02-28-23 Minutes of the ToR ECC
Opened: 6:00 pm, Town of Rochester Community Center
ECC Members: John Messerschmidt, James Easley, Todd Anderson, Judith Karpova
Members of the Public in Attendance: Kurt Sutherland, Greta Sutherland, Ann Belmont, Laurence DeWitt.
Note: At 6:30 meeting had to relocate due to missing key, moved to another location. info/directions were left on Community Center door for latecomers.
Approved minutes of 01/31/23 meeting, unanimous
REPORTS
Erin Enouen Liaison to Town Board:
• Pollinator Pathway Chapter: How does the ECC become an official pollinator pathway? Town Board would pass a resolution creating a pollinator pathway chapter in the town and designate the ECC to administer it. If we want this, Erin will write up a resolution and submit it at the next Workshop of the Town Board
• ECC Membership and Quorum Issues: We have three vacancies on the ECC, and 2 people ha e not submitted resignations. What constitutes a quorum: Erin will confirm/redefine with the town attorney. Anyone interested in joining the ECC can submit a letter of interest to the Town.
• Re: Plastic wrapping and bags that the Community Center can no longer process, Erin discussed an alternative with the Town Board. It can happen at the transfer station, she can get a shed which can be locked and we can have a monthly drop-off with a volunteer present so it will be highly monitored. Ann Belmont has already registered with NexTrex and will receive materials from them.
ECC Chair John Messerschmidt:
• We will form subcommittees, to have each person/people who take on a particular project meet on their own, so they can then give a presentation at the ECC meeting of 10 minutes or so. This would allow room in monthly meetings for more topics. It is clear that we are taking on more projects and we will not have time in meetings to hash out decisions for all of them.
James Easley-EMC:
• Amanda LaValle is no longer liaison from UC Planning Dept. to the EMC
• re: UC Dept. of Environment, they want photos of county natural resources, agricultural, natural, etc. He will email us the link for those who want to send in photos.
• The County is discussing a Green New Deal, aligning County goals with NYS goals; they will be the same.
• Wherever there’s a crossing of County Road with a culvert or stream, wildlife corridors will be established (i.e., Rts. 2, 3). State roads such as 209, 213, are in the jurisdiction of the NYS Dept. of Transportation.
Reminder that the State DOT needs to be approached to install walkways for wildlife in the larger underpasses for Rt. 209. Question if the County can do the same for any underpasses large enough in their roads.
• The County is sponsoring a tree planting to municipalities. They will deliver up to 8 trees, large, with substantial, burlap-wrapped root balls. They must be planted on municipal land. Applications not yet available. Procedure would be to apply to Town, pick a site, have it approved. Consensus to get applications in as soon as doable. Perhaps Veterans Park, where they can be the backbone of another pollinator garden.
• EMC discussing installing EV charging stations.
• Rail Trails are being built, ToR now has a Rail Trail Committee
• Re-use Innovation Center consultant talk occurred in early Feb., under UCRRA auspices, to reuse instead of trucking garbage to Seneca Meadows. The Center would refurbish, repair, reclaim construction materials, under the umbrella of Sustainable Hudson Valley, James will send email and link to recording.
VOTES, DISCUSSION ON FUTURE ACTIVITIES
• Should the vehicle of a Town of Rochester Pollinator Pathway be the Town itself:
• Vote: We resolve that the Town of Rochester become a Pollinator Pathway Chapter and that the town delegate its administration to the ECC. Unanimously approved. Understood that Erin Enouen will draft language appropriate to putting this resolution to the Town Board
UPCOMING EVENTS
• Earth Day: Judith has applied for a grant from Pollinator Pathway designating Earth Day as a native habitat restoration day on her own property. If she receives it, John suggests ordering native pollinator plant plugs from Prairie Moon Nursery (NJ). Judith is also part of the Wild Woods Restoration Project, which has its own native plant nursery. Discussion as to an activity If she doesn’t get the grant – do we give a pollinator presentation? Call on Maraleen Manos Jones? Piggyback on the Youth Commission? Or just wait and pass on it for this year?
• May 6th Riversweep: Will not participate this year.
• June Tire Pull in the Rondout Creek on June 17 – will organize soliciting kayaks and canoes in upcoming meetings
• Amphibian migration: coming up – Discussed locations. 2 possible locations are Schwabe Turnpike and Bone Hollow Rd. It will happen when the temperature reaches 50 degrees, is raining, and at night.
CONTINUING PROJECTS
• Third Thursday Nature Series update: John:
o 3/16/23 Invasives John Messerschmidt
o 3/29/2023 filmmaker Jon Bowermaster will be at the Rosendale Theater in collaboration with Third Thursday Series. One is about a 1700s-style sailboat taking produce from our area downriver to NYC. The other given by Riverkeeper, is about dismantling dams. Note: We can give handouts Publicizing the neonics campaign at this.
o 4/21/23 Decarbonization Tom Conrad
o 5/18/23 Local Farm Series 1: Fiddlehead Farm; Bob Fade
o 6/15/23 Introducing Cougars; Chris Spatz
• Wildlife Corridor/209 Underpass: Ann, Judith will report on updates.
• Pollinator garden update for TOR: Judith: Diane from Catskill Native will design and plant in May/June
• Pollinator garden under solar arrays: John, contact Nexamp.
• Recruiting new ECC members: 3 openings? If interested, send a letter of interest to town board. Kurt and daughter considering joining ECC

NEW BUSINESS
• Neonics Campaign: We will provide information on neonics and promote a letter-writing campaign to ban them in NY State. Discussion of various outlets. Todd will put information on our Facebook page and put it out to our mailing list, Judith will put it on NextDoor, James will research.
• Plastic Recycling: Elizabeth Perez, Kerhonkson Elementary School is interested in collaborating with ECC.

Meeting adjourned. Next meeting: 6:00 pm March 28, 2023, Community Center, Accord NY