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MINUTES - Environmental Advisory Committee - 20151105 TOWN OF AURORA ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Date: Thursday, November 5, 2015 Time and Location: 7 p.m., Leksand Room, Aurora Town Hall Committee Members: Councillor Mrakas (Chair), Councillor Pirri (Vice Chair), Melville James, Sara Varty, Nancee Webb, and Kristina Zeromskiene Member(s) Absent: Irene Clement, Larry Fedec, and Danielle Howell Other Attendees: Christina Nagy-Oh, Program Manager, Environmental Initiatives, and Samantha Kong, Council/Committee Secretary The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. 1. DECLARATION OF PECUNIARY INTEREST AND GENERAL NATURE THEREOF There were no declarations of pecuniary interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Moved by Melville James Seconded by Sara Varty THAT the agenda as circulated by Legal and Legislative Services be approved. CARRIED 3. RECEIPT OF THE MINUTES Environmental Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of September 3, 2015 Environmental Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 5, 2015 Page 2 of 4 Moved by Nancee Webb Seconded by Melville James THAT the Environmental Advisory Committee meeting minutes of September 3, 2015, be received for information. CARRIED 4. DELEGATIONS None 5. MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION 1. Correspondence from Melville James, EAC Member Re: Proposed Environmental Seminar/Forum Mr. James provided a brief overview of the proposed Environmental Seminar/Forum and the Committee was interested in creating a sub-committee, comprised of Committee members and community members, to organize this event. Moved by Melville James Seconded by Nancee Webb THAT the correspondence from Melville James, EAC Member, regarding Proposed Environmental Seminar/Forum be received; and THAT a working group comprised of three (3) Environmental Advisory Committee members be established to organize the 2016 Community Environmental Forum; and The Environmental Advisory Committee recommend to Council: THAT $1,000 from the 2016 Environmental Initiatives budget be allocated to the 2016 Community Environmental Forum. CARRIED 6. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 1. Memorandum from Program Manager, Environmental Initiatives Re: Clean Air Council Declaration Environmental Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 5, 2015 Page 3 of 4 The Committee inquired about who attended the Clean Air Council (CAC) Summit on the Town’s behalf and if each participating municipality is committed to the same priorities. Staff indicated that Councillor Abel attended the Summit and that each municipality is committed to a set of goals and priorities that are independently established for their own communities. Moved by Councillor Pirri Seconded by Kristina Zeromskiene THAT the memorandum regarding Clean Air Council Declaration be received for information. CARRIED 2. Certificate of Recycling from Ontario Lamp Recyclers Inc. Re: Lamp Recycling Project with Town of Aurora Moved by Councillor Pirri Seconded by Sara Varty THAT the Certificate of Recycling from Ontario Lamp Recyclers Inc. regarding the Lamp Recycling Project with Town of Aurora be received for information. CARRIED 3. Extract from Council Meeting of September 29, 2015 Re: Environmental Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of September 3, 2015 Moved by Nancee Webb Seconded by Sara Varty THAT the Extract from Council Meeting of September 29, 2015, regarding the Environmental Advisory Committee meeting minutes of September 3, 2015, be received for information. CARRIED 7. NEW BUSINESS The Committee discussed the City of San Francisco initiative that prohibits the use of plastic water bottles on city property, and inquired about the feasibility of the Town prohibiting plastic water bottles within Town facilities. Environmental Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 5, 2015 Page 4 of 4 New Business Motion No. 1 Moved by Nancee Webb Seconded by Councillor Pirri The Environmental Advisory Committee recommend to Council: THAT staff be directed to report back to the Environmental Advisory Committee on the feasibility of prohibiting the use of plastic water bottles in Town facilities. CARRIED The Committee discussed David Suzuki’s blue dot program which is a movement for local Canadian municipalities to pass declarations respecting people’s right to live in a healthy environment, to ultimately have provinces pass environmental bills of rights and amend the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. New Business Motion No. 2 Moved by Nancee Webb Seconded by Sara Varty THAT background information be provided to the Committee regarding the blue dot program. CARRIED Councillor Pirri noted that he would be attending an FCM board meeting on November 16, 2015, to meet with Members of Parliament. Nancee Webb advised that she would be unable to attend the Trails and Active Transportation Committee meetings and inquired whether another member would attend as an EAC representative. The Committee requested that the meeting date and time be circulated to them by email for consideration. Staff inquired whether a member would attend the Regional Environmental Advisory Committee meeting on November 26, 2015, at 6:30 p.m. and Melville James volunteered to attend on staff’s behalf. 8. ADJOURNMENT Moved by Nancee Webb Seconded by Melville James THAT the meeting be adjourned at 7:45 p.m. CARRIED COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOT BINDING ON THE TOWN UNLESS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AT A LATER MEETING.