EC Minutes 08-26-20247800 Golden Valley Road I Golden Valley, MN 55427 [. ! 111 /
763-593-80271 TTY 763-593-3968 1763-593-8198 (fax) I www.goldenvalleymn.gov goldM �r
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Environmental Commission y
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES August 26, 2024 — 6:30 pm
Remote Attendance: Members of the public may attend this meeting via Microsoft Teams by
calling 1-872-256-4160 and entering access code 587 275 181#.
Questions/Comments: Members of the public who have questions about the commission or
any items on the agenda should contact the staff commission liaison — Eric Eckman,
Environmental Resources Supervisor, eeckman@goldenvalleymn.gov, 763-593-8084.
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Chair Yahle at 6:30 pm.
2. Land Acknowledgement
3. Roll Call
Commissioners present: Debra Yahle, Sarah Drawz, Ellen Brenna, Wendy Weirich,
Kari Cantarero, Paul Klaas, Tonia Galonska
Commissioners absent: None
Council Members present: None
Staff present: Eric Eckman, Environmental Resources Supervisor;
Ethan Kehrberg, Sustainability Specialist;
Carrie Nelson, Engineering Assistant.
Two community members were present.
4. Approval of August 26, 2024 Agenda
MOTION by Commissioner Galonska, seconded by Commissioner Drawz to approve the
agenda for August 26, 2024 as submitted and the motion carried.
5. Approval of July 22, 2024 Regular Meeting Minutes
MOTION by Commissioner Brenna, seconded by Commissioner Cantarero to approve the
minutes of July 22, 2024 as submitted and the motion carried.
6. Old Business
A. Haha Wakpadan/Bassett Creek 2024 Actions
L Subcommittee Updates:
1. Clean -Up Event
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City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting 2
August 26, 2024 — 6:30 pm
1. The Haha Wakpadaq Oral History Project reached out to check
the status of this event.
2. Looking for a date in the spring of 2025, maybe around Earth
Day.
3. Commissioner Galonska found a list of requirements the City
has for events and will reach out to the sub -committee for a
meeting to go over the requirements.
2. Water Blessing
1. October 14, 2024 — Indigenous Peoples Day — Bassett Creek Park
in Crystal. Shelters and restrooms available.
2. More partners and sponsors.
3. Indigenous Partners to lead the Blessing and take photographs.
4. Can it be advertised in the City Newsletter? Crystal would like to
see the info before it goes out. Staff is working with the
Communications team.
5. Everyone is welcome.
ii. Dakota Plant Walks
1. The City will help promote and advertise the walks. Other media
outlets will cover the walks, too. The Hennepin History Museum and
Mississippi Watershed Management Organization will also promote.
2. Participants will need to register for the walks.
3. Commission committed up to $500 to support the plant walks.
4. September 15—1:OOpm — Crosby Farm Regional Park.
5. October 5—10:OOam — MWMO Stormwater Park & Learning Center.
iii. Watershed Co -Naming Update
1. A Sub -Committee of the Bassett Creek Watershed Management
Commission Education Committee is studying the co -naming with
cultural advisors and staff.
1. First meeting — made recommendations to the Education
Committee. If accepted, the Education Committee will make
recommendations to the Watershed Commission.
2. Recommendations include keeping the approach simple and co -
naming the main stem of the creek, but not the tunnel or
smaller tributaries.
3. Co -naming would be Haha Wakpadaq/Bassett Creek. When
shown graphically there may be a dot between the Dakota and
English names rather than a slash.
4. Recommended Haha Wakpadaq/Bassett Creek be used on
Watershed letterhead, Watershed website, and creek crossing
signs and other signage used throughout the Watershed.
City of Golden Valley Environmental Commission Regular Meeting
August 26, 2024 — 6:30 pm
5. The Sub -Committee recommended the Education Committee
and Plan Steering Committee revisit the mission statement to
use language that better reflects the new land and water
acknowledgement statement the Watershed adopted a couple
months ago.
7. New Business
A. Energy Action Progress Report
i. Staff reviewed the Energy Action Progress Report found in the August 26, 2024
Agenda Packet.
ii. City Building Energy Use:
1. Not Weather Normalized —Variability year to year with colder
winters/warmer summers.
There's three different ways the B3 Benchmarking looks at data
for different builders
i. Benchmark — Uses an engineered model of the building
and latest energy code — Based on input such as what
amount of space is being used as meeting space, office
space, storage, etc.
ii. B3 Peer — Compares with peer cities.
iii. Baseline — Independent of energy code and other
buildings in other cities —just looking at our buildings
and what changes we've made over time.
1. This one is weather normalized.
2. We have data back to 2005.
iii. Solar at Brookview is being recommended for the 2025 CIP. We can leverage
about 2/3 of the cost with outside funding sources.
B. GreenStep Cities Statewide Annual Report
i. Staff reviewed the GreenStep Cities Statewide Annual Report that includes all
cumulative actions taken across the state for all participating cities.
ii. Over half the state's population participates in GreenStep Cities now.
C. Hennepin County 2024 Solid Waste Management Plan
i. Staff reviewed the Hennepin County Solid Waste Management Plan Memo in
the 10-26-24 Agenda.
ii. The State came out with a plan earlier this year. The County's plan must be in
line with the State plan. The City agrees with most everything the County has
in their plan.
iii. Commissioners were asked for comments. Staff plans to provide comments to
the County one final time before the September deadline. The County's plan is
due to the state in late October.
City of Golden Valley
August 26, 2024 — 6:30 pm
D. Council Updates
i. None
E. Other Business
8. Adjournment
Environmental Commission Regular Meeting 4
The Commission voted to cancel the September meeting and schedule a tour
of the Shakopee Organics Processing Facility with an opportunity to perform a
composition sort on a load from Golden Valley.
MOTION by Commissioner Weirich, seconded by Commissioner Cantarero to adjourn the
meeting at 8:24 pm and the motion carried.
ATTEST:
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Carrie Nelson, Administrative Assistant
Debra Yahle, Chair
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