Conservation Advisory Council, Regular Meeting

1. 1:17Hey, can you hear us? >> Hi. Yes, I can hear. Hi, everyone. >> Hello. Happy New Year. >> Happy New Year. How's everyone doing? Yay. Is everyone here? >> Sam's not here yet. >> We're waiting on Sam >> and and maybe Nathan. >> All right, let's go. We have people in the audience today. >> Yeah, >> I didn't hear anything from Sam that she wasn't. But >> yeah, well, we give it we'll give it a minute. All right.
2. 2:53>> Thank you so much. See equally easy temperature [clears throat] what you wear go out the door supposed to be like frozen I know. I'm sorry. York. So you know
3. 3:56that >> is Sam in yet or no? >> There she comes out. >> Trying to sneak in. She long should [laughter] >> I know >> a big crowd today. >> Maybe we could start now. >> Well, we are beginning. Can we start now, folks? >> Yes. >> All right. Here we go. All right. Um,
4. 4:58first of all, a call to order. Yay. Thank you everyone. Thank you everyone for coming. Um, just one quick thing. Accepting the minutes from last month. Anyone have questions, comments? >> None. >> No. Everything's good. >> No. >> Yes. >> Right. All in favor? >> All right. We have a there is one open spot. I think we have some uh people who want to be part of the CAC. We'll talk about that later. First of all, let's go to the Earth Law Center who's here to give us a little presentation about their legal toolkit. So, who would like to start that? Are you ready? >> Um I have a full presentation there. Um so I'm going again um so and my name is I work from law center uh law center is first I'm going to go with the agenda I'm going to explain what our law center
5. 6:00is our work that is the new york green amendment program um what is our work what do we do and uh I'm going to present the toolkit that the machine because I don't know who's there just mention um and the goals of this presentation. So, Earth Go Center is a nonprofit that has been working for the last 17 years advocating and advancing um environmental law. Uh we've done this through different programs. We have um different offices in London, New York and Colorado and other places like for example in Africa, Latin America. But we have those three main offices and we've done our work through different seven different programs. One of the programs is the New York green amendment program. In 2021, 70% of New Yorkers supported the incorporation of three rights in the constitution in the New York constitution. Um so what we do is thanks to a grant
6. 7:03that was awarded to us the thanks to the New York Community Trust we can give proono support to municipalities organizations NOS's universities uh to help them implement these rights and make them real. So we have this green amendment. So it's the the thing that I just explained. is the constitutional amendment that basically incorporated these three fundamental rights in the constitution and in the article first of the constitution section 19 you can say you get it states that each person each person shall have the right to cleaner clean water and healthy environment. So we have the green amendment. We have the fundamental rights that are to clean air, clean water and healthy environment. And the main question is who implements these right or who has to implement these rights when and how. So for us who is everyone. We think that global governments are the ones that will be
7. 8:05more effective in implementing these rights. But when we talk about these rights is also private sector, universities, NOS's, everyone. Then when we we consider it now these rights have been in the constitution since 2022 when it was approved January 2022 we still work with with municipalities and they don't know what the green amendment is. So we think it's very important not only the piece of helping them implement this right but also education and how and that is what we do thanks to this grant and this proono work we help municipalities make this right real. we avoid or escape from abstract environmentalism and try to make this tangible. So we have three pillars to do this. We have education, we have policies and regulations and we have our network. So through education is what I just mentioned. Sometimes they actually don't know and they want to know or maybe they want to just spread the word and say okay like let's educate the globality.
8. 9:08So we do public awareness campaigns, letters to decision makers for especially for community groups. We do workshops, we do events also for policies and regulations. We do t or we create templates with ordinances, declarations. We do policies and open reports. To do this, what we do is we collaborate with the municipality. We try to understand what their issues are. And now I'm going to give concrete examples about this. And then we do the research on the area and we compare them with other municipalities. So we offer different solutions and then we have the network. Thanks to this work we've have communicated with different universities, NOS's, governments, some companies. So what we do is sometimes they say okay I have this problem and we already work on this. So we connect them and they can work together or maybe just leverage their work. So this is the path that okay it's too small. Have you seen anything over there too? So uh this is the path that we follow um with the organizations. So the
9. 10:13organization shares perfect ideas or challenges they have related to cleaner water and health environment. It could be anything. Sometimes they tell us okay I want to implement a law related to energy. It's okay like we can take a look and see and and see what we can do. So we analyze the problem, we do an initial research and we send a proposal with a scope and some solutions. So we say okay like we think you can implement this. Sometimes they share the budget they have. Sometimes they don't they don't have to pay us but they have to implement the policy. Then the organization reviews and maybe accepts or suggest some changes and then we deliver these tailored tools or resources for them so they can implement these rights. A few examples of our work. So we created a scoping reports that these are basically reports that target a couple of problems or issues. It could be for example we have one municipality that wanted uh the implementation of an energy benchmarking and building
10. 11:15performance standard. So we did the research we compared with there is Seattle for example is a leader on that New York also. So we contacted leaders there and we put them in contact with this municipal in so they can work on that also for example enforcement of a gas powder leaf blower ban. So they had the regulation but they didn't have enforcement. So what we did is okay like you have this budget you have this small population because it was small municipality. What can you do to make it real? Because if not you have a a regulation there and no one is following. Why why do you have it? Um then we have reciprocal. So I mean this is then we can talk about this. Um but it's like how can you actually plan or do urban planning respecting or including nature in your regulations. Um then we have for example we provide legal language to equip nonprofits and community groups that is part of the education. We provided drafts for example a resolution for the support of for the declaration of rights of nature of for a region specific region for
11. 12:18finger lakes in specific. Um so what we try to do there is a nonprofit is trying to get 13 counties interested in in promoting rights of nature for our region. Um so we work there. Uh we also are having a a series of workshop today. We had one in the atm harmonic. um uh to generate how we open. So that is part of what we do in Meteor. Also uh we created a toolkit that is a free access. There is a link and I can share with you the presentation and toolkit. Um what we have there is the history of the green amendment, the current court cases that have been uh around uh related to the green amendment, but also policies and regulations from all around the world that can make these rights real. So there are tons of examples of how can you make these rights tangible? How can you make a policy that addresses clean water that it's not maybe related
12. 13:20to the clean water art directly? Um and we're going to publish a second edition in February 2026 with some of the experience that we already have with municipalities. But this is a free access document we share in everywhere that we go and it's a way of also educating people. So the goals for this presentation is first share our work and thank you so much for having us here and then offer our proono support and I highlight proono to develop any of the tools I just shared or any that if maybe you're thinking and you don't know how to apply it and we have the time or resources to think about that send more information if needed. Maybe you say okay like I'm interested in this particular project. Can you send me more and see if maybe it's helpful for us? Maybe it's not and answer any questions. So that's it. Thank you so much for your time. >> Okay, great. Thank you so much. Um questions folks? I had a question just on like the time
13. 14:25frame for the probono work like what how much time do you typically provide municipalities and local governments? >> It depends on the project. Um for example for some of the reports we we consider like a month doing the deliverable. Um so I would say it depends on the work. uh we have our grants is for this year for 2020 it it started last year but it's also for 2026 so I would say that's the only deadline that we have but when we propose a solution we can also um set a timeline for that uh because sometimes it's not convenient for the municipality or they need from one to the other and maybe we say okay we cannot commit to that So that tend to be I would say the two things that considering the timeline. So it depends on the project. It has to be this year and we can we can um if you have a project in in mind we can think about a timeline that works for both.
14. 15:30>> Thanks. >> Is is the link on your um URL there for your >> Yes. Um it's uh here uh the link to toolkit is there where it says free access document but I can share with you on an email all the links so you >> I believe you sent us the powerpoint. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And um you there's seminars that are starting you said in the spring of this year. Is that true? Is that what I read? >> Seminars. Yes. Workshops. Yeah. Yeah. To help basically uh municipalities or universities or any organ on organization to introduce these concepts um in the in the group organization team or uh because sometimes it's like okay like we can do it we just need the information about the green the agreement amendment
15. 16:31rights. always a different approach. But yeah, >> I'm really excited to dig into this toolkit and I was uh coordinating the coalition that helped pass the green amendment and so I'm really excited to see it uh really sort of implemented across the state. I was curious how it was going to play out after it passed and it's exciting to see the New York Community Trust supporting you to do this work. Um, I'm curious if you how if you work with Maya Van Rossom from Green Amendments for the the generations for examples from other states, how it's sort of played out there and if you've been applying that to the work you're doing here. Yeah, we we analyze first when we started this work, we reach out to Maya uh well, she's the reason why we have three million movement, right? Um and we in the toolkit, we analyze the different core cases uh that happened in Montana and Pennsylvania. We focus more in New York state. So we have fewer resolutions
16. 17:34compared to those states because they have been there for more years basically. Um and we use also examples for do from those states in toolkit. Um but for example you have Seattle doesn't have the green amendment right but they they are leader in for example energy benchmarking so we use them uh to help this particular white planes uh in the the report that they wanted. So it's like sometimes it's not um even though they have the green amendment, sometimes they don't have the policies that we need. Uh so yes, I will say partially yes to your question. >> Okay. >> And did you just say White Plains? Are you working with other Hudson Valley municipalities at the moment? >> Uh we are working with one NGO. Well, actually they're a collaborator. I don't know if I can mention that. We are working with News. Yes. Uh so sometimes what happens is that we reach out to municipalities and
17. 18:37we have meetings and sometimes they are more open to work with us um because they have other priorities and it's okay. Sometimes you face an office that has one person literally and they are like the sustainability sustainability team and you like and you understand that they can. So uh yes we're trying to reach out to more people but those are the to me. One thing I'm Gary and I work with the the Earth Center. >> Is that council? >> I'm council and I've been working on the green amendment project. Um, one thing that's happened is some of these municipalities have come with specific issues. They want to have us help them. And we see it as implementing the green amendment. They see it as, well, we have this issue and we want to advance it. and we've been able to put together really detailed um other municipalities and other jurisdictions have worked on it. Some of it's you'll find similar things in the toolkit, but we've been focusing it for that specific community.
18. 19:41So, Hudson have let's say some kind of project that they're really trying to push. New Post is looking at at battery storage. and they have they're pretty far along, but they reached out to us and we we gave them some assistance. So, I don't know what you guys have in Hudson, but if you have projects like that or something that people are really interested in and we can give you this kind of support and background and Florida puts together these amazing memos and you know, and we'll it it'll really help you out. So, we need you to think of what you want and then we can help you. >> [clears throat] >> Okay. >> Interesting. >> Yeah. Thank you very much. Thank you very much for coming. >> May you recognize >> that Lloyd Olden getting rich. Uh it's just a very unique interesting approach and normally when I think about human about right usually you know it's a
19. 20:44court case and you're defending abuses of rights and you're looking for some being made whole again but what I'm gathering from what I'm hearing here is you're actually seeking to influence social public policy in order to bring about your objective which is cleaner a cleaner environment, clean air and and water, which you know, I'm I grew up with this with my mother, you know, in the 70s. So, I'm so totally, you know, on board with this, but uh [clears throat] it's an interesting approach cuz you're taking rights and usually it's it's you're defending abuses against your rights, but this I think what you're trying to do is inculcate a whole way of thinking or going about or or or implementing social policy as a municipality. That's I'm curious to see how this all plays out. [clears throat]
20. 21:46>> In the rights of nature movement is is an international community. We we often say well you know corporations have rights and they can be represented in court. They can be sued. They can sue people. Right. >> So his idea and it's partly to the green amendment but in a broader sense the idea is uh we're going to Ecuador in their constitution they designated a certain environmental area river I think or >> a forest or whatever said this is going to have their own rights. They have rights of nature. This river has its own rights and then you have representatives on behalf of the river that can sue. They can you know push other things. So it's it's sort of a different way of looking. It's an echoscentric way of looking. I've been an environmental lawyer for 40 years and this is not >> let's enforce regulation or whatever. Um and is a broader way to look at it and I think the green amendment provides an opportunity to say oh look we have this
21. 22:49complete amendment. We know that we want to sort of advance rights of nature. How do we do that together? those two things together and two is a good way to sort of get an image. >> I'm just curious, can you municipality such as Hudson assert itself as an entity such as you just described that as itself as the municipality? It has rights other people natural source. >> Yeah. >> So a river or or a watershed or something. It's not really a city. >> Interesting. the cities were pushing. You know, a city or a town or or a county might say, "We want to declare this res this resource that is a major we're working with people in Finger Lakes. We want to do that for the for some resource." >> Well, for instance, we're trying to put together a tree ordinance to help protect certain trees. like would that be in part of your wheelhouse is helping put those type of laws?
22. 23:53>> Yes, it's it's an end to to what we do. So what we we usually say to municipalities that is that there are like different levels on how to engage with these rights. We are not saying go running off from the first but it's like okay what projects do you have or have you thought about and you you for example this is perfect like yeah or is something that we can draft and and like maybe we can collaborate on that if you have a draft um so yes we we one of the examples that Gary mentioned is rights of nature uh we are doing that uh for for example one organization uh but also we do the energy part so it's like rights of nature here is part of the things that we we we think as a solution for or a way to implement these rights. Um so for the answer yes we can collaborate on that. >> Yeah sure you can yeah I would like a like a site that's been a brown field
23. 24:56that's been um um polluted. You know, I guess you could declare to that, >> right? Okay. Anyone else have any other comments or questions? >> Should we just email you for next steps? Should we just like email you a list of ideas to get started? >> That would be the tool kit. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. We we are going to send it's in the PBT, but we can share the link uh with the toolkit and the the website also, so you can have all the resources. and we we thought when you're prepared and you're ready, please send us an email and we can we can start uh organizing and doing the time in front of work. >> Right. As Gary pointed out, this is quite a different way of thinking about it. >> Exactly. >> I mean, I've been involved in environmental work for a very long time and uh I I actually missed the establishment of uh of this and in my work which was climate related and uh be interesting to to just incorporate this
24. 26:00as part of our thinking about how we approach our work here in Hudson. >> That's the idea. >> Great. Okay, great. >> Thank you so much. Thank you >> very much. Thanks for coming. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So, what I'll do is I'll just leave this on the agenda, folks, and we'll talk about it some more next month. Well, maybe we'll have some ideas or ways on how to move forward with it. Uh, okay. So, let's move on. The next is um the light bulb exchange. Andrew, are we uh done with this one? >> Well, all the light bulbs have been purchased, so we have them all. We have our distributors at Spark here in City Hall, the library, and I've been trying to get the rolling ger going on. I think that'd be great. But they've just been really busy with holiday things, I think. So, they haven't actually had a chance to do it. Um, but for everyone to think about, we could we have I probably have 400 light bulbs in my worksh. So, um, we could use more distribution or
25. 27:03more ideas around how these might be, um, uh, how these might be distributed in different ways. Um, you know, I've put posters up. It's posted on Instagram every once in a while. They're out there in the world. It's not the biggest ticket item. So, we should have other ideas if we don't want to hang on to light bulbs for the next 10 years. Um, >> did we How many did we farmers market? Was that successful? >> When we did it at the farmers market when we were tableabling, I feel like they gave away maybe 30. So, it's not bad. These things do eventually get interested. >> Should I sign up with the farmers market again for April for >> Sure. I mean, it would be general. It would be good for us to to table there. >> Okay, great. Um, I'll I'll sign up for April and we'll think about other table. Are the Earth law people still there? If they are, say thank you very much. >> Sorry if I thank them or not. But anyway, sorry. I'll thank them. All
26. 28:05right. So, well, let's think about places where we can maybe table or just have a presence. Um, I don't know. Any other ideas? Pick me first. Anybody out and about in town? [laughter] >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Okay. So, we have about 400 light bulbs left total. Is that it? >> I believe so. Maybe some of the shop owners who sell lighting fixtures maybe seek the bad idea. >> For hiding. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> [laughter] >> May maybe a simplicity maybe like a post on gossips. Um >> yeah. Oh, thank you. Uhhuh. >> Get them. >> Trixie. >> Yeah. Right. Someone had a blog. That would be a good idea. [laughter] If
27. 29:05>> only I'll follow up with you, [laughter] >> That's a good idea. Thank you. All right, let's move on. All right, here we go. Where are we now? Oh, the EV car grants. Okay, so here's the status of that. We had uh I we sent out the RFP. We got four proposals. Haley and I reviewed those proposals. We went I went I've gone back out to all of them and um we had questions. Um the federal funding, the federal credits have expired this year because they didn't renew by the federal government. Surprise, surprise. So, we probably will not be able to do the uh high-speed charger and the um level two charges, but maybe just one or the other. It depends. Um we'll have to see how much money there is and what we can actually do. So, I don't know if we could do the two sets of charging stations, but we can do one if not the other. And it depends on where the grant
28. 30:08money still is. So, that's where it's at with that. Um, and as long as we make a decision before this springtime, we're good. Um, okay. So, that's that Arbor Day. I guess we have a contract signed for what whatever was left over, Andrew. And that >> Yes, we do. We have the a contract for the remaining 1,600 for a couple of trees. We did that in order to lock those funds in place. I've sent out uh emails to the 11 people who are currently asking for trees uh just letting them know we will be following up with them and looking at the location and assessing it in like the next six to eight weeks for a planting again in the spring. Um >> what's our final budget on this year? Do you remember? >> We It's the same as last year. >> Okay. Gotcha. whenever we got I want to say around I want to say 13ish grants 15 >> and that's the total CAC budget though right
29. 31:14>> that's materials and uh services >> okay materials and services only got it all right I'll ask >> okay thank you >> um oh and the tree ordinance I guess um you know as I as mentioned maybe I don't know if we could bounce this tree ordinance off of this earth institute I don't know >> what do you think >> yeah why not >> sure why >> department but maybe they could give us some advice >> yes but to ask >> is it worth >> do you will be the chair committee and the new council >> good question you know what that will all be decided Thursday at the organizational meeting I think. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Who will chair the legal new legal department? It might be bartered again. Who knows? I don't know. Um speaking of which community uh solar I think yeah that was I guess poo pooed by the last
30. 32:20administration but we can resubmit that under this administration. No. >> Yeah that's right. >> Yes. >> Right. Josh, any >> questions? Yeah. >> Um, any submitted? Yeah. >> Yeah, we should just send it over to >> the mayor's office again, >> right? And see if they can Yeah, I mean, let's wait until the dust settles a little bit so they get Yeah. But yeah, and then um because that's who you sent it to to last time was the mayor's office or to the common council president. >> Um, sent it to both. Um, >> okay. It's it needs to ultimately come from the mayor's office to the residents of Hudson and it doesn't have any impact on the city other in terms of uh on the council in terms of legislation or or resolutions or anything. So, it seems like it should just come to the mayor's office, but because we are body advising the council, it seems like we should give Margaret a heads up.
31. 33:24>> Yes. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's it's an opt-in program, correct? Right. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. Exactly. >> What's the big deal? >> All right. There's that. Oh, tree grants. Okay. So, I know we our December meeting was cancelled, but we did have big news uh with the Harry Howard trees, but the contractor in uh Long Island came up over Thanksgiving weekend and replaced the 10 dead cracked service berry trees. >> So, that happened. Yay. Um after after >> wave [laughter] >> wave um after threats not threats but let's say let's say pushing after after pushing and um and Sam diligently given a stab at the DEEC documentation uh that we needed to complete to I guess close out this grant officially. Um although we have already been paid for the trees. Uh but we do
32. 34:28want to, you know, have our everything that eyes dotted and tees crossed with the with the DEC. So I sent that out and Sam sent that out. But any questions, comments on Sam's report. Thank you very much, Sam, for doing it. Thank you. >> Oh, you're welcome. Um Rich, it's just there's there are some steps before the whole thing is finished. So I finished I completed up until where we are now but there's still you know >> it's it's a 5year program so the five years are not no longer over so I think this document won't be complete until 5 years you know so I I completed up until you know the reporting about the replacement of the trees and where we are and all that but um the the last part of that document if you look like if you look at it closely will have to be completed those little boxes will have to be checked, but I think we're good to go as far as we have gone so far. >> Sam, are there other actions that we have to do still? >> Well, yeah. Yes. You know, like because we, as I said, we have we're going to be
33. 35:31meeting with um Josha Del Rio to put new labels on the trees at, you know, on Earth Day and probably do and continue to report on the health and well-being of the trees, continue to maintain them. But um I don't think it's closed out till after 5 years. >> You know, I have to just show you that uh they're still alive. >> I actually have the labels that we took off. So >> Oh, okay. But we have to add to them, too. Just saying that uh the um the Latin names have to be out of >> Okay. So, yeah, got it. >> Yeah, >> we were just saying we should have stoplings meetings. >> Yeah, we should discuss. >> Yeah. Um Okay. Do you want to take that offline? Maybe we could even just ask them the DEC say, "How does this look?" Bounce it off them first. >> Yeah, I think that. Yeah. >> And see what they say. I mean, they could always come back and say they need more information or it's not done until it's done. Done.
34. 36:34>> Yeah. It's It's a crazy thing for them to do really to one form that you have to keep >> updating for five years. >> It's I'm sorry. It's a government makes no sense to me. You know, we were just giving them before some letter reports. I think we did two of them. You know, here's where we are. This is what's been accomplished. This is Lisa with stats. And >> is it electronically submitted or is it >> it's a PDF, you know, f they love those things. And so you you fill it out, but it's like I said, it's not complete till the complete really. So it it >> kind of doesn't >> it could be worth just sending it as like a as point you know an explanatory letter which again you can take offline rich and just >> explain what we're submitting to them and >> here we are and I think that was probably suffice >> yeah I that's what I'll do I'll send it to them I'll CC the saplings and I'll say look you know this is where we're at um let us know what else we need to do and we'll we'll do it. Um, but yeah,
35. 37:37this is our first go around. So, all right, cool. Thank you very much, Sam, for doing that. I had no clue. >> Um, all right. So, I'm gonna skip over climate smart just for a second and we'll go back to that. So, the uh fountain by the park. So, ankle break. This is also something uh we had [laughter] updated. >> Oh god. So once again, thank you very much Sam for uh getting the ground. That was amazing. Um we should probably do an official uh CAC thank you letter to >> Yes. >> donating. >> Yes. >> All right. I'll put that on the agenda. Put that out there as a to-do. Um so great. So, and then every and then thank you Nora and Danielle and everyone who came and um I forget the other guy's name who was there too for for sweeping the gravel in the in the in the hole. >> Um although some of it has been up now
36. 38:42because [laughter] of >> Yeah, >> all right. So, what do we do? I I emailed uh Rob and it looks like the next time it snowed they did shovel over it as opposed to snow blowing. So I think they are aware going forward >> and and a good 80% is still intact. So it's still much better than what it was before. We might need to go over a little bit more and I don't know get some >> I don't know. I'll see what Rob says. Any any [snorts] other suggestions? >> I think in the spring we should supplement it. It won't cost that much to buy this stuff truly and uh just do another [laughter] for another sweep because I really think it's because of the cold, you know, because we were at above 30 when the trees planted. It was just a few days and once it's once it goes below freezing, then it doesn't um solidify properly and the cement mix
37. 39:46will not >> do its thing. And I think that's what happened. It just got too cold too fast and it never quite gelled. I think and you can see the patterns which I think where the sun is and it was warmer. It did solidify and places where it was colder it did not. >> And then then when they brushed it off it's the [laughter] good rock. >> The only thing too about the spring it might be too wet. Like I would get worried that it might run off if we get too much rain. >> True. So maybe we could check that with Colorado and see what they recommend. >> We can Yeah, it just >> they might know better. >> A lot of water isn't usually bad for cement unless it's way too much water, but um but these days you never know. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. So, but I think >> they don't push to the bottom and then you have like this weird mound. [laughter] >> We can work on trying to >> Yeah. >> tweak it. I guess >> the spaces where they didn't snowb blow over look great actually are are fine.
38. 40:48>> Oh, right. Right. Yeah, this would just be a small section. So, I'm thinking of the whole thing. >> Well, I think >> we can we can we can get a little fix it, I think. >> Yeah. Is there any Rich is there any or if anybody's seen the site is there any problems with like how it's like are there piles of it like from the snowblower or is it just >> There were the ice on the side. >> It will all be melted. >> It will all be melted I think by the end of this week. >> Yeah. We'll get a better view of >> it. I'm sure we'll I'm sure it'll all become clear by the end of the year. >> Yeah, the wild the pollinator um plants that were planted to get buried by it if we don't sweep it out. >> No, I I don't think from what I remember, a lot of it was to the right. As you approach State Street, there were big piles of not big, but there was enough
39. 41:50to the right um by the Hold up. >> Okay. Okay. >> Yeah. All right. Well, let's let's we'll leave that until maybe the spring. We'll just I think only needs like a few bags really. Yeah. To >> throw in there. It's really, like I said, the vast majority is fine. >> Um, okay. So, climate action plan for Hudson, which I think is good. I think we're done with that. Um do you want to talk about um Josh about the county climate smart? >> Yeah, the Columbia County Climate Smart Community Task Force uh meets monthly on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. Um the first Thursday at 10:00 a.m. It's a I'm I Michael was on it and then I took over when Michael stepped off. Um, I was just on it for a one-year term, uh, which just ended in December,
40. 42:53and there's a meeting this week. Um, I have found that I don't have a lot of time on Thursday mornings to attend. So, I would like to invite someone else from the CAC, if they're interested, to consider um, sort of representing Hudson um, on the county smart community task force. Um, so it's it's again it's a it's a 1 to two hour commitment each month. Um, usually goes from 10 to 11, sometimes 10 to 12 on that Thursday morning. Um, it's a it's a great way to sort of hear what other municipalities are doing around climate smart organizing in the county. Um, there's some Arbor Day plantings that are coming up. Um, so it's a good place to go for information and to share what we're doing in Hudson with the rest of the county as well. If no one else is able, I'll I'll try only because it will interface well with the Sunni thing. >> Oh yeah, for sure. >> You know, because there are people on both
41. 43:55committees or whatever. >> Yeah. >> So, um that's all I was going to say. But >> that might be a worse thing because >> we're meeting um actually at the end of this week. >> Okay. >> Um with Ryan Beck and um the uh our community partner at the time. So, we're going to be discussing a lot of initiatives and whatever and also try to come up with a a consistent messaging [laughter] working on their stuff, you know. So, anyway, so that might work. So, if you want to let me know specifics later, >> yeah, that might be fine. >> That'd be great. I think the the process is actually to be nominated um by the council, the common council um to represent Hudson. And so they they'd have a easy template that um we can just sort of send a note to Margaret I assume as >> Yeah. >> But I'm happy to to be part of that correspondence. Let me
42. 44:57know. >> Yeah. So that should be done >> gets in. When when is the next? >> It's this Thursday. Um >> so there is a way to listen in um from the public sides um and not join the actual uh video link um to participate. So if if you are available on Thursday that might be a way and I could give them a heads up as well. >> I am not at between 11 and 12 but otherwise >> okay? Yeah the 10 to 11 probably maybe I can list it in. >> Okay. Okay. Let me I'll I'll reach out to [laughter] Don who's the coordinator. >> Yeah. Rich, >> did you say something? Rich, [clears throat] >> we can see the top of your head. Rich, can you hear us? where it's dram.
43. 46:06>> Thank you. Yeah. And if you want to CC me on the uh resolution, Margaret, we get it. >> Great. >> And Josh, did you also want to talk plastic packaging uh resolution that we passed? There was a Yeah, the common council passed a resolution in support of a state bill on uh reducing plastic waste. Um which as far as I know has not gone anywhere at the state level. Um it was they're trying to push it through. >> I think it didn't go through this past year. Yeah, I think yeah. >> Well, it's been like a multi-year. Is it Beyond Plastic that was sending out? Yeah. >> Beyond Plastic's doing that. >> Yeah. Okay. >> So, what what we're asking the council to do is just to >> a letter of support, >> which they >> Yeah, they already passed the
44. 47:08resolution. >> Okay. They already did. >> Yeah. Either in December or Yeah, I think it was early December. Okay. >> So, there's nothing else that we have to do then. >> I don't think so. And we we can I have conveyed to DD Barrett that the common council in Hudson supports this and that she should do some more advocacy around it. >> She was one of the co-sponsors on the bill. So she's generally supportive. >> Yeah. Okay. Cool. >> Thank you. Thank you, Josh. >> Yeah. >> Um Hudson Greenkeepers, did you want to talk about that, Andrew? I can speak to it briefly. Um I spoke to Joshua I emailed Joshua with Joshua Del Rio who's the urban forester um that Sam has been touch in touch with as well and he shared some program examples of stewardship programs around the state um and strongly suggested which is my next step that I reach out to the Colombia Colombia Cooperative Extension for um input and resources as
45. 48:13they are a good organization to help us structure or something like that. Um the one thing he emphasized was that we should have we should set very small goals to begin with. A lot of these programs have been around for 20 years and building. So just starting out we want to look at what the scope is that we should try to do and what kind of piloting we should try to do. Um but he also said that there were many other communities that have been reaching out and are interested in starting programs like this. So there might be some kind of synergy that comes out of it >> together. >> Okay, great. >> Yeah. >> Cool. Thank you. >> Uh the the Candid uh the Candid Foundation grants. Is there any grants that we should be applying for? >> Um honest to God that's been off my radar. I know they started up in January again. So, I was just because I've been immersed in some familial stuff, but I was going to begin this coming week to revisit all that stuff. Um, because
46. 49:15yeah, things will be hopping in January that we could may may or may not want to apply for. We should again have a offline meeting as to which ones we might want to >> reach out and >> Right. Yeah. Just keep it I'll just keep it as an open item just so we, you know, don't lose sight of it. Uh then I I had city sidewalks which uh city sidewalks which I haven't I guess I heard back from Gary. We'd have to I don't know when the next uh if the sidewalk committee meeting I don't think they're going to meet anymore. Um >> Thursday >> Thursday we'll find out if they still if they still exist but I think the sidewalk subcommittee on the council is is over. Um, I mean the the issue, the question is, do we have any input as to how the city will design the sidewalks that they're going to implement? [clears throat] >> That could also be something we ask um, Earth Law about too, if there are any policies, helpful policies with
47. 50:19integrating um, nature into sidewalk planning from a spec standpoint. >> Great idea. That's a good idea. Okay. So, I'll send an email back out to First Law regarding as a followup for the city sidewalks and as well as like tree ordinances. Let's see what they if they have maybe they have some template information or something that could send us along. >> Did Rich, did you say you would send that to Ursla? >> Yeah. And I'll I'll CC everyone. >> I have some other ideas, too. I'm happy to send you them over email first if we want to talk about them or in a document or something. >> Everyone put together ideas and we'll go over it next next month and then we'll do like one email. >> So send me [clears throat] any law ideas anyone has and we'll just go over it and then next month we'll do one email to them. >> Okay. [clears throat] >> Uh Rich, yeah, I just checked the calendar. the public works is Thursday and uh I know Joe was spoke something at
48. 51:23his inauguration on Saturday about wanting to come up with some prioritization of what to uh you know attack first. So I think coordinating with with Joe the new mayor you know is advisable certainly. >> Okay. Thank you very much Floyd. Yes. Yes. Uh oh, Margaret will be announcing the new committees I think on the organizational meeting on Thursday. So we'll know that what's what we're doing. Uh and then last last but not least is our own climate smart comm uh group. Um so should we I think we had tenatively set a date for this Thursday. Um but I can't do it this Thursday now which is in two days. Um do we want to set another date maybe for climate smart? Where are we going? >> Yeah, I think the plan was to What are the submission dates? Submission times again. It was um
49. 52:26January or I thought there was one between January and May, but >> I I don't think so. I think it's January or May. [clears throat] >> The next one we missed January and the next one will be May. >> Okay. >> That's that's what we work. >> Yeah. have our ducks in a row for Hay's review by no later than April. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And she's great. I mean, I went over a few things with her and already. So, um Okay. So, when do we want to have another subcommittee meeting? >> You want to do next Thursday? >> That can work. the 15th. >> That works for me. >> How does everyone feel about that? >> No, you're going to get your message. >> Just another give us a second. >> Thursday.
50. 53:32How about next Wednesday? Wednesday or something? Does Wednesday work for you? >> Wednesday is a better something. Yeah. But yeah, next Wednesday would work, >> Rich. Does Wednesday the 14th work for you? >> Yes, Wednesday the 14th is good. So, we do >> Wednesday the 14th. What time? >> I could do anything after five. >> All right. So, how about six o'clock? Yeah. Does that work? And what do we want to do? Do we want to do remote? Do we want to do in person? What do we want to do? >> I think in person would be easier. >> Okay, fine. >> In person's okay with me. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> All right. So 6 o'clock Wednesday the 14th in person. Do you want to do we like return brewery? Works
51. 54:34>> for me. Yeah. Yeah. That work. Okay, great. There you go. Right. I'll put this into minutes. I'll send >> I'll send out calendar invite to everyone. >> Finish all five. >> That already finished his to-dos >> or the [laughter] the submissions. >> Yeah. >> Are you kidding? Great. >> No, I've just been sitting here in the back doing them. >> [laughter] >> As long as it's done. Yeah. All right. So, I think >> I think that I'm at the end here, folks. Anything else? >> I have one one question around the antiene. I don't remember where we Where are we? >> Yeah, I thought it just said now. >> Yeah, which is another thing we could put on the list. for both.
52. 55:36>> Absolutely. We talk about in the beginning of San Francisco. >> Okay, I'll add that to >> it. It did go in front of the council at one point. >> It was approved. >> It was approved. >> Yeah, >> maybe. December. >> I did a I did a search to see if it came up and the the resolution came up, the draft resolution came up and I didn't see it in the city code yet or any anywhere. >> I didn't I messed this up. I was almost certain it >> I mean I like I hope so. >> Yeah, >> it's been a long time. The draft was from July that popped up when I searched on >> Oh, well >> Josh I I just noticed that the act the uh organizational meeting will be on Monday the 12th >> according to what's posted. Um, >> it's posted on the >> right according to this from the the city clerk. That's that's when all the committees will be established and the
53. 56:37first time that we would be able to get a a memo appointing or a resolution appointing somebody to county CSC. >> Okay. Thank you for that. >> Thank you. >> Oh, you're right. You're right. I'm sorry, I'm wrong. It is the 12th. The J was changed. Yes, thank you. Organizational meeting is on the 12th, >> but even the organizational meeting, we wouldn't be able to vote on anything or pass a resolution. So, >> no, I thought I remembered that that they would get the organizational meetings over with and then go on to some actual business, but perhaps I'm a misremember. Yeah. I do not know it. Sorry. I think the organ you might be right. The organization you might be right. >> Yeah, you're right. Okay. Um, anything
54. 57:49else? New business? Anything? No. >> Nope. All right, folks. Thank you very much. >> Do you want to talk about new members? >> Oh my gosh. Yes. Thank you very much. Yes. [laughter] >> Trying to leave you with a goal at the end. >> Oh yes. Yes. Yes. We have a few new people. Okay. So, new members, please um talk to us. Uh would you like to introduce yourself to the group? >> Potential new people. >> New members. >> Who do we have? [clears throat] interested in joining the council. >> Yeah. >> Um, is this Can you hear me? Okay. Or should I come closer? >> It's up to you. >> Can you hear Rich? >> However you're comfort come. [laughter] >> Um, hello everyone. My name is Emily Dowski. I am a new resident of Hudson as of Saturday. >> Excited to be here.
55. 58:53Um, I've, uh, been working in environmental policy and management for about nine years now. Uh, primarily in California where I recently moved from. Um, but very excited to be here and to um, engage in the community. And, um, yeah, I can give some background on kind of my work experience. So, I currently am working with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection um also with the New York City Mayor's Office on policy design and development for what's called the New York City warehouse indirect source rule, which essentially is regulating warehouse large warehouse operators in the city to reduce air pollution associated with uh mobile sources that are often attracted to warehouses. So essentially large trucks um coming to and from these warehouses. So where I do a lot of the policy design research looking into things like EVU chargers and the EV you
56. 59:57know adopting EVs also you guys mentioned community solar that's one of the other things anti- idling technology um so lots of things to as uh we're doing this policy design research um and previously I worked uh in California state government for over five years I was at the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery, which is one of the departments under our California EPA. And there um I focus on policy development and analysis. uh spent a lot of time on our new or now it's a few years old but uh our newish state law that's an extended producer responsibility law probably similar to the one you mentioned um to reduce plastic packaging and food service wear. So did a ton of implementation there. Um and then prior to that worked at the California Department of Food and Agriculture where I worked on uh pest
57. 1:01:01management policy and you know sustainable pest management practices and also have some experience working in uh with a nonprofit on pollinator conservation and working on uh specifically that was focused on agricultural lands and monarch butterfly conservation. Um, and on the side I also uh taught environmental law. [laughter] >> I'm not a lawyer, but [laughter] >> that's kind of my my situation. Um, but yeah, I'm not sure the process to get involved here, but definitely really excited to be in the community and we'll have the opportunity to to give back and to work with all of you. So, >> wonderful. Welcome. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah.
58. 1:02:02>> So, let me know if you have any questions. >> Thank you. >> As you can see, these are we have one hour meeting. on the first Tuesday of the month. And we have someone else as well. >> But Rich, what's the process for her to to officially uh submit her interest? >> Uh just a like a cover letter, like a brief paragraphish about, you know, who you are and you with your email. You could submit it to myself. Um and it'll go to myself and and Margaret. Um but I can forward it to Margaret. Um, so I think you have my email. So I'll take the submit your letter um to to the common council and then what happens is that you know it's approved and I think it's like a one or two year term. Um, and it's a good question. I have to look and see if any of our terms are also up as well at the end of last year. I don't know. >> But anyways, separate topic. So, so that's the process and then you're
59. 1:03:05approved and you get a city email and um yeah, fun. Here you go. And then we meet >> Yeah. And we, like I said, we we meet once a month, the first Tuesday of the month at six o'clock. Uh every now and then we have a couple of subcommittees. We have a climate smart subcommittee. We have the sapling subcommittee uh that help plant trees and the climate smarter helps get us climate smart points. Um so you're welcome to also bring new topics to the the floor. Um, and then this is our process. Uh, and then once a month we just go through a list of open items. >> Awesome. I'll definitely send you an email. >> All right. Great. Were >> there other people? >> Danielle question. [laughter] >> Oh, we have a volunteer. of >> Yes, my name is Ivy Mackey. Um, I don't have any professional backward
60. 1:04:08background in this, but I'm personally very passionate and I've moved here about a year ago and I've gotten involved [clears throat] put down some roots in a couple of different volunteer opportunities. I work with Peter Frank maintaining the deer explosure at Oakdale Lake which has been so exciting and such a fun project to get involved with like the you know it's like we're taking care of this property for the local kids and like they're going to grow up with this. We've already seen such a difference in the property there. Um you know increasing the native biodiversity and the bugs in there so much better and he's just an incredible connection and has introduced me to so many local people. Um, and so that's been a really great hands-on project, as well as like learning forest management with him, learning with um, Columbia Land Conservancy, which is the other place I volunteer a lot. Been volunteering with them for about a year. And I go into like all of their working Wednesdays. We do invasive species removal, uh, native plantings, trail maintenance, and I'm also their pioneer volunteer for the, um, landscape initiative, which is going to be getting
61. 1:05:11Columbia County residents who are already accessing the public lands to get more involved because of Columbia Land Conservancy is a small team and they need all the resources they can get. So, it's um, that's been really exciting to work with them in that. And then the other project that I'm working on is my own backyard. [laughter] I live on Allen, so I'm right connected to like, you know, a little bit more of the wildlife and I want to make it like an urban oasis. Um, and just like I have a pollinator patch I'm working on. And so a long-term vision I have is like we have a lot of homeowners and renters here. I'm a renter and through the process of doing this myself, figuring out ways to implement, you know, like the green the green project with the public parks and stuff is something I'm so passionate about and even if I am not on the council, that's something I'm so interested in like getting involved hands-on in the dirt. So, yeah, it's kind of a matter of like if my are applicable to all of you and if not, you'll still be seeing me around. >> Your skills are quite applicable.
62. 1:06:15Your enthusiasm is all >> and you can find her at Wild. >> That's true. Yes, I work at Wild. Come get a coffee. So that's >> So same instruction. Yes. Email, >> right? >> I I also just want to say there's only one spot. So it's also like volunteering like we have that as well, right? Yes. >> Right. >> You don't have that official seat, right? >> Yeah. You don't get the official email address or something like that, but it's but we can use all the work we can >> and there's a lot of work to do. >> Yeah, there is more than enough work. >> Yeah. Right. >> Yeah. There's more than >> And there's nothing to that, you know, people can't come to us with projects and we can work on them. So, right. It doesn't no one has you don't have to be officially on the council or not but yeah but yes please send me an email a
63. 1:07:19brief description and we'll discuss next meeting and then we'll you know move forward. Um do you have my email address? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Great. All right cool. Um all right. Did I miss anything else? >> I think we're really done. [clears throat] >> Really? >> All right. really really >> really really >> um thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you Ivy and Emily for coming for your interest and thank you everyone. Um and uh have a good night folks. Be a good [laughter] year.

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