SC 03-16-2017CITY OF CUPERTINO SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
Environmental Education Center 22221 McClellan Road
Thursday March 16, 2017 4:00 PM
MINUTES
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
The meeting convened at 4:02 pm
Commissioners Present: Meera Ramanathan, Angela Chen, Anna Weber, Gary Latshaw
and Vignesh Swaminathan (arrived @ 4:06)
Commissioner Absent: None
Staff: Misty Mersich, Sustainability Manager; Cheri Donnelly, Environmental Programs
Manager; Roger Lee, Assistant Director of Public Works
Guest: Councilmember Darcy Paul, Robin Grossinger, SFEI
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Draft minutes of February 16, 2017 meeting approved . Motion by Commissioner
Ramanathan, 2nd by Commissioner Weber. Motion passes 3-0-2 with Latshaw abstaining
and Swaminathan absent.
POSTPONEMENTS
None.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Subject: Update on Sustainable Strategies for Recycling and Waste
Management
Roger Lee, Assistant Director of Public Works gave a brief update on staff's findings
to date on sustainable strategies for recycling and waste. In the Recology franchise
agreement is 75 % diversion, and we are not meeting this goal based on population.
We are meeting the goal based on employment. Staff has been studying the issue
and some of the ideas proposed in January. To get single digit diversion numbers,
could mean double digit increases. We don't want to do this. Instead utility and
leverage the franchise agreement amendments to increase education and look at our
current barriers in our current system to increase diversion without having to
increase rates or go with an entire new way of dealing with our city's waste streams.
Staff wants to make sure we do all that is possible in our current system before
going to extreme measures. Staff answered questions from commissioners.
2. Subject: Feedback on Zero Waste Policy
Item postponed to May.
3. Subject: Earth Day
Commissioners discussed and agreed to host a table at Earth Day. Commissioners
are to send Misty their availability. Commissioner Vignesh let the group know that
he will not be available . Commissioner Latshaw was not sure if he would be
available, but would let the group know. Misty will work with Commissioner Chen
on logistics and organizing possible prizes.
NEW BUSINESS
4. Subject: Presentation-Resilient Silicon Valley: Designing healthier landscapes
for people and nature by Robin Grossinger San Francisco Estuary Institute.
STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS
5 . Commission Reports
Commissioners decided to cancel the special meeting for April. Motion by
Commissioner Latshaw, 2 nd by Commissioner Swaminathan. Next Meeting will be May
18th, 2017.
6. Staff Updates
Misty gave a brief update on the Silicon Valley Clean Energy launch event taking place
on April 2, 2017 at Community Hall.
ADJOURNMENT-6:07pm.