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SalemRecycles Meeting Minutes - DRAFT
November 4, 2014
6:30p. 3rd Floor. 120 Washington Street, Salem.
Members Present: Julie Rose, Tony Keck, Beth Melillo, Flora Tonthat, Erin Huggard, Penny Neal, Lynn Murray, Liz Vago.
Absent: Nancy Gilberg, Susan Yochelson
Guests: Geri Yuhas, Carole Hautau, Myrna Soper
(M – 26 Charles)
Chair Tony Keck opened the meeting at 6:30 pm.
New Business:
- Approval Sept 30 Meeting – All present voted in favor of approving the September 30 minutes as written.
- Reminder of November 8 training session
- Meeting at Old Town Hall, will cover Conflict of Interest and Open Meeting Law. Saturday 10 – 12. Members are strongly encouraged to attend.
- Discussion at the meeting should cover Open Meeting Law, including minutes, attendance, deliberation, e-mail correspondence, and proper posting of agendas.
- Additionally conflict of interest law will be covered with specific details regarding which personnel or city committees can take a position on political issues. Hint: None.
- December Meeting – SalemRecycles committee will be on hiatus during December.
- Cigarette Butt Recycling – There are 50 terracycle containers up. Pictures of what the containers look like can be found on SalemRecycles facebook page. So far only a few have been used and contained more than a handful of cigarettes. Committee members began brainstorming different ways to increase education and promotion of this new program. Possibly education for restaurants might be a way to increase information.
- December 4 Farmers Market SalemRecycles is signed up to participated on the December 4th Market to hand out toters and possibly sign up more participants. If you want to participate email Julie Rose for more details. Possibly the 11th SalemRecycles will be able to participate in as well. The Time commitment is 3p – 6p.
Old Business
- Dropbox – Reminder to upload any pictures from events to the SalemRecycles Dropbox. If you need a tutorial email Julie Rose or Flora Tonthat.
- Beverly Swap and Drop – In regards to providing consultation to Beverly Recycles for a potential 2015 Swap and Drop similar to SalemRecycle’s Swap and Drop. No additional information.
- Haunted Happenings parade – The costumes promoting composting were appreciated, and generated interest on facebook and signed up several new composters. The kids who participated were a welcome addition to the SalemRecycles volunteers. The event was successful and SalemRecycles intends to participate again next year. Thank you to Conor of Black Earth Compost for driving his truck in the parade.
- November 22 – Textile Drive – A signup sheet was passed around for members to pick slots between 7:45 to 3pm to volunteer. Julie Rose will not be present. Starbucks has graciously agreed to donate coffee, but a volunteer will need to pick this up. Additional information regarding the event was reviewed.
- There will be a Police Detail
- We will ask participants to answer a short 3 question survey.
- Facebook note - Up to 1034 likes, a lot of comments and shares on our recent initiatives such as the Butt Recycling, and the published Dual Stream Guide.
- Constant Contact – Salem recycles members brainstormed several articles that we can promote in November and ideas for future blog posts such as America Recycles Day – November 15th
Green Salem – The stats are good (25-30 unique and first time visits/day) for October.
Blog – Two new blog posts up in October. New ideas for November include the Textile Recycling, National Recycling Week, Textile Recycling, and begin Christmas packaging reminders. Continue to emphasize Dual Stream Recycling.
Themes for November December to emphasize in our communications:
- Holiday Packaging and Cold Weather Composting.
- Curbside composting – There are 880 total toters that we have given out. SalemRecycles will be able to distribute carts until June.
- If members or guests want to visit Composting facilities on November 20, in the afternoon, email Julie Rose for more details.
- Mandatory Recycling Update – Trash tonnage continues to go up in Salem; previous trash reporting issues from the contractor is deemed a large factor in this increase. A reminder that Salem has a law that states each house may only have 3 Trash Barrels or bags, Max 35 gallons, 50 pounds. Unlimited recycling and yardwaste. Pickup of furniture is free.
Other Business:
- Brainstorm possible New Recycling Ideas and Initiatives for 2015 and beyond.
- Foam event in Salem. Initial discussion of foam event in Salem for residents. Logistics of such an event seem daunting, and potential for confusion among residents with recycling information (FOAM CANNOT BE RECYCLED CURBSIDE) seem high. Perhaps revisit this in the future.
- Other suggestions for future events: CellPhones. Printer Cartridges
- Suggestion for a way to answer “Burning Recycling Questions” of residents. What is the medium for how this would be addressed? Examples of questions would be “Do you leave the plastic cap on soda bottles?” In the past, there was a creative suggestion for a Scavenger Hunt to disseminate information about basic recycling.
- Members and Guests are strongly encouraged to submit additional initiatives or ways to increase recycling rates, and good recycling in Salem.
Meeting closed at 7:45.
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