BBGC Meeting Minutes 4/27/09

Minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed.

Cheryl Taylor then talked briefly about organizing recycling among the businesses of Broken Bow to promote recycling of office waste.

A point was made that Donna Lawson with Central Nebraska Community Services has funding available for weatherization projects for houses owned by families that meet the income criteria. Custer Public Power believes that hundreds of houses would probably qualify under the current guidelines and will be sending mailings when further information is available. Mac McMeen expressed concern that the city of Broken Bow is having difficulty obtaining information about these grants.

Subcommittees were discussed. Projects, Communication, Education, and Financial subcommittees were proposed. Other members then proposed that subcommittees be organized by project. Many members suggested that high school organizations might be willing to take on projects that dovetailed with these proposed projects. FFA, FBLA, and the Boy Scouts were all proposed as possible collaborators.

The recycling subcommittee was discussed particularly with an eye towards writing grants to obtain money to augment the recycling center. Kelly Flynn and Lonnie Koepke, along with Chairperson Shaleah Jones were proposed as the recycling subcommittee.

The Keep Broken Bow Beautiful program was then discussed regarding a visual survey of the town of Broken Bow reported to Keep Nebraska Beautiful which can then appropriate money for cleaning up areas of Broken Bow deemed to need intervention to clean it. Committee members asked that Denise Russell, executive director of the chamber of commerce, present this program to the committee. It was mentioned that Terry Jensen, head of the city beautification committee, might also provide information about this aspect of improving the community.

Non-usage of the city’s current number of trash cans were discussed and it was suggested that community education might reduce the amount of litter between the cans. Additionally aluminum can recycling receptacles will be implemented at the city square to attempt to improve use and recycling of the refuse. It was discussed that in many areas in Broken Bow but particularly at the school it is apparent that many people are unaware that trash receptacles are available to hold the trash. Many strategies for reducing littering and trash volume were discussed, but eventually education was determined to be the best strategy. It was reported that Imperial, NE charges for trash based on volume which promoted removing the recycling from the trash to reduce volumes.

Next, Tree City USA and possible further tree planting projects were discussed. There is a phased plan in place to plant significant amounts of trees at the various parks throughout the city. It was pointed out that the Emerald Ash Bore is now inhabiting areas in Missouri and will likely decimate many of the Ash trees of Nebraska within the next decade.

June 1st, 2009 was proposed as the next formal Broken Bow Green Coalition meeting as the 3rd Monday in May is Memorial Day. The meeting was then adjourned.