Conservation Advisory Council, Regular Meeting

1. 0:02Not sure. I could switch. Okay. >> Yeah, I always do. Is this it? Do we have anyone online? >> Okay. All right. Are we Are we going? Are we recording? >> Yeah. Here we go. >> Yes. All right. >> We are live. >> We're live. Here we go, folks. Call to order. All in favor? >> I. >> Great. Um, minutes from last month. Any questions? I did not read them. I'll be honest. >> I sent Linda one correction and >> Yeah, everything's good. >> Yeah, everything else good. >> All right, good to go. Thank you, Linda. Thank you. Meeting minutes are good. Uh,
2. 1:05membership, we still have one position open just as an FYI. >> So, if we see no, >> did Jacine ever indicate any >> or was it Josephine? >> Josephine, sorry. I I did tell her we had a window to use her for a grant potentially, but we didn't have time to do it. I'll put I'll send another email. >> Let's see if she's interested. I suggest we >> promote >> Yeah. >> this Instagram. Put it on the I'll put it on the >> right because I I think >> there are people out there who are not aware >> of us in general and and a physician available in specific And I think we we would benefit from some more public exposure. There you go. >> I agree. >> A few folks I could inquire. >> Could we put it on the city website as well? >> Would that be an option? >> Put it on this put on the Instagram because read the city unless they know. >> Who reads our Instagram? >> But we try.
3. 2:08>> We try. I try. Well, we we each have to repost it about and spread it around to all of our friends >> for the world. >> Excellent idea. >> Perfect. >> Um, climate smart communities. So, I gave everyone Have you been able to all log in? Yes. >> Have you tried logging in? No. >> Or you you can't get it or you >> I haven't tried. >> You haven't tried yet? >> I will. I have. >> I have. Does it make sense or no? >> It doesn't make sense yet. I emailed everybody and said I don't understand. >> Where's the project? >> I think I poked around enough. I got a little worried that if I went somewhere I would make >> I might have to have to link you. >> Okay. I think you need to link us. Yeah, >> I'm linked. >> But it's asking me to start a project basically. might knowledge. >> No, you should just be able to see. >> Did you use your city of Hudson email as well?
4. 3:09>> I used it. >> Okay. >> All right. Let me see. I might >> I might need to I thought I had done that automatically, but I guess not. Let me let me and I'll ask Taylor what the issue is now. Lengthy users. Okay. So, we'll go back. Well, at some point though, so this is like a this is a lot at the end of the agenda as well. We might have the lawyer, the legal group joining us to do a short presentation. So there might be other people waiting in the room at some point. So when we see that, let us know. We'll we'll figure it out. Anyway, all right. So, um I think that what we I think what we should do for the climate smart is have like a subcommittee meeting. >> Yeah. >> Because it's like a lot. >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um and we need to get reertified for >> B. So Who would like to do that? Who would like to be happy to help? >> I mean, I'll I'll do it. >> Okay. Hey, anyone else? Any other >> you? Yes, you. Anyone else? >> I'll be on the committee.
5. 4:13>> Oh, you're happy. Oh, great. >> Do you have Is there like a be interested? >> Is there Should we set a subcommittee meeting date? >> Let's do it. Why not >> would that a place that has Wi-Fi >> return >> Yeah. >> Yeah. We can talk about >> or spark either or um we can move it around so you can get voting. >> I have that flexibility on November 14th. >> That's the Friday. >> Is that okay or no? No, we'll answer it for you. >> What about November 17th? It's a Monday. >> Monday that might be better. >> Yep, >> I can do that. Yeah, hopefully >> fine for me. >> At least start it. Or we could look at the weekend, too. >> Maybe it's Sunday.
6. 5:16>> Those are not good for me. No. >> No. Let's hope the 17th then. >> So, we think in evenings then everyone works. Is that it? >> Yeah. I I suggested just in case people had flexibility during the day, if they have time off, but we wanted to look sooner, I could do something sooner after work. >> Okay. Um, how about the 19th Wednesday? Does that work for people or No. >> Yeah, >> sure. >> Can we do that? Sorry. >> All right. >> 5 to 8. Is that too long? Sorry. Yeah, let's do one hour >> three hours. Let's just buckle in. >> Could we do 6:30? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Since I'm at return anyway at that time for run club finish. >> Oh, do you starting to do that? >> Oh, I'd be back at return probably around 6:30. >> Right. Return >> return.
7. 6:26>> Right. >> Okay. So, Climate Smart is going to be Wednesday the 19th at 6:30. >> Great. Sorry. We'll get that in my calendar. Okay. All right. Thank you, folks. >> Okay. >> Unless that might be quick, too. You never know. >> They're very efficient. >> Are we going to return? >> All right. Yes. Return on the 19th. Sorry, I voted out four. I'm sorry. >> That's okay. And 6:30 to 7:30. >> 6:30. Okay. I'll make sure make the a little bit less painful. >> We'll probably stay till >> Yeah. Um, and by then, what I'll do is I'll make sure that all of you are LinkedIn. and you should be able to see the project. So, I sent an email to Haley today and um she sent us I guess samples of different uh popular I guess assignments, but then she also has a Google spreadsheet of all. So, there's the two list that she sent us. So, yeah, I mean, we'll go
8. 7:30through the Google spreadsheet. >> Um and then we can always back to her with questions. She's really good and she like responds within a day. So, it's great. And wait, Josh, the um I called you Josh now. Um now it's all messing with you. >> Um do they have Wi-Fi or is it just They do. >> They do. Okay. I just wanted to make sure because I didn't want to >> overpromise. Okay. >> Um Okay. So that's it. Um >> we'll do that then. 6:30 the 19th. >> Cool. >> Um budget for next year. So the BEA has made us I think 15,000 I want to say total. We did not get the 30,000 requested. >> We didn't. What did we get last year? >> It's about 15 grand. I think I would get like um I want to say it's 135 for the trees and then 750 or something like that for >> Okay. >> And then the same. >> Yes. It didn'tcrease at all. No. Although we did get we'll go down to it, but we did get the $5,000 from DPW.
9. 8:34>> Which is >> Yeah. So that's a good thing. Anyway, all right. So, let's go on. Uh light bulb exchange. Is that like a done deal? >> Uh I put in the request for the final order. So, the check should be cut after the next meeting and sent out. >> Great. Um, and then bulbs are currently at city clerk, Hudson Library, Spark of Hudson, and then the rolling grocerers partnering with us now, which I have high hopes for things moving a lot there because people are there to get groceries already. So, >> good. Great. And so, the the um >> the grant is exhausted. >> The grant is exhausted. There's probably going to be like $30 up there. >> Fine. Fine. Great. Perfect. Thank you. um EV car charger grants. Okay, so I met with four different vendors over the past couple weeks uh for site visits. We went through them. It seems actually the two locations seemed very good in terms of like, you know, Rob Perry told me to go down by the dark park and the reason why is because that's where the the
10. 9:36level three charger. That's where the electricity is down by the sewer plant there. So, um we could use even the dark parking lot for the level three, which will be nice. saying, "I told we'd be the first level three in the county, but yet just put one in a couple weeks ago. Spoiled again." >> It's going to be my new swear word. >> Um, >> we just met. But the other thing about the good thing about the other spot, the Amtrak spot, is that the Amra parking lot, we're going to have three similar to the ones behind city hall. We're going to have three stations with six ports. But we're going to start where the uh handicap spot is and then put three ports there because also by the next next year we have to have some electric EV charges which are handicap accessible. So it makes sense for us to put it there and so that's a good thing. But um but yeah, so I should be getting
11. 10:39a few RFPs uh submissions by next week and then we can go over them and then see how it goes. So it's momentum, >> right? >> National grid has the money for the level three. Um there's grant money so that we can pull the electricity down and put like a little substation box. The hopefully by next year there should be some grant money to do the same thing for level twos. Um I told them that no trees can be cut down in this process. >> Um and they all looked at the uh you know where the poles were and it seems fairly doable. >> Good. >> So yeah. Anyway, so that's that is it is moving along. >> Um armor day. So talk to us. >> So the last tree planting will probably happen this week. We're putting in uh one, two, three, four, six trees at five sites. Um, initially it turned out we did not have the budget for it. And when I told Rob that, he gave us $5,000 that he had left in his budget. So, um, thank
12. 11:43you. >> Thank you, Rob. >> Thank you, Nathan. >> Um, so yeah, so that's that's proceeding well. Uh, and I think there's probably still a small amount of because we got 5,000 and I think we were only short a couple of thousand. No, 3500. There's another $1,500 that we could potentially utilize before the end of the year. >> Um, >> yeah, we got to spend that money. >> Yeah. Waiting list on the trees. >> Uh, we do, however, because of the way it works, we can't um uh we can't I can't add on to it now because there it's already all the tickets are called in and everything and they don't want to plant just a couple trees. >> How about like some under planting somewhere? >> We could do some kind of pruning >> ground recovery. >> I mean, could we do could we >> could we we've been talking about we were just talking about maintenance, tree maintenance. Um >> I don't know how much it costs, but >> but we could look into that. >> Not this time of year though. >> I didn't know if was
13. 12:45>> it not is it too? >> It might be too. >> Yeah, it might be too stressful. >> Well, the other thing is that I think as long as there we have a contract out for the money >> that we could encumber it for next year. I could ask Rise and Run to do a contract for our leftover funds for a couple of trees that are on our list and then we can encumber that and with the guarantee that we would be adding additional plantings to them, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Oh, all right. I'll do that. >> See what Heather ask Heather first. >> That's very true. >> Yeah. What specifically has to happen? >> What documentation she needs, right? I think it's just a contract, but >> cool. >> So, >> sorry. >> No, I was just confirming that would be for more streets treats, right? For plantings. >> Yep. Okay. >> Cool. >> Great. I'll do my best, but if other people have other ideas, >> it's great. Sounds fine. >> No, no. Whether or not Rise Run agrees and Yeah. All of that. Yeah. >> Yeah. See if we can carry that money
14. 13:47over somehow. Oh, there's like stairs or um tree ordinance. I don't think there's been any movement on it, right? >> I have. >> No, there's nothing. >> I've also been Yeah, >> no big now that the um >> Smith legal probably, right? >> But what what was the last thing that they were trying to figure out? Was it >> we you had some questions for that? They had some stage. >> Yeah, you went there, right? Mhm. >> And there was I think mutual confusion after that meeting and I've been basically out of >> um yeah I mean also I think legal canceled for this month so um because of the election now the election is going to be over tonight >> there'll be focus on actually yeah going back >> this is the almost December next time committee meeting. >> Yeah. Yeah. And then I'm just like I would just even pull up the old email
15. 14:50from Margaret to say like look this is these are the outstating questions just as a reminder. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Why >> community solar what's the status? >> I haven't heard more from I haven't heard any updates. It was with the I mean the council I think it was with the council as far as I knew but I thought oh it's someone had presented to power markets had presented to council has met with the mayor. It just it's hoping it would just continue to move forward through the mayor's office but I haven't heard anything. >> I think it gets passed. I mean it's a city clerk question next month. Well, >> I have to I I admit I forget. I mean, I won't be talking about it on the council, but I forget if we actually voted on it or not, >> but you're ramper looking. >> Somebody who's on the council to ask. >> Yeah, if you only have someone. >> I also didn't understand why it needed to go through the council because it was
16. 15:51just >> the mayor can just say, >> well, maybe it's >> this is a service that's available to all Hudson residents. has nothing to do with the city in terms of cost. >> Maybe just present it and that was it then. Maybe that's >> so the mayor's office just can issue the letter that was already drafted by the power markets. It's a template letter that just is then sent out to residents saying you can opt in to this program if you're interested. It will save you 10%. >> Period. >> Yeah. >> Maybe it's just maybe it's just a question. Maybe just >> me. >> Yeah. See if Do you want to see if you can find out anything? >> Let me see. I'll just I'll email the city clerk and Justin. I'll CC you. >> Okay. >> We'll see what they >> Let's just see what the status is on. >> Okay. >> Support. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's just the letter. Maybe didn't go. That's why it didn't go. I don't remember both going that makes sense. And the same thing with tree one is with the anti law. I think Well, I think the
17. 16:53anti pass. >> It passed. >> It did go through. I mean I think it's now before the concert I assume it passed even mid right >> I think it passed past passed I saw something I think we're in some of something >> you presumably that rich right >> I know how did you vote >> it's I think that's passed I think that there was like a non-issue I mean some people made a little bit of noise about it on gossips but I think that was it so >> so do we have a new idling law is that what you're I think we have an I don't >> so that's a we have to go back to climates more and see if we can get points for there. >> Yeah. When was it supposed to take >> you know >> I don't know. >> Okay fine. >> Um yeah there's one thing about passing laws. There's nothing about having it having them enforced as well. >> But yeah, >> I'm on record, so I'll I'll just stop it. >> Not say anything else.
18. 17:56>> Um, the tree replacement. So, the last conversation I had with them last month was that they're going to wait until the first frost, which is soon. >> I think we had it. >> Well, we had it, didn't we? >> Yeah, we did have barely. >> Yeah, >> we had >> last week. It was last week. Maybe an hour when it was below freezing. >> Yeah. >> Not doesn't qualify as a first crop. >> No, they don't want the ground. >> No, it has to be I mean when it when it starts to actually have an effect on the plants, it has to be below freezing for a long time rather than just a it killed some of my >> on transitive plant people for the saplings. >> Depends on how sensitive it is. M >> there are some hardier plants that can withstand it, but like usually like more delicate flowers. >> These are trees to put in. >> Oh, trees are >> Yeah. So, we should be able to put them in. You're saying wait. >> I I am not an expert. >> When's too cold for tree plantings?
19. 19:02>> You should be able to get the best. >> Yeah. I feel like you know probably more than me. >> I think most of them should. Yes, I'll answer. I'll just reply. That's who I would ask. >> It's Travis Travis. So, I'll just reply on that email. >> Well, given that it's going to take them time to coordinate it. >> They're also in Long Island. So, for them, probably the first frost hasn't happened yet. So, they won't happen. >> But I'm saying even if you start the process now, it's going to be two or three weeks. They can't plant it in December. It has to happen. >> I talk to them almost every month. I get I get them every >> And this is for the >> replacement >> replacements. the the Harry Howard trees Harry Howard trees that we've done are just >> I know the ones they're putting in for Rise and R are put in are going in next week >> and I don't think they wanted to wait a lot longer. So >> yeah. >> All right. I'll follow up with them tomorrow. Thank you. >> Um Columbia County Climate Smart I just have this on the agenda as like a placeholder. >> Yes. Uh there's a meeting on Thursday. >> There's a meeting Thursday. >> A monthly meeting. So I have I don't have any I don't I don't have any
20. 20:06>> any action items per >> I don't have it but I missed the last meeting. >> Oh >> have you heard anything? >> No no I mean I'm on the environmental management council. Um and we used to have one of our members who was also on the climate smart committee but he's not anymore. So we don't get regular reports. >> Yeah. What's the difference between the county level and the community level for the smart? >> Well, it's two different >> entities. Is the county itself taking on these tasks that we're looking at >> uh to become and it is already, you know, it's it's a bronze >> climate smart community at the county level. >> They So they do have them the county level. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. So it's a it's a separate >> system. So each of the towns and >> in Columbia County that is uh doing a CSSE program is individually doing their their numbers like G. >> Like Gench. Yes.
21. 21:13>> All right. Um so Oh, the Waffle Stone on uh State Street Park. >> Yeah, we have to agree would be able to uh accept the delivery because we have a delivery. who are promised to live dependent delivery, but um you know they don't do stuff on the weekends. So if there's I'm thinking if there's a Friday afternoon or something where everybody can >> you know show up >> what needs to be done >> and help room between the stones on ankle break park and I think they're going to pull up >> um the discussion I had with them in the um alley >> so which is sort of midway between the >> well the ends of the park but we just have to give them a date and then they'll either under a level because there's two there's two sets of the uh where do you call that apric there's like a lower level and the metal stairs
22. 22:14>> yeah we're talking the top the top level not the lower level and I guess if there's any left over we could maybe slap it down I'm really thinking the upper level is the one problematic >> yeah so they're just kind of dumping it a big pile and we'll We will spread it around. >> Yeah. So, we need to I mean, it's your next your next door, right? >> Yes. >> Are you available on Fridays for >> Yes. >> Pick a day. Pick a day. >> I mean, >> it's good for everybody. >> Um I mean, do we want to I mean, is it too cold for the people? No. >> Let's do it. >> Fine. Do it. Pick a day. >> Should it like next Friday, >> the 14th >> or not? That's >> not not you. >> Not the 14th. What other tight days? >> Maybe the 21st. >> I think I'm out on this one >> cuz you really should do it before December in case there's a >> Yeah. >> And I don't want them to forget about
23. 23:15it, you know. And >> 21st is fine with me or the 14th. >> Yeah. 14th. I have time during the day, but not the 21st. So, I won't have time during the day. >> Yeah. >> Well, how about the >> I'm hoping I'll be back. I'm having surgery a few days before. Let's do the 21st. We'll figure it out. >> Hopefully, you know, I'll be back and >> let's do the 21st then. >> We do 21st. Is that okay with each one? >> Yeah, that's better. That's fine. >> Um, all right. Cool. So, what what time are we? Maybe sunset or something. >> Let me let me send out four o'clock. see what they >> what they would be more >> be in touch with them see when they can deliver and um then I'll send out >> and do we need to get brooms or something? Yeah, as the does everybody everybody I mean maybe DPW has um we can borrow janitor type rooms
24. 24:19>> that's a like a >> like a push but one I have one too >> if we have I think three or four we'll probably get >> also tool shed place you could oh you could borrow yes of course be a seven >> and I have rapes Okay. So, everybody bring what you have. >> Um I think we'll probably need I mean I >> get into my car. I probably can. >> Um you know, if you have a a wheelbarrow and or any kind of RA um but the brooms are the most important thing for that. And um the water shut off now, right? Because it's end of season for the fountain. >> Yes, the water from the fountain shut off. Well, let me ask Rob because maybe they can hook it up temporarily with a hose because you should really kind of wet it in after you put it in. >> Um, so I'll see if that can happen. >> Keep the dust under control. Okay, clean. >> What What What's the size of this stone that you're putting down? >> It's like It's
25. 25:23Yeah, it's not big gravel. It's >> I forget what the name of the gravel. It's not >> people. Yeah, exactly. >> It is called >> Do we have the um green keepers online? Who's online? >> I'm the greener people. >> Oh, you're the green keeper person. I'm sorry. Sorry. The Earth Law Center. Earth law center. >> The only person there's someone named CW. >> Oh, that's probably Earth Law Center. >> Can you hear me? Well, save that. Come on. Sorry. All right, let's go on. Climate action plan for Hudson. We still have that on the agenda. Do I can I take that off? >> Probably. I don't think it happened. >> Right. >> Heard nothing more. >> Okay, fine. >> That was the committee you were on. We had the person come and speak to us, right? the
26. 26:26comprehensive plan. >> Oh, thank you. >> That was a different one. >> There was talk about having like a climate action plan and sort of process alongside the comprehension. >> I mean, some element of sustainability got built into >> the climate action plan, as far as I know, did not go anywhere. We were kind of Yeah, we were just talking about having like a bit of a uh I don't want to just call it a blanket like restoration plan, but kind of like something more of like the natural spaces like kind of inventory, but >> not an inventory, but like kind of like priorities of like what we want to see over like the next few years of prioritizing pollinator habitat or other restoration opportunities. Um or yeah it could be all it could be a bit more broader than that. So I wonder if that's >> still if we still want to keep climate action plan on the table just do
27. 27:28something a bit more broader. >> But we can think about it. >> Okay. But so am I taking this off the agenda or no? >> The climate action >> plan for now. But like we're going to noodle on it >> to see if something else can come in. >> Great. and the county is doing a reduction. So hopefully that's what >> um Candid Foundation directory membership. I think we need you still need to be reimbured for that. Is that right? >> I'm sorry. What? >> The Candid Foundation directory membership? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You sent me the Did you send me the >> like an invoice or anything? >> Yes. Subject. >> No. >> Sorry. Do you want the money? You run out of time. >> I had so much other stuff to do. Sorry. >> Well, there might be a little bit of money left over in the account. So, >> okay. Thank you. I will I will get that. >> So, send and then I send it. Okay. And
28. 28:32it goes through. Um, fine. >> Okay. So, now I'm the greener. >> That's all right. Uh, so I sent the this little thing about the green keepers out, this proposal or the tree steward program. I think I sent it a couple months ago. >> Um, I don't know if anybody had a chance to look at it. >> Briefly, scroll it. Scroll through it. >> It's basically just a proposal for um volunteer partnership uh working with community to do um street tree care and maintenance. It's very much based on the New York City program um and also working on other like potentially the pocket parks and things like that doing doing maintenance on those spaces. So the little proposal I sent just sort of um talks about um doing um training sessions with people on how to do street care and maintenance. We were talking about a business uh coalition partnership maybe. I was talking with somebody who's part of the
29. 29:34what is the Hudson Business >> Coalition. >> Coalition called Yeah. Um who is in charge of that, Billy. So he so I talked to him about possibly coming and speaking to them about it. Um the big questions I have uh around it are um would we need to do some sort of legislation with the common council if we wanted to do something like this? Um because we'd be creating a tree steward program where we're saying someone may come to the street tree in front of your house and work on it. >> Um is that uh an issue? >> Does that get tied in >> tree? >> Yeah, I was going to say does that tie in with tree ordinance? >> It is technically true that the tree in front of someone's house is their private property. >> Yes. Um, and so there's like a the way it's structured as I understand it, not not a lawyer, not a >> Yeah. expert, is that there like the sidewalk is like an easement essentially.
30. 30:35>> Yeah. Yeah. >> And the tree is, you know, theirs in the same way it would be if it was somewhere else. And so you can regulate it. You can do all kinds of things like that. >> Um, yeah. So it is is a it it probably is a question then like in New York City trees are public property so you're able to go and you're able to work on those trees. >> Um I don't know if the easement gives us any >> I don't really understand but I think you >> come on Nathan you're the expert now. I feel like I didn't even use those words. This is like my like vague understanding works. Well, like the sidewalk, you're technically that's yours and you have to maintain the sidewalk. So, I imagine the same respect that you have to maintain if the tree is causing problems, you are responsible for solving those problems. Um, but I think um, in our effort to maintain the trees, I'm sure a whole lot of the property owners are going to be happy to have somebody come by and
31. 31:38volunteer to do some maintenance because otherwise it's it's their expense to hire somebody knocking on door. >> That's and I have that I basically said like if there's somebody there, you try to engage with them. Maybe if we have a little card you can leave for them to say do some maintenance on your tree. >> The other thing is that national bird comes down comes along every now and then too and just chops these trees. >> That was something we were thinking. Could this be part of that program? Uh >> yeah. Yeah. cuz I don't know if you got if you were on the the the the um message uh stream but stream but Joshua Del Rio is a new DEC forester. >> Okay. and he reached out to me >> and I forwarded to Andrew because um he's very interested in basically helping you know he's like are there any you know would there be any educational you know possibilities blah blah blah blah and I'm replying to him well yeah for example teach
32. 32:42how to trim trees properly etc etc so he's really want wants to work with us and he has a couple of programs that he wants to get people involved um and so on and so forth. So, it's a it's a nice new >> sounds connection. It's a nice a nice way to do this. And then we were even saying, >> could he do a training session with the DPW? You know, um because they do some of that as well. >> They have hired Brit to do that also. Brit was walking alongside DPW telling them how to prune. >> Yeah. But she's not. >> I'm sorry. I'd like >> But at least this would be an opportunity for them to learn about, you know, how to do it properly. Yes, we will bring an arbor to it right here. >> And and especially if National Grid has any money to put into this. >> Yeah, I know. Well, he was really wanting us to partner with him and he was talking about, oh, would you be interested in um going because Filmont got the grant to reforest part of their um White High Falls >> and there was going to be a dedication
33. 33:44or what? I mean, and I think they just finished the platform there or whatever, but he said, "Do you want to?" And I'm like, "Yeah. Yes, please talk to us, >> you know, to love us. >> Yeah, the more conversations we have with DEC, I mean, it can't hurt. Yeah. I mean, because who knows? They might let us in on grants or who knows what, right? >> So, I thought that's great. So, >> yeah, great. >> We have to uh Yeah. >> So, in terms of moving this forward then, I it sounds like people have a positive reaction to it. So, all right. So, I'll do some outreach now and just see if I can gather some more information about it. Maybe I'll reach out to some people on the council as well and just sort of say this maybe our new council president who is assumed given the primary is >> yeah there's only one person running >> there'll be a new council there'll be new members on the council too so we'll see >> be discussions >> could turn it into a proposal too >> that's yeah it started as a proposal >> yeah like more maybe um timelines yeah like >> we can even just pass like a simple
34. 34:46resolution that says essentially like LA, you know, it doesn't have to actually, but it could just be a resolution that says, >> uh, we're announcing city announces this program. >> Um, so that people makes people more aware of it. Yeah, >> it doesn't necessarily have to be on the law. It could just be, you know, >> it's like it's pride month, you know, yay doing this. >> Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. the pocket park, the extension of the ankle breaker bar that is right next to Mel's there across from the county. >> That feels like a prime place that there's a local business that has a strong incentive to make that nice. >> They actually did that work in front of their space with Aaron's help. And that's kind of the exact sort of thing I'm talking about where people you have a tree in front of your business and you don't like >> you can help us >> by planting or doing something along those lines in or whatever. >> Yeah. >> If if people have other ideas, please
35. 35:48feel free to email me because then I'll put something together more >> fleshed out >> um about where we could start. I certainly don't want to bite off more than we can chew at the beginning. So maybe it's within those. But the idea of timelines, let's try to do this first, then let's try to do that and then let's try to do that. >> That was my concern that I love I love the idea. The idea of forming a whole new program is is a lot >> as a body that advises the common council yet getting res a resolution or getting their buy in in some way. Exactly. in terms of >> and then proposing a pilot first where we try to do x >> something simple >> with x number of people >> right >> yeah I mean people also also understand that we're only going to be able to do this for like city of Hudson >> related trees right not the the county trees >> like yeah >> yeah that's just >> and it would only be street trees >> and we certainly broadly open it but we could even take a look at trying to like
36. 36:50get a volunteer day going where we're going work on the Warren Street trees or something very visible. >> Yeah. >> Um >> Yeah. Like that. >> Or if the arrest wants to come and maybe someone from DC come give a talk. >> Yeah. Do a training on Yeah. >> And his program is called the relief program. >> Relief. I'm I'll copy everybody. Yeah. >> Yeah. Like the library could sponsor it. You could have in the library or something. >> It feels like we have a little lead time because doing something like that in the spring could be a really nice time to do it. >> Yeah. Wonderful. >> More community engagement. Yeah. That'd be great. Yeah, it'll be a slow start. >> Yeah, that's very fact. >> We could also get any um if you have any funds left over too, we could get uh native wildflower seeds too and do some uh tree pit plantings in the spring. >> Talking about the budget we have now, right? >> Yeah. We wanted to do any like uh see how those do in some sunny tree pits and plant those. I used to do that when I was
37. 37:51>> Yeah. And one of the tree recipients did that this year. Just threw up some things and they came up. >> Yeah. Yeah. You know, you But then it's like talking with some folks like um to make sure they can water, maintain it, all that kind of stuff. But >> yeah, it could be another little idea. >> Treat it to >> Yeah. >> Um Okay. I'm just checking. >> Thank you. >> The person online. Is there anyone here from Earth Law Center? Earth Law Center. >> No, >> no, guess not. Okay, fine. Um, all right. So, City Sidewalks, uh, Gary Perhagen, who is in charge of the sidewalk committee, emailed me back. I think I forwarded that email to all of you, um, about their plans for the sidewalk, which is really just cement. >> Oh, sidewalks and street trees. How does That way if the sidewalks are privately what they're doing all of this
38. 38:53>> that's a really good question >> then that could maybe help inform the trees as well. >> You could do cut out maybe well that's the whole thing is that this uh sidewalk committee was established because people weren't maintaining their sidewalks right because technically you have to maintain your own sidewalks people not fine. So they put together a commission which is now going to put together a fund and a fee is going to a fund that will ultimately redo all these sidewalks. But how they redo the sidewalks, the idea is that if you redo a whole stretch, it's cheaper than doing things individually. Makes sense, >> right? Fine. But um how they redo those sidewalks or how code enforcement says they can like that's all still debatable. >> Yeah. It's certainly something we raised maybe even a year ago saying could we It seems unlikely that we're going to have a budget to do like water permeable sidewalks, but could we at least put in more tree pits or enlarge the ones that exist? >> Or what we could also do is even just change the code that would allow people
39. 39:57to put in permable sidewalks. Yeah. >> Because I mean as of right now all we do is say is tell people to put in concrete, >> right? But >> so just best practices, >> right? What are best practices? So we can even just I mean advisory council is counsel and give them some advice. Yeah. >> And say look here's some ideas for sidewalks. Now I this is totally outside my realm but anyone knows I don't know. I >> I think you heard at HBC that the primary sidewalks only last like three years and they get clogged. But right, they they they certainly require maintenance if you're going to do a a parking lot in a business. Uh the business really has to plan ahead for uh vacuuming uh every so often because, you know, just normal grit plugs up the holes that the water's supposed to go through. So, um I I've studied this issue for a while and I'm not familiar with the successful
40. 41:02uh sidewalk permeability. >> I think the architect, the landscape architect on HDC, I don't know her name is a bridge or >> bridge. >> Yeah, she she knows. >> She knows. >> And then she was like, uh not in this climate. >> Oh, >> yeah. It's always things we need to look into, you know, >> right? I mean, I don't know. Well, right. Okay. So, I'm going to leave that on the I'm going to leave it on the agenda. So, if anyone knows like >> Well, we could als I don't know if the sidewalks are wide enough, but even or three pits to expand them to be more like more take on more water. >> Depends on the space. Yeah. Yeah. >> On street. Yes. On some of the other streets, it's narrow already. >> But um but yeah, if we wanted to think about bioils or >> I think that I think It's more practical just to expand even if we can we can't make the concrete itself the pathway for the >> but just extend those tree pits and then have more >> yeah the movement they sorry
41. 42:05>> no you I was going to say that's that's been the movement down the city as well also on Union Street they put in some that were water collecting wells I seen those trees that are planted below >> right that's a whole separate funed project that we got with the DC starting five or six years. Gotcha. So that was the funding on that >> those I think wasn't very critical of that particular business. >> I don't know if they really were. >> Yeah, there were some errors in the design about of the pits themselves that led the >> the trees to not flourish. >> But we went around that again and the trees that are in there now seem to be doing better. >> They do. I've noticed that too because I heard the criticism as well. I'm like seemed like they're fine. Um, but to your point, given that we barely can even maintain our sidewalks, maybe the next step up is just getting them to enlarge the tree beds where there's >> possible. That suggest that suggests a kind of a design template.
42. 43:07>> Yeah. for implementing uh the sidewalk replacement >> that you know if possible >> we should do it kind of this way depending on the space. So >> great tool a sidewalk template like a complete sidewalk that is the sidewalk the tree uh holes >> right >> or whatever their tree put out it's and then because like what currently happens is we pour the concrete sometime later we decide which somebody decides to put trees in. We have like >> it's just like it would be >> double work >> double work if someone's like redoing a whole stretch of sidewalk. Right. It's like we put the trees in or at least make this available and >> as part of the degraded >> if it's like bare soil, we put a cover crop down like have some plants in the meantime. >> Yeah. Right. Yeah. Just leave it right until >> And certainly there's that bigger issue on Warren Street specifically where we're not allowed to put in new trees, but that would be a substitute solution. We could do a shrub. We could do small
43. 44:10plantings, you know, things like that instead of just saying, "Well, we can't have anything green on Warren Street anymore." >> Can't have anything nice. >> Yeah. >> They can both be fine. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Relatively low, >> you know, waist tie uh farm should be Yeah. >> Who you talk to on the sidewalk committee? >> It's Gary. Gary Pagen Thursday. Do they have like a >> Thursday? So, >> do they have more informal meetings that we can also join outside of the >> They have a meeting like this. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, nothing like >> outside of city hall. >> No, it's in city hall. They are city hall meeting. Yeah. >> But >> yeah, we could go like Yeah. We get to show up and say, "By the way, >> yeah, >> I'd be willing to at least just email him so it's on his radar that we're we're having this discussion." I have emails in that, so he does know. >> Okay. >> So, I think the next step is for someone to show up at one of their meetings. >> Yeah. Thursday 5:30.
44. 45:12>> Oh, look at you. There you go. >> There you go. Thursday 5:30. If anyone wants to go, >> we should probably have exams. >> Well, maybe you can bring this issue up really. >> How frequently do they meet? Because I don't think we're going to be ready by this Thursday at 5:30. >> Once a month. >> But even if we just tell them to do a placeholder for the truth in the future. >> Yeah. You I think we could even like share maybe share examples of what these things could look like um >> to maybe just inform their conversation if they have >> they talk about it on Thursday and then >> we could show up at the next one. >> Photographic. >> Yeah, it it's it's it's government. It was a glacial pieces so there's no there's no rush. They've been working on this silo for years this year. >> All right. So probably not it can totally still feed into your street program >> and we can put it on the staffing agenda. Yeah. And discussing it because it's street >> and you could engage him at the um on
45. 46:16the uh the front street the chamber of commerce. Oh he hangs out there. Oh okay good. So >> he's chamber of commerce. Yes. >> Yeah. So you can always kind of walk in the people anyway. Okay, that's all I got. Anything else about >> the the Earth law person had just reached out. I was just trying to understand I saw the email about the green. >> They wanted to like portal work for us. So I was like, okay, fine. You want and they get into a threem minute presentation. So I'm like, okay, fine. Um I don't know what so I just I followed that link. So it seems like they have a toolkit. Yes. >> For the green amendment which passed maybe in 2019 in New York state which was an amendment to the state constitution to guarantee a right to clean air, clean water and a healthful environment. New Yorkers passed back then. So now we have that right in New York state which is one of three states in the nation that have this guaranteed
46. 47:18right. Wow. >> And so it's a tool now for litigation for municipalities >> um to advocate for ourselves >> in terms of industry coming in or decision making. Um it's a tool that has not been used that much because it has it's not hasn't it was just passed a few years ago but maybe that they seems like I didn't I haven't looked at the toolkit and I don't know the law center but um it seems like there's a toolkit for maybe us just to be aware of the waterfront people might want to Yeah. They might be they might be better off doing a presentation for the work. Yeah, >> that's something for us to be aware of. But yes, >> thanks. >> All right. Um, that's all I got folks. >> All right. Good meeting. Thank you, Sher. All right. Motion to adjourn. Yay. Thank you. Thank you.

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