January 19 Ambler EAC Meeting Minutes

Written By Ambler EAC

Attendees

Members: Wes Pipitone, Hannah Lloyd, Nancy Roecker-Coates, Jill Sanchez

Visitors: Jean Parry, Anita Behrman Judy Baigis


  • Call to Order / Introductions (7:00-7:10)

    1. Introductions made 


  • Presentation: None


  • Public comments (7:10-7:20)

    1. None 


  • Ways to Get Involved (7:20-7:25) 

    1. Join Ambler EAC Earthfest Committee - 

      1. Contact us at email amblereac@gmail.com

    2. Help Upper Dublin Replant Trees After the September Tornado

      1. UD Shade Tree Commission Meeting Feb. 17 UD Library 3:30pm 

    3. 2 open seats for EAC Membership 

      1. We encourage interested members to attend a meeting prior to application.



  • EAC Updates (7:30-8:00)

    1. Plastics Ordinance - 01/18 Council meeting where council would have voted on ordinance 1126 has been rescheduled. Next council meeting will be on 02/01.

      1. CANCELED FOR JANUARY  

      2. Postponed for February - February 1st (Tuesday) 

      3. Main points to read in ordinance 

        1. Need to ask for straws versus being given them automatically 

        2. No single use styrofoam containers 

          1. Recyclable and reusable containers only 

        3. No plastic bags 

      4. If you show up to the council meeting for this vote please wear blue to show solidarity 

        1. EAC Members will wear their blue EAC shirts

      5. Wes - please come prepared with some talking points for this meeting. 

        1. Wes & Nancy plan to speak at the meeting in support 

      6. Student groups with volunteer experience with the EAC will be encouraged to attend and speak if desired. 

        1. Jill will reach out to invite the students.


  • EarthFest 2022 (8:00-8:30) 

    1. Set date

      1. After reviewing other conflictions on the EAC, borough and surrounding volunteer event calendars a date was set at this meeting.

      2. Saturday - April 30 official date 

      3. Date has been confirmed with the borough and the gym has been reserved

    2. Set theme

      1. Last theme was ‘clean streams clean waters’ 

      2. Theme ideas

        1. Small changes make big differences 

        2. Some focuses on zero waste 

        3. Overarching official earth day theme is invest in our planet 

          1. Wes is interested in expanding on that slogan for some side efforts 

    3. Set first committee meeting date - Sunday February 6, 5pm Boro Hall Gym

      1. Advertise for steering committee 

      2. Identify roles/leaders

    4. Small changes theme; further exploration

      1. Educate residents on what small changes they can make

        1. Promote ideas such as green grass on your lawn without chemicals

        2. Water saving fixtures

        3. Waste less in the kitchen

        4. How to get an electric car the financially intelligent way

        5. How to replace fixtures in your house with the planet mind, such as heat 

        6. Etc…

      2. Project ideas

        1. Pledge board for a small change visitors plan to make 

        2. Table with visualization examples of how certain switches such as not using paper towels could make an impact. 

          1. A few reusable towels next to how many you would throw away normally next to it in one week. Or something like that.

    5. To do list

      1. Vendor ideas: 20/25 limit can fit in the gym

        1. Jill to verify

        2. Keep local where possible

        3. Solar

        4. Trash and recycling 

        5. Ambler EV 

        6. Local native plant nursery 

        7. Back to Earth Compost Colleen 

        8. Plant Ambler

      2. Will begin meeting and planning in February 

        1. Meetings will be unofficial as a steering committee with official updates being given and recorded at the EAC monthly meetings 

        2. Zoom or in person

          1. Every other week starting February 

          2. Sunday nights 

          3. February 6, first meeting at 5 pm 

          4. Location will be Ambler Borough Gym

            1. Wes to reach out about the schedule of that room to confirm it won’t be occupied. 

          5. Attendees for February 6 meeting:

            1. Jean Pary

              1. 3 guests

              2. Possibly a few more neighbors 

            2. Judy Baigis

            3. Wes Pipitone

            4. Hannah Lloyd

            5. Jill Sanchez

            6. Nancy Coates 

      3. Electronic recycling day 

        1. Usually the same weekend as Earth Fest

        2. The EAC would like to hold this still, even if not necessarily the same weekend

          1. Weavers Way Environmental Committee may be willing to get involved  

          2. Jill has all the contacts for planning

          3. Weavers Way usually supply volunteers (over 18)


  • EAC Membership (8:30-9:00) 

    1. Two open seats on the Ambler EAC

      1. Instructions on how to apply provided during the meeting 

      2. Third tuesday council meetings are when voting will take place, during which the new member will be approved or denied 

      3. Our meetings are on the third Wednesday of each month 

      4. Three year membership commitment 


  • Committee Chairs (8:00-8:30) No new updates from Climate Action Committee, Open Space Committee, Creek Monitoring on Rose-Valley Creek. 


  • Education and Outreach Committee (Shelly)

    1. Absent - no comments 


  • Treasurer (Wes)

    1. 2021 financial year closed 

      1. We used almost all of our budget 

    2. New Table Topper purchased 

    3. New tote Bags purchased 

    4. Reimbursements for Dec may not be received until later in January

      1. Some under last years bucket may be coming out a little late but will be reimbursed 


  • Keep Ambler Beautiful Committee (Nancy)

    1. Anti-Litter signage purchased

      1. For parks 

    2. Litter/Trash ordinances - Nancy’s research 

      1. Animal waste mentioned 

      2. Park waste mentioned 

      3. ‘Rubbish’ a definable term that is not always consistent across other ordinances in other places 

      4. Tobacco litter is not a present topic in our ordinances (that has been found to our knowledge)

      5. Businesses responsible for waste outside their doors

      6. Property buildings / apartments responsible for waste on their property 

        1. Businesses and restaurants main offenders 

          1. Management should be taking more charge of litter that is within their responsibility area.

          2. Not receiving a fine is a good motivation 

        2. ‘Property maintenance’ line item a suggestion 

          1. Could apply this to litter as it is now applicable to ‘over done and offensive decorations’

      7. If waste blew or otherwise ended up on your property from other sources it is now the property owners responsibility 

      8. Being fined for waste creates responsibility 

        1. If you would like action to be taken you need to call out the problem areas in order for them to get attention. 

        2. If a complaint is made, code enforcement can come out to give attention to it and then come back after a certain amount of days to follow up and see if changes were made 

  • Example: West Chester Ordinance 62-6

https://west-chester.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08212019-906

  • Example: Township of Doylestown

Township of Doylestown, PA Litter

  • Ambler - search for litter resulted in the word “litter” appearing four times in the ordinances

  • The EAC can gather inspiration from other ordinances to create suggestions to present. 

    1. Compare ordinances to nearby municipalities of similar size. 

  • Wayside sign for Ambler Borough Park in progress

    1. Company contacted that creates these 

    2. Nancy will give more updates on this later 

    3. DCNR consulted to help with inspiration 

    4. funding - propose some help from parks and rec. 

  • MLK independent clean up via social media report

Posted event to Facebook for MLK Day of Service

EAC offered to deliver bags and gloves to Ambler residents wanting to do litter and cigarette clean up independently in the borough.

  • One volunteer received supplies


  • Shade Trees Committee (Jill)

    1. Ambler Tree Tenders will partner with Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commision to plant trees in UD in the spring to help with loss of trees due to the tornado.

      1. In person meeting 

      2. Jill will provide an update after she attends the January meeting 

    2. Tree tender classes upcoming and currently in session

      1. Anyone interested in attending can contact us for further information

      2. Tree tenders help lead groups of plantings and can come out to assist with pruning days 

        1. Pruning days happen in summer 

    3. Adopt a Tree will revitalize in March 

      1. New public trees will come up for adoption 

      2. Advertising and social media presence will follow 

  • Climate Action Committee

    1. Discuss results of counsel vote on Ambler's new ordinance: Single use plastic ban. 

      1. Not discussed as the meeting was postponed 


  • New business (8:30-8:35)


  • Updates from Borough Council: 

    1. None 


  • Closing Thoughts (8:35-8:50)

    1. Jill will reach out to Bob Epley to get an update on Creek Monitoring 

    2. Public comment: Trash bin locations and frequency at parks.

      1. People will dispose of waste in ways that are more convenient to them so having the bins be closer together and accessible is the best course of action. 

      2. Also - good direction on where to dispose of what is important. 

    3. Every monthly meeting for the year is now on the EAC Website 

      1. The Agenda for each month will be posted on the EAC calendar when it’s available 


  • Next meeting: Wednesday February 16th, 2022 at 7:00pm (8:50-8:55)


Adjournment (8:55-9:00)

Ambler EAC
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