Green Saves Green Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

5:30 p.m., Pasquotank County Library

Present: Emely Arredondo, Karl Brandspigel, Sharon Burtner, Nita Coleman, Phil Donahue, Jane Elfring, Marlene Greer, Kurt & Bobbie Hunsberger, Rodney Johnson, Bill Kruse, Holly Marland, Bobby & Jane Plough, Anne Radke, Dixie Sakolosky, John Stolarczyk, Michelle Tangredi, Jared Tardiff, Curtis & Sheila Wrenn

Membership (Nita)

We currently have about 60 members. We had 83 at the end of 2021. Please pay your annual dues if not done so yet. Teachers and students are free.

Education Initiative (Nita)

This is a three-pronged approach: Get students involved in Litter Sweep; offer environmental field trips to teachers who are GSG members to give students hands-on experiences and strengthen environmental education; and offer support, education, and mini-grants to teachers who want to do student-led Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots projects. We want to empower students to make changes in our community and in their own lives. Julie Robinson is heading up this initiative.

Rotary Corps and Fenwick-Hollowell Trail Restoration (Rodney & Phil)

Bob Pippen of the EC Morning Rotary Club submitted the application for Rotary Corps and it’s been approved. He expects to get the charter documents soon.

Contractor has started work on the final phase of the F-H Trail covered by CAMA grants. He has completed 60-80 feet of boardwalk behind the hospital, and should be done in about a month. Rodney got a bid from the contractor for the north boardwalk section. Contractor agreed to start on it once he’s done with the area behind the hospital. Bid is $64,820. Higher than anticipated, but the price of treated lumber has gone up. Have not been able to get CAMA funding for the north section because the land there is not on the water. Bid/Contract to be submitted to CoA for approval and signature.

The Rotary Corps fundraising committee has raised $57,045 – $30,000 from city and county tourism funds; $5,000 from Hollowell Family; $5,000 grant from Albemarle Electric; $1,000 from Rotary; and almost $15,000 from individual donors. Request GSG use funds donated for Love Your River by our two major sponsors – Sentara Hospital and Avangrid – to contribute $5,000 to the F-H Trail project. Hospital is OK with this.

There’s a portion of the trail that comes across the Sentara Hospital property line covering 1-2 acres. Plan to talk to the county to ask if, before they sell the property to a developer, they would consider giving the land to the College of the Albemarle Foundation.            

Had meeting in February on the future of the green space behind CoA – about 4 acres – adjacent to the trail. CoA President Dr. Jack Bagwell appointed a 12-person advisory board to discuss what will be done with the property.

Pre-USCG Marathon Downtown Litter Cleanup (Marlene)

The event was a huge success. Despite the early morning hail and very cold weather, we had 83 people show up to clean up on Saturday, Feb. 26. Because of the high turnout, we were able to clean up all downtown streets and parks, the entire 5K route, and 9 miles of the marathon route.

In addition to the downtown cleanup, we organized a student cleanup at River Road Middle School, cleanups of two residential areas, and a cleanup of the USCG base side of Weeksville Road from the base entrance to Consolidated Road. USCG personnel collected 40 bags of litter from just one side of the road! Combining all the cleanups, we had 131 volunteers collect approximately 130 bags of litter.

This morning, Marlene and Nita gave a PowerPoint presentation to the County Waste Disposal Committee on the cleanup results and thanked them for their support. They were extremely appreciative. They plan to do a similar presentation at the March 28 EC City Council meeting.

Spring Litter Sweep (Nita)

Focus will be on student engagement and campus cleanups. Marlene will send emails to all schools in Pasquotank County and offer to bring supplies and adults for supervision during the first and last weeks of the month (spring break is April 21-25). We already have one taker – NEAAAT – Thursday, April 7 at 3:30 p.m. We’re looking for GSG volunteers to help supervise the students during the cleanups.

Earth Week Challenge (Marlene)

Do 5 things for the Earth and be entered to win a prize. Four challenges were presented: Pick up litter; Shop with a reusable bag; Make one meatless dinner; and Plant something for pollinators. Group decided the 5th challenge would be Go outside and enjoy nature.

Plant for Pollinators Event in honor of Jim Sakolosky (Nita)

Long delayed due to the pandemic, the event will be held 10 a.m. to Noon, Saturday, June 4 at the Museum of the Albemarle. We’ll have a speaker and 50-100 butterfly weed plants to give away. We expect about 50 people. We will ask that they sign up in advance. Jane and Bobby Plough will be there to talk about the NC Wildlife Federation Butterfly Highway program. The Ploughs recently became NCWF Certified Wildlife Stewards. Jane is trying to get wildflower seed packets from NCWF to give away at the event.

GSG volunteers for the event are Nita, Jane, Bobby, and Dixie. Will need more volunteers.

Email list of volunteer opportunities

It was suggested Nita email a list of upcoming volunteer opportunities to members.

RISE (Bill)

NC is going to spend $82 million from the American Rescue Plan for stormwater management. How that is going to relate to the environment is not clear. The group is developing policies and procedures for the distribution of the money. Part of the process will be seeking public comments. There is potential for RISE money in our area. Next meeting is set for March 30.

Next GSG meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 2 at the Pasquotank County Library.