MINUTES
TORBAY ENVIRONMENT & TRAILS COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, January 28, 2004, 7:30pm, Kinsmen Centre
Present: Shirley Thorne Peggy Manning
Madeleine Florent Marian Crowley
Mike Byrne Kay Codner
Agenda approved with additions under Other Business.
The minutes of the last meeting were approved. With regards to the TETC membership, it was agreed that we should make an effort to increase our numbers by keeping our profile high. Advertising meetings in the Telegram and on the town sign should help.
The TETC budget has been approved in principle by Council as presented by Shirley to the Finance Committee. The budget is basically the same as last year. Council has agreed to supplement Krista's salary for the rest of phase 2 of the Gully Project. There is also provision in the budget for the Trail Mapping Project.
4.1 Public Events
As part of the Gully Project, Ross will be hosting two workshops at his place on February 4 and 11 covering strategic landscaping, pesticide-free gardening, composting and organic gardening. Registration is required. The workshops will be mentioned in the upcoming newsletter.
The next Backyard Habitat Workshop will take place on Saturday, April 17, followed the next day by our Annual Open House.
4.2 Outdoor Classrooms
We propose to invite Minister Byrne to next month's meeting so he may present the cheque from the Department of Municipal Affairs for the outdoor classrooms. Mike will check with his office on arrangements for the signing ceremony. This will also be an opportunity to spend a few minutes explaining our plans for the next couple of years and to explore possible funding avenues, particularly for the culverts, the boardwalk and eventually the wetland interpretation centre. We are awaiting some feedback from HTES on when they wish to present their donation to the Gully Project.
4.3 Phase 3 Proposal
The EcoAction funding proposal is almost complete. A large component of the project will deal with climate change and would see Torbay become the pilot site for the testing of the Blueline Innovations power cost meters as an energy-saving device.
4.4 Web Site
The web site for the Gully Project has been launched. Tom Boland is the webmaster and he will be providing some training to Krista on how to update the site.
Just days after distribution of the new Forest Landing/Western Island Pond brochure, Madeleine received an email from a resident bringing several concerns to our attention. These concerned the improper burning of building materials, destruction of some of the buffer zone, blocking of the public access along one part of the trail and fires being set along the public trail. Mike will bring these complaints to the next Council meeting and an investigation will be launched. Madeleine will also pursue this with Corrie and report back to the complainant. These complaints reinforce the importance of working with residents in the area to protect this important wetland area. It is still our hope that residents may eventually form a citizens group.
Corrie Davis has been hired as new town planner. He was formerly assistant planner for the City of Mount Pearl. Rosemary Waterman is the new accounting clerk.
The issue of Sunday hunting is being revisited by Minister Shelly and it has been in the news quite a bit of late. The Committee discussed the issue and whether the TETC should be taking a public position on the issue. While most members are opposed to Sunday hunting, it was agreed that the Committee would not lobby as a group and individuals who wish to make their views known should write to the Minister directly.
Because of our limited membership, it has been difficult to send a representative to Heritage Committee meetings lately. We will ask them to let us know when items come up for discussion which may be of interest to our Committee.
9.1 Hazardous Waste Day
Mike reported that Council is interested in looking into organizing a Hazardous Waste Day. Krista will research the costs involved and let Mike know so he can report back at the next Council meeting.
9.2 Newsletter
This will be brought up for discussion at the next meeting.
9.3 Neighbourhood Clean-up Day 2004
We should plan to have a comprehensive neighbourhood clean-up day this year involving as much of the community as possible. There is a lot of litter around the town, particularly around some businesses. One visitor to our province last summer even took the time to write to our Mayor to comment about the amount of litter around our streets.
This will be put on next month's agenda so we can have enough time to plan and promote an effective clean-up campaign. Mike will bring this up at the next Council meeting.
9.4 Pesticides
Interest in the pesticides issue is surfacing again. Currently, our province is the only one in Canada which does not have the necessary legislation that would allow municipalities to control the cosmetic use of pesticides within their jurisdictions. Anyone interested in making their views known on this issue should write to the Environment Minister.
In an effort to make residents aware of the restrictions governing pesticide use, the Gully Project plans to include information about pesticides regulations in its next newsletter. It is important that people get informed and check before spraying any pesticide to make sure it is needed or if it will be effective against the pest being targeted. For example, many people have sprayed against Cinch bugs in the past few years but unless applied during the right time in the bug's life cycle, such pesticide would be useless against the Cinch bugs but could destroy other desirable vegetation. Some home remedies may be as effective or the answer may be to consider alternatives to grass as a ground cover (eg. clover, speedwell, etc).
The next meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 25, at 7:30pm at the Kinsmen Centre.
Unless instructed otherwise, we will continue to meet in the main room upstairs.