By Lisa Carolin
There’s a new commission in Chelsea that met for the first time on May 1. It’s called the Sustainability Advisory Commission, and it was approved by the Chelsea City Council in January.
Mayor Melissa Johnson stopped by the meeting to thank everyone for volunteering and reminded the members that the principal role of the commission is to present research findings to the City Council for further study or action and that no final decision-making authority rests with the group.
The committee has six members – Frank Hammer and Tony Iannelli from City Council, building professional John Salyer, Craig Toepfer, who has experience with alternative energy, and at-large members Brian Bieber and Thomas Girard.
Girard was approved as chairman, Salyer as vice chairman, and Bieber as secretary.
Girard suggested having a brainstorming session about possible sustainability projects, and the ideas flowed. Girard talked about having a “sustainability presence” at every Chelsea event. He also suggested planting fruit trees at the water treatment plant, convincing Amtrak to have a stop in Chelsea, and bike sharing.
Iannelli said it would be smart to start out on a small scale at local events like Sounds and Sights and offer three separate bins – one for compost, one for recycling, and one for trash. He also suggested getting local restaurants to source more farm to table.
Hammer talked about wood heat, rain barrels, low volume toilets, and electric scooters, and Toepfer mentioned electric school buses and having educational seminars for local residents.
Among the topics the commission will research are alternative energy including renewable energy sources, green building technology, green infrastructure such as protecting and restoring sensitive habitats, recycling and waste management including working with the Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority. The group also talked about ways to improve recycling, transportation and mobility such as increasing non-motorized transportation as well as electric, hybrid and low-emission vehicles, and water resources including strategies for managing potable water, storm water, and wastewater.
The commission voted to have monthly meetings from 6-7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month. The next meeting will be on May 16.
