation to do so is
[31:51] running out we still have a plan to continue the high level of monitoring and maintenance. So that would
[31:57] be looped in so we would kind of have one contract with the two different portions. I had a question
[32:00] made. Is that EDA bank south of our land? Yes that's understanding a site seven has our main portion
[32:08] trail that runs from east to west and then through the EDA bank, we will cut that trail south of the site
[32:17] seven. So we've got site seven, EDA and then that southern portion that we have a grant covering
[32:23] the restoration for. So in whole, once we send out the newer of P, we'll have at least two of those
[32:29] portions managed by one consultant and we'll have our third grant on the south side. So it reduces how
[32:37] Cooks are in the kitchen, who manages the ADA, what land bank.
[32:42] Critical connections had a contract with that as well.
[32:45] That expired quite a bit ago, and they've been doing the work
[32:49] just on a year-to-year basis since.
[32:52] So, and again, they'll be invited to respond to the RFP and send in their proposal
[32:56] as well if they want to keep doing that.
[32:57] Go back to the previous slide, please.
[33:00] So, the bullet point on there that says critical connections
[33:02] is indicated that if preparing a response to an RFP is required for consideration, they will not
[33:08] be applying. Is that a requirement for consideration?
[33:13] Yes, so we'll send out a request for proposals and then we need to receive a proposal. So last
[33:19] we discussed with critical connections, they indicated they would be happy to do the work but if
[33:25] they need to respond to a request for proposal, that's not something that they got at the time,
[33:30] they would have the capacity to do.
[33:33] That was less summer, so I don't know.
[33:35] We haven't started the conversation.
[33:36] I have not sent an RFP out to see if that's changed.
[33:39] If the work load is changed, if their availability is changed,
[33:43] but we'll be sending that out with the invitation
[33:45] to certainly send that proposal in.
[33:48] Because I know they have a very long history working
[33:50] in this very complicated site, also as professionals
[33:56] in the Wetland Big, site 7 is an ENRV
[33:59] an exceptional natural resource value bank.
[34:02] And the Board of Water and soil resources
[34:04] will only accept monitoring and reports
[34:09] based around these performance standards
[34:12] from a limited number of consultants.
[34:15] And I know critical connections is one of those consultants.
[34:19] And I know they've invested a lot of time and energy
[34:24] and professionalism and expertise into the site.
[34:28] It is my opinion that if they're willing to continue the work, that is who I would support
[34:37] because that history and that site is exceedingly important.
[34:43] And we're able to track down the monitoring reports from the 2022 growing season.
[34:50] We're working on finalizing that with the core right now.
[34:52] Who did that work?
[34:53] So Jason conducted a majority of the work throughout the 2022 growing season and that's what our
[34:59] invoices.
[35:00] For the $45,000, dollars had gone to it. And then moving forward, as I mentioned, there'll certainly be
[35:07] invited that historical knowledge is invaluable. It's similar to that trail RFP where when we review
[35:13] these, we look at more than just a number that's being provided to us, because the number in the cost
[35:21] of somebody less experienced is how much more is that going to cost. It's more than just the bottom line
[35:28] very project like this, a hundred percent. And that'd be something we'll weigh in for you guys
[35:32] to comment on just if you got the process. What term of a contract would you be awarding
[35:38] with your RFP? Again, if we're going to be onboarding a different vendor, there's going to be a
[35:43] learning curve.
[35:46] What are you suggesting? Three years, five years, ten years when you say long-term
[35:51] monitoring. We'd recommend probably at a minimum three years, is what we've discussed about in-house
[35:56] And if you guys have feedback, it's been how many years?
[36:00] Three, three, yep.
[36:01] And if you have feedback on if you want that, if you think it's more appropriate for
[36:04] that to be less or more, like I'm happy to take that and incorporate that in how we move forward.
[36:08] That is a very short timeline when monitoring is highly weather dependent.
[36:13] And sometimes we fall behind, you know, weather has definitely been a factor in the last few years.
[36:20] And we are behind on our monitoring schedule and not currently in not that we haven't met the performance standards and and we haven't seen the report from the 2022 growing season so at
[36:37] a short timeline like that doesn't allow for any wiggle room.
[36:43] So it would be my recommendation to mine to expand that.
[36:46] will turn wouldn't be unheard of. No. No. I think five would be a minimum and ten would be better.
[36:52] Our original contract was four professional services for seven years and I believe that number
[36:58] stem from our original perspective report that said, you know, best case scenario, everything goes
[37:02] right. It's going to take us seven years to get these credits and that's why we framed it that way.
[37:07] So I don't know that seven is the correct number. It just is what we have to definitely better than three.
[37:11] Okay, yes, that feeds three in my opinion.
[37:15] Yes, and I too would like to add on to Kristen's comments
[37:22] about the restore we had, and what's really amazing
[37:29] about our restoration and the long-term restore
[37:34] or we have had ever since restoration started.
[37:38] I know he's worked with other contractors
[37:40] were along with his work, but he indebted the method of restoration in our
[37:46] fan. So that's, and I talked with the Army Corps and the BWSR and the
[37:58] DNR, and asking about our restores work, about critical connections, and they said,
[38:05] You do know that's the best.
[38:07] They each said that of the three agencies I spoke to.
[38:12] So that holds a lot of weight with me,
[38:15] and I would go pretty far to make sure that they got a chance to continue
[38:26] because I have a lot of faith in what they've done for us in the past.
[38:32] And their integrity, the DNR uses Jason Hussfeth around the state to find rare plant sites and other jobs that you run into, he ran the native plant society in Minnesota for quite a few years, especially mainly it was in the Metro, but we remember it for a long time and went to all the events.
[39:02] So I just have a long, I've had my or the work that critical connections has done.
[39:10] So not to say that these are not other good people and maybe some of them have already worked
[39:16] done some work here in blame. So yeah, I just hope we, you know, we take those things into consideration.
[39:25] Yeah, critical connections is recognized as being the leading expert in the field and we have a
[39:31] long history with them and there would be no learning curve. They're very invested in this site.
[39:39] So, yeah. So, no, thank you for all your feedback. It's good to hear and take notes and
[39:46] incorporate what we can to move forward in the process. Part of this will include we're writing
[39:51] into what our contracts are. Our people look like eventually is annually throughout that monitoring
[39:58] period.
[40:00] I've got 10 years written down as what I'm going to shoot for, is to have two annual updates from that consultant to the NRCB.
[40:10] So we'll kind of have that built-in, so that they're giving you an update on how their spring monitoring goes, and then an update in the fall on how that growing season has gone.
[40:18] So we're building that in to make sure that they're here in this room and staying in contact with you with their efforts.
[40:23] What do you look at when you are considering
[40:28] direct expertise? How do you judge that?
[40:31] We require us to submit a portfolio of their staff and their experience
[40:35] as one of the biggest things that we weigh into.
[40:38] If you're looking at a very standard civil engineering project,
[40:41] you can go buy the numbers a lot more
[40:43] because we know historically there are four different
[40:46] six different companies that are going to do the job just fine.
[40:49] When you look at something like this and are more complicated
[40:52] of projects when it comes to buildings, like the ban show we're looking at or when it comes to
[40:56] you an environmental services like this. You look a little bit more at that staff and that knowledge
[41:02] and their ability to perform a job to hire standard. And especially hearing the feedback from you
[41:07] as well, that's something that will highlight in that review and involve you in as well. I took a look
[41:12] but Jason Huss, but that's a report from 2014, and it was amazing, it was amazing detail.
[41:30] And total knowledge of what plants and plant communities and what the change had been, you know, from the,
[41:39] comparing not only not only inventory, but comparing from the condition of the previous
[41:47] condition. So I was very impressed. So I hope that we are going to see reports like that
[41:54] from other from the other consultants we look at to see what their work product
[42:00] look like or when they report the progress of the restoration.
[42:06] Definitely. And I will bring up to here's our approved 2023 budget. And when we look at this
[42:15] contract, we have $75,000 a year for the next five years budgeted. If we're still facing
[42:21] the difficulties two years from now that we're facing now, getting some of this fund to respond,
[42:26] I just wanted on your radar. That is something we might need to bump up this line item when
[42:30] come to our budget review.
[42:32] In the past, we haven't exceeded that 75,000.
[42:36] This year going back and forth with consultants, we'll see where we land it and then just
[42:40] something to be on your radar, that line item in the future, we might need to take a deeper
[42:47] look at and see if that's getting us where we want to go or if we need to be investing a little
[42:51] more heavily to see their response that we need to see.
[42:59] Thank you.
[43:03] Any other discussion on that?
[43:06] And if anything comes to you in the middle night, just email me and let me know, because I will incorporate any feedback from you guys into that draft for your review.
[43:23] For the scene at the,
[43:27] all right, it's next we have updates.
[43:30] Chair, Raffordee members of the board.
[43:33] First on our updates list on your agenda, here's the update from the City Council merger discussion on March 6th.
[43:41] They really didn't get to talk to it about it barely at all, like very, very
[43:47] boat-noth. So, at this point, we are going to continue forward. They actually appointed last night
[43:56] to the NRCB board for the next year, Doddy McKinley, Kristen Jeanette, Sarah Philippi,
[44:05] Mary Jo Truchon, and a new board member, Ken Anderson, who will be joining us next month.
[44:12] And the mayor also appointed Gene Rafferty as the chair.
[44:17] So that was.
[44:18] Relations dean.
[44:19] And we also have three other members that will be invited to be adjunct members at this point.
[44:29] So those letters should be going out.
[44:31] So the folks that I just mentioned, you will be receiving a letter from our clerk's office.
[44:36] Here are the next few days, or by I'm guessing Monday at the latest.
[44:40] And then those adjunct members will also receive a letter if they would so choose to be
[44:45] those adjunct members for this year.
[44:47] And then Ken will come on next month and be sworn in, along with the other members that I mentioned.
[44:55] So that actually just happened last night.
[44:56] So, I want to make that known in there.
[45:00] And yeah, so at this point, we will continue to operate separately. There may be a joint meeting down the line, but those members have been basically at large members.
[45:13] McKinley, Jeanette and Philippe and Mary Jo, you are a ward three and Ken Anderson is ward two. So that was a point of last night. So yep. So we'll see where goals there will be a future discussion from the council is what we've been told.
[45:30] continue discussion on a potential merger or not, so that will be because we know that really
[45:37] wasn't talked about it at all. They just didn't have time at their workshop. So, questions on it?
[45:43] Yeah, I want to ask about the adjunct members. So, why are they adjunct members, why three, what's the, what's the, we just, we haven't had any adjunct members.
[45:57] So I don't know if this is a new structure to me.
[45:59] The only adjuncts we've had have been our youth members
[46:01] that we've had in the past.
[46:03] So are these youth members, like we've had in the past,
[46:06] are they residents, or why are they adjunct?
[46:10] I don't know.
[46:10] Board member, Jeanette, they basically the mayor
[46:13] wants to make sure that they are included.
[46:16] And if they want to be a part of the board,
[46:18] this is a good time for them to learn and get to know the board
[46:22] as an adjunct member, because there's seven positions
[46:25] that were appointed for this. Did they apply? They did. Okay. Yes. So they applied.
[46:34] Just like Ken Anderson and the three others applied. Okay. They selected Ken Anderson as the new
[46:39] member and then are still going off for the other three folks at junk members. I have three down here.
[46:47] That's four, right?
[46:49] No, Ken is actually the fourth is what I have on my list.
[46:53] I'll share names because I wrote them down
[46:58] from the council meeting.
[47:01] Okay, I just have three on the council minutes.
[47:04] Yeah, but no, that's maybe somebody
[47:06] bowed out.
[47:08] Or they might have been appointed somewhere else.
[47:10] That could be too so.
[47:12] But yeah, let's, we'll, we'll chat about it.
[47:13] I'm excited to have a month.
[47:15] bring them on. Let's let's get the party started here.
[47:20] Yeah, I get fresh energy and I guess I just stood still like the board was at 10 when I started
[47:26] and I I don't understand you know I don't remember that ever being a discussion to reduce it so
[47:32] we it seems like we have empty space and lots of lots of room at the table so I just didn't
[47:37] understand why we were having edge-unk members instead of full members if we have community members who
[47:43] interested in being in taking an active role, I would sure like to welcome them with open arms.
[47:48] And maybe we should ask the mayor that. I mean, that'd be something to talk to your,
[47:52] you'll soon have a new city council wrap. Yeah, to talk to you know, and let's let's ask.
[47:59] I think it was my understanding that we reduced a number because we didn't have applicants to fill those positions.
[48:05] But if we do have a big tent, we had 10 when I started and it was we had some great
[48:12] conversations and accomplish some great things.
[48:16] The mayor, the few years ago, just added some people on.
[48:20] The original structure, the original structure was seven people.
[48:25] The original structure was, while they changed in 2005, so seven people.
[48:30] And that's the way it was, but he just added some on.
[48:33] OK, because in the description that we talked about last month, it's in the minutes.
[48:38] That was the original structure from 2005 on was seven people.
[48:42] No, there's no, from 2000 it was there were more people, but then he reduced it to in 2005 match the other board.
[48:52] Yeah, so it really would be up to the mayor in the city council to decide how many four members there should be in the value like we're just saying but each district each
[49:04] Council district has two and then a chair.
[49:08] That was for every board.
[49:17] All right.
[49:19] And to piggyback off of that,
[49:22] with poor member pannings addition to onboarding.
[49:27] Yes, we did.
[49:30] We do have the binder.
[49:31] And if somebody actually, we have the binder folder,
[49:36] but we have the table of content.
[49:38] So if anybody has their binder I just need to I just want to double check. I just don't know
[49:46] So basically we have a folder that it says board, you know the board binder and there's all
[49:52] There's the table contents and the seating chart, but I don't see any
[49:58] Oh, there's all kinds of information
[50:00] I see the table of contents, what they are.
[50:05] And it may need all of them may need update it. Yes. And well, yeah, I
[50:09] would see the budget. Yeah. And I think that I see what they are and some will be the same. But, yes, there's
[50:14] definitely some that are going to need updating for sure. So I will probably follow up with you board
[50:20] members net to get that. And then I just want to see because they might just be named something different,
[50:24] but they're just not in that folder that I see. I'll probably follow up with you. And I'll probably follow up with
[50:30] grab that at some point just because yeah because we do have a new member starting and then I can
[50:36] update all those and Sarah I don't believe ever got one when she started no she did not I
[50:44] think you just feel less of a number of the board if you don't have all so much there is and then
[50:51] there's our management plan which was that's part of it that was part of it that was part of it
[50:59] We're agreeing at a cost of $13,000, which was the most fantastic price when that went
[51:07] out to bid, and they did a wonderful excellent job, but then they used so much volunteer,
[51:15] they have so much volunteer input on their projects and such expert people who are willing
[51:21] to donate.
[51:22] So that was, I remember the cost, and $13,000, and then what they got gave us was a fantastic
[51:31] management plan, and we haven't looked at it ourselves for a while.
[51:37] Data used to religiously keep us, you know, looking at the management plan, so there you go,
[51:43] Jane.
[51:43] I haven't looked at mine for a while.
[51:46] I know where it is.
[51:47] So I think it's important.
[51:48] And there are other things that have been added since, and other ideas, like the way we
[51:53] should be managing like this when Jason found those endangered species, endangered species,
[52:00] and told us that it's merely a matter of mowing.
[52:04] So that should definitely be added to our, and then the opportunity that there were three wet
[52:09] land pieces that were left over from development up in the northeast, like Sinton Cove,
[52:15] Yes. And those pieces can also just be managed by mowing and properly. And so that I think
[52:25] would be very worthwhile for us to add that to our management plan. So yes, we should have a little
[52:31] appendix to our Bible.
[52:36] So add some new books to the Bible. Would it be, what if we got together to
[52:43] do that, like a small workshop, a little workshop, you know, to make some all the history
[52:48] is there.
[52:49] I was just thinking of the 10 parcels that are listed, there's a story behind each
[52:53] one.
[52:54] And sometimes it's because a developer wanted to unload it because he couldn't build
[52:58] anything on it.
[53:00] And we're like, wow, this is, and it has these great plants on it, and it's doing great
[53:05] things for our water.
[53:06] I mean, I think that's valuable history too, especially as we look forward to new parcels
[53:12] that may be coming available to us.
[53:15] I think that a lot of that preservation of open spaces
[53:19] just as much of a hot button topic as ever before.
[53:24] So, yeah, what would you think of that,
[53:27] should we throw on some possible dates?
[53:36] How do we do that, Jean?
[53:38] What do you think?
[53:39] I mean, there's open meeting laws,
[53:40] so that's why I'm looking at you all
[53:42] because, you know, come on over to my house,
[53:45] but we have to get the material to get other first.
[53:48] I mean, we all grab our binders.
[53:50] I can look through mine of what I would suggest.
[53:53] And I can select crime based send you the management plan.
[53:57] I mean, I have that in the files.
[54:00] It's just a PDF.
[54:02] Hopefully it's not too big, it's just send us an email.
[54:05] But regardless, when I update those binders,
[54:08] I think that's a good time where we can even sit down,
[54:11] even if it's after a meeting to discuss it
[54:13] And just, you know, see if there's things that should be added, you know, like that
[54:18] Loch Ness piece, and Megan actually has an update on that coming up here too.
[54:24] So, you know, I'd love to see added to that a list of some of the endangered plants that
[54:30] have been discovered within Blaine, some of these rare bird sightings.
[54:35] I mean, there are things that are, I'm not a birder, but I know people who are, who get really
[54:41] Just hearing these things and how cool is it that we have in here in plain that somebody had the foresight to set that aside
[54:48] So we don't have it all asphalt some day, right?
[54:55] I'll get off myself back
[54:58] So all great ideas like for sure
[55:01] All right, the next one is the summer program, so I have this bigger.
[55:10] I usually, you know, the, I can't figure it out.
[55:22] Yeah, usually I was able to just click double click on it and it popped up.
[55:27] But we are partnering again with Wargo Nature Center to do some a couple bird hikes in May.
[55:34] And then also growing green hearts. She's changed it to growing green yoga because she wanted to add the yoga component to it
[55:42] Just to hopefully spur on more folks to come out
[55:45] So those those classes are all listed and registration began March 6th for all those classes. So people can register right now
[55:54] Well, there we go and I came up a little bigger. So maybe this will show a
[55:58] Little bigger for me
[56:08] Okay, so that's the top one is the bird hike that we do with the Wargo Nature Center staff, the natural's there, and then the other classes are with growing green hearts.
[56:22] So those are all listed. So very reasonably priced and that's on purpose. We want to get as many people out there as we can to experience the plain wet land sanctuary.
[56:31] So, exciting and again, hopefully we'll just continue and Heidi is just keeps trying to be as creative as possible to get awesome classes out there, so we're excited to always partner with her and the work on HR Center.
[56:47] She does. She's fantastic.
[56:49] I want to compliment you on the red connect. I grabbed the wrong one, but I love this publication.
[56:55] And I love that we're going to be in it more, I hope, and the only thing that I hope I see next year is this beautiful job of birthday, but then I'd love it if you could like.
[57:11] the cover this back cover and half and say, May is wet land.
[57:16] And I'm not asking, I think Sarah was terrified that I was going to have some kind of a big
[57:21] singing dancing celebration, but that is what I had in mind.
[57:27] It was more get out there, events that we could involve people with.
[57:35] So that was that was fine hope that maybe next year we can
[57:43] Because it's the same thing investing your neighborhood
[57:45] Get back to the earth, make a difference.
[57:47] That was for Liz big for earth month and may as well.
[57:51] And there can be images between.
[57:54] Oh for sure. Overlap.
[57:57] But I think that wetlands do such a great job of many, many things.
[58:02] And that's a very unique resource and valuable resource that we have here in Blaine that I think not enough people know enough about
[58:10] And I'm a great supporter birthday not trying to co-opt anything. I just think that we we really have
[58:19] And yes, we have these resources of Blaine and it would be and this publication is gorgeous. It's it's beautiful
[58:26] So I just want to see more of our
[58:30] stuff as we go along. And maybe we're not suggesting enough things, you know, it's a great
[58:37] addition and it marries those two marry each other very well and can be added to the page
[58:43] very easily. So that's just a spacing that are awesome communications team puts together this
[58:50] awesome reconnect for us and they are great with just that's their expertise in their wheelhouse.
[58:55] So they are very good with adding things on there.
[59:00] So that's an easy thing to add for sure.
[59:02] And it's a great idea for sure.
[59:06] So.
[59:06] Well, thank you.
[59:08] And on the Earth, they subject real quick.
[59:11] We do have Earth, they so basically,
[59:13] our residents can come on and basically select the park
[59:20] that they want to just come on to the website.
[59:22] it's just plain mn.gov forward slash earth day and we had last year, I think we had 23 different
[59:30] cleanups people signing up for them and they can pick a park pond, rain garden so it was I think
[59:38] that was our highest year we've had so far so people are really in Walters actually donated $500
[59:43] so kudos to them for earth day this year which is awesome so then you just come on and you can register
[59:50] you're clean up and we provide gloves, bags, a lot of just the essentials to get your
[59:58] clean up going and then.
[1:00:00] Our public works staff will come around if there's more than a normal amount of garbage they'll come up and pick it up that following Monday and they would just ask that they type the bag.
[1:00:10] So it's been a great program. People are very invested in their parks that they live by and it's really neat to see and we love doing this event every year and it's fantastic.
[1:00:23] So when you click on the link, does it show which parks have been floated like there's a in my name
[1:00:31] hood, London park is somebody is somebody out there, you know. Yes, and I got to find how we get to that. Yes.
[1:00:38] Because our GIS actually added this or maybe that's it could be a adopt a park.
[1:00:43] I think it's a adopt a park. I think they do so earthy. I don't think there's a map but a adopt a park.
[1:00:48] there's it shows a map of which parks have already been adopted. Oh, and then, yes, so that is,
[1:00:56] but in earth, earth, because it's just a year to year, because we just don't know who's going to,
[1:01:00] you know, decide to do an event there, you know, there's different neighbors that do it. But
[1:01:05] adopt a park, our JAS department did put that map together, and it's cool so you can click right
[1:01:10] on there. You can see it's it's color to different color if there's someone that's already adopted it
[1:01:15] managing taking care of it for us.
[1:01:17] And then is there a way to get in touch with that person?
[1:01:20] Say if I, again, London Park in my neighborhood,
[1:01:23] if I were to get it.
[1:01:24] It is on the site.
[1:01:26] Let me try to find it.
[1:01:27] You know, I'll send something out.
[1:01:28] I will dig around, down that I know that it's there.
[1:01:31] I'll look.
[1:01:32] But I'm thinking, if there's an orphan park,
[1:01:34] maybe we can, you know, I'm thinking about what I can do.
[1:01:38] I'm not putting something yet another thing on staff.
[1:01:42] But, you know, through Facebook or whatever.
[1:01:45] I'll send something out to the board because it, yeah, it's actually a lot of people.
[1:01:50] What the GS department did with the map.
[1:01:52] I mean, it is really neat.
[1:01:54] Yeah, and you can click and you see the person's name.
[1:01:57] Yeah, it's really all, I'll send that out to the board.
[1:02:00] In May, we're launching a similar adopt upon program,
[1:02:03] which will have a similar map where you can adopt storm water puns,
[1:02:07] either in the parks or in your neighborhood.
[1:02:09] yet another opportunity to marry Earth Month and Wetland.
[1:02:14] It will be a perfect opportunity to loop in Wetland month.
[1:02:17] I have a couple other volunteer events that are going to occur in May that I think we can
[1:02:21] kind of circle an narrative on as well that I'll get into a little bit.
[1:02:27] Spring is almost here. We've got a lot going on.
[1:02:30] Okay, get rid of that snow.
[1:02:33] Yes, we hope it goes down into the ground, right?
[1:02:35] All right, sure after your next item on our updates is the bad houses with Eagle Scout
[1:02:45] to E.J. Jeanette, and I just basically, we board member Jeanette and I've been discussing
[1:02:53] where a good spot would be.
[1:02:56] We've kind of, I think, settled on somewhere within the island of the Blaine Wetland Sanctuary,
[1:03:02] So I just kind of pulled up this map and the aerial of that.
[1:03:08] So and if you have specific recommendations, we are open to them.
[1:03:13] Our main concern is that they're placed so that they are far enough from trees so they're not shaded
[1:03:21] because they do need to be in direct sunlight so they heat up and that they are not in the way of the trail.
[1:03:29] that will connect from the southern part on the island there also I think it's
[1:03:36] important they talked about having two two houses on a pole yes be careful not
[1:03:42] to put one house right above another because they go back to back that's better
[1:03:47] so they're directly back to back at the top of the pole you know what they do
[1:03:51] before they enter their house right no no they're they're the same level back to
[1:03:56] We don't want that impacting the house underneath.
[1:04:02] They're very clean, they don't want their house to be soiled,
[1:04:06] so they take care of that as they're entering, so.
[1:04:13] Yeah, so board member Jeanette, AJ and I will be working on that.
[1:04:17] Here very soon as soon as we are able,
[1:04:19] but I know I believe AJ is working on basically just constructing them.
[1:04:25] He is cutting plywood as we see.
[1:04:31] And then the city will provide signs that we will actually be putting on the pulse.
[1:04:38] Once they're up and completed as an education piece, so people know what they are, because
[1:04:43] not everybody does.
[1:04:45] So.
[1:04:45] Right.
[1:04:46] Yep.
[1:04:46] He is hosting a couple of work days with his scout troop.
[1:04:49] The first one is on Sunday, so yeah, anything that could make the snow melt back
[1:04:57] We're all in favor of that.
[1:04:59] We're all waving the white flag.
[1:05:00] We're done with winter.
[1:05:05] All right, at this point, I'm going to turn it back over to Megan for the April speaker. We kind of touched on a little bit, and then she's got another one.
[1:05:12] Yeah. And yeah, we touched on this, oops, I restarted. We touched on this a little bit earlier.
[1:05:19] But as of last month, Patrick and Ben had both confirmed they were available, and it sounds like as a board we still want to move forward with that, which is what I wanted to hear today.
[1:05:27] So Nate and I will follow up with them this week and get that fully scheduled and confirmed for our April meeting and like I said otherwise for April
[1:05:37] We'll be giving another update on those RFPs and and receive comments if we're at a point to do so
[1:05:43] Like I said we're still working on the timing and that that might have to occur over email just to keep the process moving
[1:05:48] But you guys will be kept in the loop on that
[1:05:52] Okay, this is a public meeting. So we hope the public would
[1:05:56] know about it and come. If they want to know something about wetlands, I don't know how to make that happen myself,
[1:06:04] but
[1:06:04] if anybody's watching here tonight, then
[1:06:09] to let them know if they want to come to our April meeting, there will be two good speakers on wetlands, but maybe there would be a way
[1:06:15] that's something that could be shared on social media.
[1:06:18] Yep, I would expect we could work with our communications team to get something shared on social media, saying,
[1:06:24] know, at our regular NRCB meeting, there'd be a great opportunity to come and get
[1:06:28] educated or come and find something new. You've seen the reconnect and what they're
[1:06:32] capable of doing and they're wonderful at it. So I think that's something we can
[1:06:36] probably work with that about you. Making notes.
[1:06:43] Our next item is an update last
[1:06:46] night at Council Workshop. Our community standards department brought forward a
[1:06:54] mobile may discussion to kind of feel at the council. I know that this board had recommended
[1:07:00] last year and expressed some interest in having some kind of program. And we heard quite
[1:07:05] a bit of feedback from residents as well saying, hey, is going to do a normal may. And it kind
[1:07:11] of came to the council to late last year to do anything so we're getting ahead of it this year.
[1:07:15] And like I said, it came from community standards. I've been involved a little bit just in kind of
[1:07:20] how other cities are doing it and how it might work best here.
[1:07:25] The council did recommend that we move forward with
[1:07:29] adopting a no-mo-may resolution at our next council meeting, which would allow
[1:07:34] for residents to blame to participate in no-mo-may.
[1:07:38] Typically, once our weed regulation is typically once grass or
[1:07:42] weeds reach a certain height, you can't get tagged by our weed inspectors
[1:07:46] and you have exponent of days too low.
[1:07:48] So, if you sign up for no moment, kind of the intent is that during the month of May, if we did receive a complaint, you know, we aren't going to follow through with that citation until later on in June, to kind of allow for those spring kind of flowers and that understory to grow up and provide a little bit more pollinators for the B population here.
[1:08:09] So on the slide, I just have some of the information direct from that council meeting.
[1:08:15] I was not in attendance last night, but you know, we chat with our staff today and it seems
[1:08:19] like we're moving forward.
[1:08:21] Anyone who does want to participate will need to register, we're working on what that looks
[1:08:25] like.
[1:08:26] And then if you want to print out your own sign, you can do that.
[1:08:29] This year we didn't budget any money for the city to buy signs, so it's something the council
[1:08:34] will discuss during our budgeting process.
[1:08:36] After we see the interest, we got this year.
[1:08:38] If that's something they want to incorporate into a budget next year to grow that program.
[1:08:43] So this kind of be our low cost trial run to allow it and see how many people want to participate.
[1:08:49] And with that budget, it would look like to expand the program next year.
[1:08:53] So it all kind of moved pretty fast because we need to get that resolution done in April to allow it to be published by May.
[1:09:01] So I wanted to at least bring it to you now and let you know that we are moving forward.
[1:09:06] something there. And then the city, as well, we've got a couple of our open spaces highlighted.
[1:09:12] Lockness is one of them. Laddy Lake and Hidden Ponds are three that we will not be
[1:09:17] mowing. During May, though all three of those spaces, we know we have some really good variety
[1:09:24] of plant communities, so there'd be our best sites to kind of let go, because it's a trialier for
[1:09:29] us too. I'm on how that's going to look. And then we do have the site just outside of City Hall,
[1:09:34] kind of where people park when we have our events that site between City Hall and
[1:09:40] those condos just do the south or east. We'll be letting that remain long
[1:09:45] throughout May. That one we normally leave a little longer as well just because of
[1:09:49] the nature of the site. We're not programming that as Parkland and that has a
[1:09:53] really if you've driven by in the spring before we have to moat for parking it's got
[1:09:57] pretty nice kind of wild flower need of bed through there.
[1:10:00] That we'd like to let go as long as we can. And it has the side benefit. We don't, our public works doesn't get a lot of their seasonal staff until June. So, they're all for it.
[1:10:10] Yeah, there's a lot of good reasons. Yeah, they'd like to leave more spaces. This is our compromise on our trial year and then hopefully we can kind of grow the program over the next year.
[1:10:20] I'm sure you'll give us a report.
[1:10:22] I'm excited to see our numbers so we'll be sharing the word communications just
[1:10:27] on today we're moving forward so they're starting to draft plain-specific messaging
[1:10:31] for us to start starting out there and sharing on social media and that different events.
[1:10:37] So that was exciting to see some support for that.
[1:10:42] Our next one is also me for some more volunteer opportunities and they had some good classes
[1:10:47] earlier.
[1:10:48] One of the things I just got emails today on is North Town Library, does some education
[1:10:54] outreach for what land month in the month of May.
[1:10:57] One of their librarians and their staff, their reserves, all the display cases throughout
[1:11:02] the library for different wetland focus, education materials and kind of marketing.
[1:11:08] So I'm working with them to get some information about the bling wetlands sanctuary and one of
[1:11:12] those display cases at North Town.
[1:11:14] So we've got some old information and I've got to check it down and see if it's still relevant if it needs updates so you might get an email from me
[1:11:21] Just to review some information before we make a public in those display cases so
[1:11:27] As far as I know those goes live right first May but I'll let you know when I have confirmation
[1:11:34] Thank you for doing that
[1:11:35] Yeah, yeah to get opportunity we've partnered with them in the past
[1:11:38] They've done with the watershed a kind of a significant restoration project around the pond there kind of on the east north side of the parking lot
[1:11:47] And they've been doing buffer restoration and some native planting work. It's kind of how we got in contact with them.
[1:11:53] So hopefully that'll look nice. We've got some cool wet land cores. The watershed has that are pretty popular to put on display too.
[1:12:00] Well, there's stuff from the interpretive signs too, so even just displays that would be like
[1:12:07] nice printouts or, you know, displayed with information from the interpretive signs.
[1:12:14] Board of Members, Janet, Rebecca and I had have brought printouts to in the past over to the
[1:12:23] library that they have displayed. So great idea. Yes, we have done that and remember we used our
[1:12:28] and yeah, brought them over there, and yeah, they still very well.
[1:12:32] And that's a no-cost thing to develop, which is a cost of printing it, which we can do in
[1:12:37] health.
[1:12:38] That's a great idea.
[1:12:43] A few other updates, great river greening.
[1:12:46] We've mentioned them a bunch of times tonight, but they are managing the grant for us in the
[1:12:50] Southern Blaine Wetlands Sanctuary.
[1:12:53] We have a couple private events that they've been scheduling in there, and we're working
[1:12:57] on getting a public event schedule.
[1:12:58] either late May or early June is kind of a good time frame to do a plant, of some milkweed and then some of our private events are more knocking back some willows that we're trying to manage and doing some spring over seeding as well.
[1:13:14] So just an update there. Once we do schedule a public event that's something I'll share with you guys.
[1:13:18] Normally they're on Saturdays, we're trying to do a B count last fall and into this spring too
[1:13:25] But with the drought we aren't seeing flowers in the Southern portion
[1:13:30] We've so much re-canary grass that it's really competitive
[1:13:34] So we've had to pull out on a couple different B oriented events there
[1:13:38] So we're kind of re-orienting how we're gonna program and want different events
[1:13:42] And I feel more successful this year there. It would be fun to run and run
[1:13:48] If anybody wanted to set it up, I'm afraid I don't have time to set it up myself, but I
[1:13:54] didn't find out if there are any rusty patch bees because they should be in blame and our
[1:14:03] ACD has conducted a, might be finished with the round of grants we had for putting in
[1:14:11] Polynator Gardens on the route of where the rusty patch has been identified.
[1:14:18] So, you know, I bet there could be interest in that if it would be fun to do it.
[1:14:27] It was definitely our goal.
[1:14:28] It was to try and key in some of the work they were doing with some of,
[1:14:32] there's a lot of available grant funds out there for Rusty Patch.
[1:14:36] Just with the drought that we have had,
[1:14:38] we don't have the habitat where our grant covers
[1:14:41] to do the B population tracking that we were kind of hoping to do.
[1:14:44] So we're continuing on restoration, so hopefully in the next year to we see that and we're able to program something like that is it's a perfect spot to get some research done.
[1:14:54] Cool.
[1:14:56] Very cool.
[1:14:58] On a sort of real.
[1:15:00] Related, yet unrelated note. We still have the opportunity to seek sponsorship for our interpretive
[1:15:07] science. I believe we have, is it one or is it two, that?
[1:15:11] Oh, there's three now. I feel like it is an opportunity for the new Rusty Bumblebee to sponsor a sign
[1:15:22] that has information about pollinators. All that would be great. I mean, I don't know where
[1:15:27] out as a brand new business and blame, but if that's, I feel like that's an ask that is just waiting
[1:15:33] to happen. Do they have a do they have a mascot? Yeah they do they've got a logo that's yeah.
[1:15:41] Rusty. How about these? Really? She had a tip chart just set out for her patrons to contribute towards
[1:15:50] an interpretive sign. Yes. So you have the, you know, what would go on the sign for the rest of
[1:15:56] That will be, we could post it in their business while they raise money for it.
[1:16:00] Well, I was thinking we have the signs that we have existing signs that don't have sponsors yet.
[1:16:07] So, and we do talk about pollinators on those existing signs.
[1:16:14] Our economic development specialists should have a contact for them.
[1:16:17] I know she was working with them throughout their opening process.
[1:16:21] So I can talk to her tomorrow and see if she's able to provide me someone to get into contact
[1:16:25] and see if that's something they'd be interested in discussing?
[1:16:29] How do some field work work?
[1:16:31] Yeah, if I need to go over there and
[1:16:34] that's how might be more effective than me sending an email to you.
[1:16:37] Yeah.
[1:16:38] I actually haven't been there yet.
[1:16:43] All right, and then my last volunteer update,
[1:16:45] is I'm working with ACDI just at Carrie Taylor the other day
[1:16:49] about getting some garlic mustard poles on our calendar.
[1:16:52] We had some good luck last year with a couple different volunteer groups,
[1:16:55] scouting groups.
[1:16:56] And I know ACD has indicated they've lately had a lot of really good turnout for garlic mustard
[1:17:02] polls.
[1:17:03] It's family-friendly.
[1:17:05] It's not challenging to tell what garlic mustard is and we have a lot of it in our open spaces.
[1:17:11] So we're working on getting a couple of events and like the second, third, we kind of
[1:17:15] may on our calendar and getting kind of some advertising out for that kind of on top of
[1:17:21] day, some specific polls there, because it's a problem. And many of our open spaces,
[1:17:29] Pioneer Park is a pretty hard, at the moment, is one we're looking at highlighting.
[1:17:34] It's in the Well and Thanks for joining me. I missed the volunteer supervisor training for
[1:17:41] Great River Greening again this year. But they said, if we had eight people, they would do a
[1:17:52] But I just feel like there's enough people who would like to get involved and sometimes that's hard
[1:17:58] They don't have enough of the volunteer supervisors that have been trained to go out and
[1:18:04] Monitor a garlic mustard poll
[1:18:08] I don't know it's it's something if we had a friends of blane open space that could be something we'd sponsor
[1:18:24] That's a nonprofit organization so we have to be separate from our board.
[1:18:30] Yeah.
[1:18:30] I don't know about that because nobody can show me where that is.
[1:18:35] We'll talk after that.
[1:18:36] All right.
[1:18:37] It isn't written anywhere.
[1:18:41] Maybe not.
[1:18:42] I don't know.
[1:18:44] My next update is just quick regarding Pioneer Park because in February the board did recommend
[1:18:51] in that council where you visit the item, so I just made
[1:18:54] and I wanted to let you know that Jerome
[1:18:55] to bring that to the March Sixth Workshop.
[1:18:58] So if any member of council requests
[1:19:00] to be placed out of future workshop,
[1:19:02] we will let you guys know when that is
[1:19:05] and what we're preparing for that.
[1:19:07] But that's our update right now.
[1:19:09] And we did Nate, I believe,
[1:19:10] has an update on some a true removal project
[1:19:13] that is currently going on in Pioneer Park.
[1:19:15] I just started this week.
[1:19:18] Yes, so last week we sent out that letter that was attached in your second to your agenda.
[1:19:28] I'll just pull it up here.
[1:19:32] So this was sent to all the residents surrounding the park about the tree management.
[1:19:38] That's being done.
[1:19:39] So basically 30 feet on each side of the trail of any dead fall disease trees.
[1:19:45] They're basically our public work staff is going in there.
[1:19:49] They started last Thursday and then got pulled off because of snow and also on Friday and I know they're back at at this week.
[1:19:58] We haven't received any
[1:20:00] Phone calls or anything from residents that receive the letter, so I think the understand it's kind of
[1:20:06] we're managing the park and you know, keeping up on it or trying to keep up on it. So obviously our largest park.
[1:20:12] So yeah, so that's just the public work staff puts up signs and stuff, but it's just during their work hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
[1:20:20] but just want to let the board know on that, but that should definitely help that out, and then they're also going to be adding
[1:20:27] wood chips to all the wood chip trails in there too, because I know they were starting to, I know
[1:20:32] the last time we were out there when we went and visited, it was in need of some sprucing up or
[1:20:38] adding some wood chips. So those will be added. If not, probably not, as they take down some of the
[1:20:46] the dead trees, but they're going to pile up a pile of wood chips and then spread it once the snow
[1:20:52] leaves. So. So. Yeah. Yes. When. So. Yeah. So just want to bring that to the board's attention that just kind of came up very recently to basically in between since their last meeting.
[1:21:10] And then some of the additional items that were, that was brought up by Board Member Panning,
[1:21:16] I did add those on there and I do have, I do have the spreadsheet that what we spent,
[1:21:25] the actual last expending and if I can make this better,
[1:21:31] it's not show up like this before.
[1:21:47] interest not shown. Why is that what happened to the interest? Hang on, I get it.
[1:22:02] Okay, so this
[1:22:03] document I'm just gonna have to start like this for us to have to go down. I don't know why it's
[1:22:07] not doing that. So the original bond. This was psyched out. This is it. There we go. Okay, so the original
[1:22:16] bond referendum was $3.5 million. So basically these are all the different parcels that were
[1:22:23] purchased. And the last one was purchased back in 2009. So I'd probably just not even been here
[1:22:30] a year. But yeah, so these are the difference. And I can send this out to the board. If you
[1:22:36] guys want this, I can send this out along with that adoptive park information. So I'll send
[1:22:40] this to you guys have a copy. But this is basically the different parcels that were purchased.
[1:22:45] And let me go down a little bit. It actually exceeds the 3.5. It actually was almost
[1:22:52] closer to 3.8 and that's I know there was some interest in there but that's for the interest
[1:22:57] what yes so I will I'll send this out just so you guys have it for your records as well what was the
[1:23:02] lakes do you have the information on the first purchase the lakes development that was the Oaksavanna
[1:23:10] and then I think just east of it was site 7 yep so that but the Oaksavanna was part of the site 7
[1:23:23] 200 acres or so, what's now are thin, banked.
[1:23:30] But that purchase was connected to the oaks,
[1:23:37] to the one you're calling Lake's development.
[1:23:41] Those two purchases were together.
[1:23:45] Yeah, and that looks like it was like 70 acres.
[1:23:48] And when you're saying connected, do you mean they were just
[1:23:51] at the same time because the sight and deal, but because the spaces are not connected, but it was
[1:24:04] it was one of the developers of the lakes approached us to sell us the wetland peace,
[1:24:12] but then Jim Peterson being the Sharpie that he was told us to ask him for the eight acres of oak forest
[1:24:20] at the same time, and that would be about what he should have offered us for the, you know,
[1:24:27] that should have gave us more value, which he felt we needed. So yes, and it was so nice
[1:24:36] to hear this gentleman say, I wanted to save that for my best houses, but maybe everybody should
[1:24:43] should have it. So it was amazing, it was, you know, it was an amazing moment for our
[1:24:49] committee, and that was our first purchase. So site 7 was our first purchase. Sure.
[1:24:55] And we didn't know what we had until Jason came along and told us it was.
[1:25:00] What the potential was? Yes, what it was. We knew we had open space. That's as bright as we were. So this was a bond reformer referendum many years ago, 2000, 2000, it's a 23 years ago. Do you think we should talk to Council about a new bond referendum for identifying other spaces?
[1:25:26] It seems as though that there is still concern that pockets of open space be preserved.
[1:25:37] Or are we really ready to say that's it with ten open space properties?
[1:25:42] Maybe we are.
[1:25:43] It would be a good question to bring before the council.
[1:25:49] I'm sorry, I was way too self involved with small children to even remember how it happens.
[1:25:55] What, how did you get this initial referendum going?
[1:25:58] I know this is, you had the support of City Council on the mayor and the City Manager.
[1:26:03] It took a lot of effort in order to get the political to get this moving, but are we ready
[1:26:11] to say, it started with quite a public interest in an open space plan, again, I mean, I've been here
[1:26:23] for Golgali, you know, 34 years.
[1:26:28] So just how blame has changed is astounding.
[1:26:35] And I think I've just had lunch this past week,
[1:26:39] the last week with a coworker who's only lived in,
[1:26:42] blamed for five years.
[1:26:44] And she's like, I can't believe how fast it's changing.
[1:26:47] And like, do we have nothing?
[1:26:49] Yeah, where your house sits used to be open land at one time, too.
[1:26:55] I wish we had more money, too.
[1:26:59] I took some real foresight back in 2000 to say, let's invest in this, or this would
[1:27:05] all be drained and paved, and so it was really, it came from the 2020 planning committee.
[1:27:15] This was our recommendation to the City Council was to establish an open space.
[1:27:21] Along with all the other work we had, you know, the big folder of work, our main recommendation to the City Council was that we believe we should have an open space plan for the city and trails.
[1:27:35] And we were told, we were really shot down, you told that they wanted 70,000 people in
[1:27:43] Blaine and there would be no room for open space at that point.
[1:27:47] Well, look what we've got, so yeah, so the committee kept on knowing we just called ourselves
[1:27:53] open space 2000 and we marched in the parade with a handmade sign and there was just so much
[1:28:01] support along the way, yeah, we need this, we need this.
[1:28:03] And it was really the people of blame who convinced the council that we needed one needed open space.
[1:28:12] Well, there's now there's 70,000 people and you gotta believe that there's a lot of those 70,000 people that still enjoy and care about open space.
[1:28:22] And there is the 2040 comp plan, which has some action items and goals for natural resource
[1:28:32] management and sustainability, which we need to make some progress on because we're not
[1:28:38] right now here.
[1:28:42] So perhaps there isn't opportunity.
[1:28:44] I mean, if I'm hoping Council and Mayor are hearing from more people than just us that
[1:28:51] sustainability and open space matters in our community,
[1:28:58] because that's, and maybe when the, I don't know when the, you know, I don't know how accountable we are to the 2040 count plan, but when that's reviewed, I've reviewed it and there's, I mean, there's things that I think we as a board could be working on and providing recommendations, but there are things that are outside of our purview, but would be within the
[1:29:21] purview of a sustainability board or commission,
[1:29:24] which is one of the reasons I recommended that
[1:29:27] when we started talking about the merger.
[1:29:30] Because we've got bigger issues than just open space.
[1:29:33] When we think about long-term planning,
[1:29:35] because if we want to keep this community great,
[1:29:37] we're going to need to, it's even more important now
[1:29:41] than it was 20 years ago that we protect and preserve.
[1:29:44] I would love for a free support, 23 years in the future
[1:29:47] to look back and say, well, wow, they were on the ball.
[1:29:50] You know, back in 2024 because by the time we get any action going
[1:30:00] You know, again, every 25 years, there should be a renewal. You take a look at what you have and take assessment of where we've been and where we need to be and what do we need to act on now?
[1:30:15] I'm fired up.
[1:30:16] I think we should do.
[1:30:17] Bring it back to our next meeting.
[1:30:18] We'll see what we can start.
[1:30:19] And I think we should talk to our council reps.
[1:30:22] We should talk to our neighbors.
[1:30:25] Well, in order for the city to bond money like that, it has to be put to a vote of the people.
[1:30:31] So they'd have to approve it and have to go to a vote.
[1:30:36] You do need the support of the council.
[1:30:38] Yeah.
[1:30:39] Yeah.
[1:30:40] If I may, the board can always make a recommendation.
[1:30:44] That staff bring the topic and let council know that the board would like the council to discuss this.
[1:30:50] So the work can always make a recommendation that the Council should discuss the idea of having some sort of bonding platform for acquisition of more open space.
[1:30:59] And we can bring the idea to the next workshop and get feedback or an initial response.
[1:31:04] Great idea.
[1:31:05] I mean, I'm looking at this list of properties that were purchased.
[1:31:09] And I think it's some of these if I remember going back to the history.
[1:31:14] Some of that helped the developers of that area.
[1:31:16] because they wanted to develop a portion of it,
[1:31:21] but then they had this small plant,
[1:31:24] which as if you just want to sell houses,
[1:31:27] or sell a business park,
[1:31:29] or you don't see the value in it,
[1:31:33] but it is so very valuable for our groundwater
[1:31:36] and species, bird animal, plant species.
[1:31:42] maybe just changing also the way we look at management of large spaces. They don't have to be
[1:31:50] manicured. Maybe that's part of what the new vision might be. Because I think it needs to be
[1:31:56] more than just open space acquisition. It's a bigger issue than that. So do we want to do it as
[1:32:03] item for our next meeting. Maybe for our workshop.
[1:32:07] Our workshop.
[1:32:10] I don't know. Gene, you're a leader. We need a workshop for paint.
[1:32:15] All of the for your all one we're going to do. We've had the enlist our staff people to help us.
[1:32:24] Have an hour before meeting. I could do that, sure. I would that go. How would we do something like that?
[1:32:30] We would just pulse up the meeting starts at 6.30 and set us up.
[1:32:35] Yeah, we can do that.
[1:32:37] That's good.
[1:32:37] Let's do that.
[1:32:39] Next month.
[1:32:40] All right.
[1:32:42] And the first one that have to be reminded is me to get here 6.30.
[1:32:46] I need to do some homework.
[1:32:51] I need to read the 2040 plan because if I'm the website, it's on the website.
[1:32:58] All right.
[1:33:00] Is there any more trouble we could make here?
[1:33:04] board chair raffer to get members of the board. Yes, because we still have the friends of the open space, which
[1:33:12] thanks for bringing that to my attention board member panning, because we don't know actually how it even got put up there, because the information sold out dated and wrong.
[1:33:22] not wrong. It's been completed or, you know,
[1:33:26] Jim had two and a half years
[1:33:27] team in there. And Doddy is the chair.
[1:33:30] So if there's something you guys want to put
[1:33:32] in there instead, please provide content.
[1:33:35] I'd be, we'd be happy to put different content in it.
[1:33:39] That's that's still relevant if it's because
[1:33:43] basically it's set in there, they were in the process
[1:33:47] of preparing and preparing and trying to make
[1:33:52] So if there's no, that wasn't, we were trying to make a nonprofit support group.
[1:34:00] Okay, so if there's something different, we want to put on that page.
[1:34:05] I know board member Panning put that out to the board.
[1:34:09] So you guys can look at that and if there is, and we can exchange emails, that's fine.
[1:34:15] I mean, it doesn't need to be a sit down.
[1:34:17] that there's certain things people want on that page instead that's, you know, accurate.
[1:34:23] Because the meeting time was 730. I mean, we don't mean it 730. So I mean, I don't
[1:34:28] know, all that was I was kind of shocked. But we were, we were trying to start a foundation.
[1:34:34] We ourselves were not allowed to. We were discussing how we would do it. And we had some
[1:34:38] interested people. Most of whom died, so it really went away. The concept is great. Spring
[1:34:46] book has fantastic foundation, the Nature Center, and they are great funderators, they're
[1:34:59] There.
[1:35:00] Our open spaces can really use the volunteer support and money raising and you know, when I first started on the sport that we were talking about friends of open spaces and that's, and you folks told me, well, we can't really run it here as long as we're on the board, but you know, if we graduate from the board, that would be, where does that, I cannot find anything that says foundation.
[1:35:27] It's a non-profit.
[1:35:29] Yes.
[1:35:29] Why is the state of Minnesota, you'd have to set it up?
[1:35:34] Find anything on it.
[1:35:36] Malcolm, Malcolm, what's his name?
[1:35:39] So this would be a legal opinion.
[1:35:41] So if I ask for like our environmental treatment
[1:35:44] from a legal thing, I had a bunch of papers,
[1:35:47] which if I could follow up on that.
[1:35:50] I'll see if I can find them.
[1:35:51] But yes, it's a legal foundation non-profit type of thing.
[1:35:56] And Springbrook has a Malcolm talk to me later.
[1:36:03] Yeah, I'll clue you in on what it was.
[1:36:07] OK.
[1:36:08] Yes, so if you guys want to add anything to it,
[1:36:10] we actually turned it off at this point
[1:36:12] because the information's so wrong.
[1:36:14] So you'll see.
[1:36:14] I can't find it.
[1:36:15] Right.
[1:36:16] So that's on purpose.
[1:36:18] But again, it's in that email that Carolyn sent out.
[1:36:21] So please take a look at that.
[1:36:23] There's some different information we want to put on there.
[1:36:26] Um, things we want to add to that we can turn it back in.
[1:36:29] Basically, we just hit with a paint, but we can, I just have not looked.
[1:36:33] Yeah. So, but yes, no, I, I was like, I didn't even know that was there.
[1:36:39] And then when I read him, like, that's all right.
[1:36:42] That's wrong.
[1:36:42] You know, it was just, I was actually kind of laughing.
[1:36:45] So, that is all we have.
[1:36:48] And on the grant, we did not do anything.
[1:36:50] We don't have the capacity to do anything with it at this point.
[1:36:54] we just we do not have the staff time and resources that is doing thing that is a shame that
[1:36:59] that opportunity pass by because I know I had sent it to council and the mayor and city
[1:37:05] manager and I got replies from anti when I got replies from that was that we're enthusiastic
[1:37:11] and we'll look into this and it's disappointing that that couldn't happen somebody has to do
[1:37:16] the work because the thing is that that was for a position for somebody to do this kind
[1:37:22] work. So this is the chicken in the egg kind of problem where we need somebody to do the work,
[1:37:27] but we don't have that person, but we need to apply for a grant to get that person, but there's
[1:37:32] nobody to do the applying. So I don't know how to solve that, but that is next. That is I think a huge
[1:37:39] gap in our city staff is that we need more good people, and we need people that are knowledgeable
[1:37:49] an experienced and passionate about these issues for long-term sustainability and, you know,
[1:37:57] just a couple, you know, who are doing lots of other things, just there's only so much
[1:38:03] any one person can do. So, I'm disappointed.
[1:38:09] We know that you guys are stretched off a thin.
[1:38:13] I mean, every time you do reports on how many things are going on in the city, I just like,
[1:38:19] I don't know how few of you there are doing all this.
[1:38:22] So, you have great enthusiasm and help for us.
[1:38:28] We want there to be more for you.
[1:38:30] So, that's right.
[1:38:32] We just need to clone you.
[1:38:34] That is all the trouble we have at this time.
[1:38:38] That is all we have on the agenda
[1:38:40] unless the board has anything else.
[1:38:42] Is there anything else?
[1:38:44] Motion to adjourn.
[1:38:46] I move.
[1:38:47] I'll second.
[1:38:49] Almost.
[1:38:50] I'm famous.