HomeMy WebLinkAboutSCMinutes_2018_05_23Sustainability Council
May 23, 2018
A meeting of the Sustainability Council was held on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. at Brookings
City & County Government Center with the following members present: Norma Nusz Chandler, Nels
Granholm, Shelly Brandenburger, Bob McGrath, Mike Lockrem, Jennifer McLaughlin and Paul Peterson.
Stephanie Aure, Betty Beer, Caleb Vukovich and Jane Hegland were absent. Others present: Shari
Thornes and Laurie Carruthers.
Chair Nusz Chandler called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m. A motion was made by Granholm,
seconded by Brandenburger, to approve the amended agenda. All present voted yes; motion carried.
A motion was made by McLaughlin, seconded by McGrath, to approve the April 11, 2018 minutes. All
present voted yes; motion carried.
A motion was made by Peterson, seconded by McGrath, to postpone the Equity Lens/Social
Sustainability Plan to the June Meeting. All present voted yes; motion carried.
Committee reports:
Earth Day
McLaughin reported the Earth Day was postponed due to weather and rescheduled to August 25 to
combine with several other events including: The Mayor’s Walk, Ride & Roll; Law Enforcement Pig Roast;
Historic Preservation tour; Disability Committee’s helmet give-away; and composting bin give-away. The
event will start at the Farmers Market and possibility have a community brunch. The hope is that all the
activities will be family-friendly, and incorporate the community branding. Nusz Chandler advised the
fundraiser for the Lynn Mennis Scholarship is the same day. She will speak with the coordinators to see
if this could be combined. Members of the Sustainability Committee will be needed to volunteer for this
day-long event.
Lockrem arrived at 4:07 pm.
Stormwater
Thornes suggested a meeting with City Engineer to determine next steps and discussed the possibility of
painting storm drains to education about storm water.
Green Drinks
Dr. Rick Holm – Brandenburger to reach out to Dr. Holm about June Green Drinks. SDSU Bee Campus
USA is an alternative topic.
Affordable Housing
Thornes advised City Council is submitting top five priorities for affordable housing, which will be
discussed at a later City Council Study Session.
Urban Ag/Local Foods; curbside composting update
Thornes advised the subcommittee will regroup in July or August.
Liaison reports:
Brookings Bicycle Advisory Committee
The new SDSU bike share program is VeoRide from Purdue University. VeoRide is a nontraditional
program that does not have docking stations. Bikes are dockless and unlocked with an app. Users can
reserve a bike 30 minutes in advance. Students can be hired to reposition bikes daily or remove bikes for
the winter if not in use. A general manager within the community will be hired and local bike shops are
involved to assemble and maintain the bikes. Students want connectivity to 22nd Avenue, not
downtown. Bikes can be customized. VeoRide needs enough bikes in circulation to make profit.
Geofencing can be set up where the bikes can be dropped off. Additionally, geofencing can be set for a
specific event. Sometimes VeoRide will offer free rides from downtown to university to relocate the
bikes. Reservations do not cost, if it is for 10 minutes ahead. If there are problems and someone steals a
bike, the user would be charge approximately $500. Additionally, users can be blocked from the app if
they abuse the system.
SDSU is currently reviewing the contract. Other cities have limited how many bikes are allowed for
larger communities with several bike companies. SDSU would like the bikes available to promote at new
student orientation as an alternative to students owning their own bikes. SDSU hauls 2-3 truckloads of
bikes to the penitentiary every June. USD and School of Mines have bike programs. There is no financial
obligation from the city or campus. The only risk is bike pollution. SDSU needs to meet with the city to
discuss snow emergency routes.
Lockrem left at 4:57 pm.
Mayor’s Coffee - Nusz-Chandler and McGrath can attend.
New City Manager Briefing
The new City Manager will start on June 11. The executive committee will meet with him a few weeks
after his start date.
Big Sioux River Board
Granholm provided a book recommendation: The Moth Snowstorm by Michael McCarthy about the
great thinning moth concept. Granholm also updated the Council about the Agropur – Lake Norden
Cheese Plant expansion. Approximately 2.0 million gallons per day will be discharged, following
treatment, into the Big Sioux River downstream of Lake Poinsett (33-page DENR permit). Does this
permit do enough? For example, some things cannot be treated with the Bel Brands plant and they ship
it to Sioux Falls for treatment.
The Friends of the Big Sioux River Board is conducting water testing this spring and summer for E. coli,
TSS – total suspended solids, and Nitrates. Please go to FBSR Internet site for details on lakes, streams,
and other bodies of water to be tested.
Mapping of the Big Sioux River Basin will continue this summer. Landsat imagery combined with
“ground truth” verifications. McLaughlin attended one of the ground truth verifications. Drain tile is
noted. BSR lead had most of the information.
Remarks by Mr. Jerry Wilson: Jerry Wilson is an author, college professor, and a prairie restoration
advocate. He has restored land to a prairie condition along the Missouri bluffs near Vermillion, SD. In his
remarks entitled “Why Prairie – Landscape Scale to Landscaping: What Can We Do?” he made the
following observations:
1. Since 1982 JW has been working to restore 150 acres of woods and prairie. In 1990, he
introduced big bluestem to combat leafy spurge, and those efforts have been largely successful.
He also planted a 16-prairie species mix on 30 acres of abused hilly land and established a
Permanent Conservation Easement.
2. JW said that prairie grasses “don’t care much for the top four inches of topsoil; they’re down at
least two – four feet and deeper.” Some prairie plants can go down 15 feet below the surface.
3. In 2016, JW planted an area with 16 species of prairie plants (8 forbs and grasses). A forb is an
herbaceous flowering plant, not a grass, sedge, or rush. Now (2018) grasses like Indian grass and
buffalo grass dominate but forbs still there. Management tools include fire, grazing, and a hoe –
“thousands of hours with a hoe!”
JW is currently writing an article on the Big Sioux River for SD Magazine and completing his book,
“Seasons of the Coyote,” a sequel to his 2008 book entitled “Waiting for Coyotes Call: An Eco-memoir
from the Missouri River bluff.”
Adjourn
Meeting adjourned at 5:13 p.m.
Submitted by Laurie Carruthers