BBGC Meeting Minutes 6/1/09

Minutes from the previous meeting and recycling subcommittee meeting were reviewed.

The weatherization program subcommittee also met to discuss issues pertaining to the CNCS weatherization program for households that meet income requirements. It was suggested that area churches and realtors could also disseminate information about the program in addition to local media and the greenbrokenbow.org website.

Subsequent to the recycling subcommittee meeting, work has been done to arrange an electronics collection and recycling day that would collect electronics for a minimal fee and recycle them. This is proposed for a week day in June or July. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln local extension office apparently has a pesticide container recycling program. This will be at the recycling substation by appointment only. More details on this will be forthcoming.

Rick Nelson discussed the refrigerator recycling program, but pointed out that the refrigerator must be in working condition.

The greenbrokenbow.org website was discussed. The frequency of posts has decreased since the initial creation of the site. If committee members wish to have something posted they can email Keith Gautreaux or Shaleah Jones and it will be posted to the site. Admistrative access is also available for committee members that would like to post their own updates.

Discussion returned to the community wide paper shredding event that Kelly Flynn is attempting to organize.

Denise Russell mentioned that Keep Broken Bow Beautiful has suffered from turnover at city hall, and in the past few years Nicole Reinhardt has taken over the program. The current obstruction preventing Keep Broken Bow Beautiful from “member in good standing” status in Keep Nebraska Beautiful is the lack of litter index. It requires 4-5 people plotting the areas of Broken Bow and creating the original index. Photographs would need to be taken to document for future references The index would then be updated each year to track progress. The litter index must be completed by 6/21/09. This was tenatively planned for 6/6/09 with further details forthcoming. It was recommended that Muddy Creek be split into thirds or fourths and documented for the litter index. Specific cigarette receptacles have been created for Keep America Beautiful and grants are available for purchasing these.

Recently, the softball tournament resulting in a large amount of litter and significant underuse of trash receptacles. The FFA and Lonnie Koepke are planning a litter awareness program for local kids to try to decrease the amount of litter.

The Keep Loup Basin Beautiful tire recycling program will also be publicized in local media and on greenbrokenbow.org when closer to the date.

Rick Nelson mentioned that Custer Public Power will replace old regular filament bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs for rural customers not served by Broken Bow Utilities.

Custer Public Power has placed a link to greenbrokenbow.org on their site. This will be reciprocated on the greenbrokenbow.org site to direct people to a savings calculator on the Custer Public Power website.

The meeting was then adjourned. The next Broken Bow Green Coalition meeting will be 6/29/09 at the Broken Bow Public Library.