Go Green Park Ridge May Members’ Meeting Minutes
Date
Time
Location
05 May 2015
7:00 pm
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Facilitator: Amy Bartucci
Note Taker: Tracey Edsey
Attendees:
Amy Bartucci
Guests:
Margaret Holler
Andrea Bochat
Andrea Cline
Tracey Edsey
Cindy Grau
Patty Hempel
Kristen Olson
Elizabeth Ryles
Agenda: Member Dues
Discussion: Every member has paid dues. $315.35 in kitty. Marcello Bartucci will handle
funds (acting treasurer)
Agenda: Garden Walk
Discussion: 2-6 pm June 28th; hoping all gardens will be accepted for walk. Keeping
positive that board will approve sustainable gardens (i.e. Lowell’s building and greenery). No
communication yet with LGH. They may not be on walk. Can purchase tickets on GC
website closer to event. We want to show our logo at the Garden Walk.
Agenda: Park District Update
Discussion: Soil sample pulled from Prospect Park; awaiting results. Alexander Barton
spoke to PD ETF. ETF will meet with Ruth Kerzee of MPAC Friday and a landscaper who will
work with PRPD on NLC pilot park. PD looking at Main Park for NLC pilot. GGPR welcome
to attend meeting at 9:30 am. Keyplex is still being used on a field as a test. PD is comparing
fields..
Agenda: CONSEG-NLC
Discussion: Ruth Kerzee with be at meeting May 12th. An early NLC subcommittee
meeting will discuss how we can work with other communities regarding sustainable NLC
practices. CONSEG will have a presentation on Reducing Your Community’s Food Print.
Owner of the Pick, Kendra Griffin, will be at food print presentation. Amy suggests that NLC
subcommittee make efforts to be at PRPD board meetings as often as possible. Eric Huck is
the new PRPD planner.
Agenda: Area School Environmental Group (ASEG) / Local Schools
Discussion: Kristen and Tracey also of the Roosevelt Elementary Green Team would like to
attend the ASEG meeting May 20th. Karen Larson, also a GT member, will be involved in the
new Roosevelt Community Garden. Talk to revisit rain gardens at Roosevelt. They have not
been attended to.
Agenda: RBI
Discussion: Nice reception at Whole Foods. Handed out a lot of rebates. Need sample
sized rain barrel for people to see along with pictures of different kinds of barrels. Kristen will
follow up.
Agenda: MANNA, Methodist Garden Sale May 9th & Garden Club Plant Sale May 16th
Discussion: Good reception at MANNA. Would like to distribute information cards about RBI
at Methodist Garden Sale and Garden Club Plant Sale. Passed out 200 cards at Electronics
Recycling event and ran out. We may need more than 200.
Conclusion: Amy will order more cards.
Agenda: GGPR Yard-Type Signs
Discussion: Talk of ordering 12x12 signs with GGPR email and contact info.
Conclusion: Group agrees it is a good expense and Amy will order.
Agenda: City Council
Discussion: Need to communicate with city. GGPR could form a subcommittee. Members
of this committee will go to all city council meetings. AB wants to have a chairperson step up.
Conclusion: Chris may volunteer. Melissa, Amy and Andrea agree to be “GGPR liaisons”.
Agenda: GGPR Member Picnics
Discussion: Kristen mentions June 7th proposed date for a Park Ridge picnic somewhere.
The Talking Farm is mentioned as a potential spot for another picnic and possible workday
this summer - July 11th is proposed for the Talking Farm.
http://www.thetalkingfarm.org/workdays/
Agenda: Farmer’s Market & Garden Walk Volunteers
Discussion: Kristen will send out Sign Up Genius for 3 market dates and sign up for the
Garden Walk. If there are any more events to add, contact Kristen.
Agenda: Book Club
Discussion: Tracey will be facilitating a book club this summer. Likely late August due to
members’ vacations. Details to be announced. Book of interest is Naomi Klein’s This
Changes Everything.
Agenda: Energy Parties with Eli from Elevate Energy
Discussion: Eli would like to do energy parties in June at people’s houses.
Andrea/Patty/Cindy say they are interested.
Conclusion: GGPR will inform her that we are working on having a party and will get people
there.
Agenda: Green Drinks
Discussion: Holt’s Restaurant won’t be ready for 3-5 months. Do we want to do a GD for
May & June?
Conclusion: GD will be held at the Park Ridge Whole Foods in May and June. Future dates
will be posted in Spokesman.
Agenda: Spokesman
Discussion: What to send? Green drinks; mention ordinance about disconnecting
downspouts from houses; reminder that a certain amount of building materials are supposed
to be recycled (DDD). May 25th deadline for July Spokesman.
Conclusion: Amy will send info to Spokesman.
Agenda: Cook County Demolition Debris Diversion Ordinance (DDD)
Discussion: Nan is writing a piece on DDD.
http://blog.cookcountyil.gov/sustainability/2015/02/17/webinar-development-andimplementation-of-cook-countys-demolition-debris-diversion-ordinance/
Conclusion: Nan will report back on webinar.
Agenda: Rebuilding Exchange
Discussion: Proposed field trip to visit Rebuilding Exchange on Webster in Chicago this
summer.
Agenda: Park Ridge Library
Discussion: Library will host an environmental film fest in fall.