Boundary Air Quality Committee

BOUNDARY AIR QUALITY COMMITTEE

REGULAR MEETING OF MEMBERS TUESDAY, APRIL 22ND, 2008

PRESENT: CHRIS MOSLIN INGRID LIPA MIKE VAN EK RANDY FRANK CHER WYERS MICHELE CASKEY KARIN KILPATRICK INGO FRANKFURT DALE BONKE MIKE REINER PETER REGENBERG JOE MOTTISHAW

CITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Diane Heinrich

CALL TO ORDER:

Chris Moslin called the Meeting to order at 11:35 AM. Chris Welcomed Ingrid Lipa to the meeting and made around the table committee introductions.

ADOPTION OF AGENDA:

AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA: Would like to add item 8 to agenda – Dispersion Modeling & add Clean Air Day under Idle Free Ambassador

RESOLVED THAT THE APRIL 22ND, 2008 BAQC AGENDA BE ADOPTED AS CIRCULATED. CARRIED.

MINUTES:

AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES FROM MARCH 18TH: :  Correct Spelling: Liepa is Lipa, Michelle is Michele (was incorrect in body of minutes)

RESOLVED THAT THE MINUTES OF THE BAQC REGULAR MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 22ND, 2008 BE ADOPTED AS CIRCULATED WITH ABOVE NOTED CHANGES. Regular Meeting of BAQC April 22nd, 2008

CARRIED.

3. BUDGET REPORT – CHRIS MOSLIN:

 Prepared by Cecile Arnott – Accountant-Controller for the City of Grand Forks.  Chris went over the 2008 Revenue & Expenditure Report as of March 31, 2008

4. AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH – MICHELE CASKEY/INGO FRANKFURT:

 Michele presented her report included in package on the all day conference on March 28th, 2008. Both Ingo and Michele stated that it was a very good conference – very interesting. At least 200 people in attendance. Regarding Diesel emissions – no highway should be within 50 meters of public buildings e.g. schools, day care, Senior’s centre.  Moved that the BAQC rent booths for Boundary Air Quality and for BC Lung (2 booths) at the fall fair at the cost of $100.00. Michele seconded the motion. Carried. Michele Caskey asked that the Fall Fair committee if they could be indoors for the booths and they could be free.  Moved that the BAQC join Cher’s (Chamber) team to participate in the Relay for Life on May 31st. Minimum amount is 8 people for a team. Cher – Team Leader with Michele, Karin, Chris, Ingo, Joe are willing to join. Chris will tell Heather Starchuk that the team would like a table and it may be possible for the new Idle Free Ambassador to man the booth.

5. DEVELOPMENT OF AQMP (Air Quality Management Plan) – INGRID LIPA:

Presented a PowerPoint Presentation: Ingrid has a great understanding on air quality issues and works at a community level. She will be identifying with a lot of issues with a variety of folks’ issues.

 Team Goals  Culture  Climate  Performance  Flags (any Red Flags)  Choosing the right Program

Process Variables

1) Speed and Finish Lines Where would you describe where this group is at? Joe M. stated that fall was reasonable approachable time limit. Mike R - Timing depends on where the overall targets are. Is all target information available? Yes, in February, 2007. 2) Level of Facilitation Chris stated that the group is well into their plans and would try to incorporate what has been worked on until now regarding each stakeholder’s plans. 3) Writing Support Regular Meeting of BAQC April 22nd, 2008

A plan could be written in a course of a month if that’s the course the group wishes to take. 4) Feedback Loops Ingrid advised e.g. getting one draft done – reassess and going back again. 5) Internal Management Who’s in charge? Is there a smaller sub-set, co-chairs for decisions, consensus when possible? Chris stated that the group prefers consensus – more powerful as a group if possible. 6) Authority 7) Decision Process Karin stated - As far as decision making she feels, as a group, they’re not following by consensus – but by Robert’s Rules. Are we going to have a true voice for citizen reps? Karin expressed concerned that City Council is going to “Cherry Pick” or veto the committee’s decisions. Joe says that consensus method may not be a 100% - Robert’s Rules needs to come into play sometime. Ingrid: Do we have the right stakeholders around this table that can be the voice for citizens? Groups needs to create a plan (a document) that is not going to be “Cherry Picked”. Michele has always felt that the group is transparent. We are citizens of this community first and part of the group secondary. 8) Electronic/Telephone vs. Face to Face How much of this process can be done by phone and computer vs. personal contact? Ingrid stated that distance is an issue for her face to face and that phone and email are a preferred way of communication. She also asked if the group had access to an “Internet Hub” where each member could communicate and post their ideas, concerns, etc. Joe mentioned shortened micro-meetings for time issues.

Work/Decision Process

i. Weight of plan with City and Region ii. Consensus? Majority Vote? Oligarchy? iii. Sub-committee or whole committee? iv. Representation of stakeholders on Team v. Consultation with external stakeholder, community

Process 101: Grease & Ball Bearings i. Humour ii. Attentional overview skills iii. Constructive engagement iv. Don’t take things personally v. Knowing what you can and can’t live with (Looking for solutions that everyone can live with) vi. Listening Land Mines i. Not speaking up when you have a concern

Ingrid went through Merrit Plan as part of the package:

 Three goals easily understood by the citizens  Target concentrations (extreme targets and PM)  Sources  Inventory  Feedback Phase  Recommendations Regular Meeting of BAQC April 22nd, 2008

 Signatories

Action Item: for Mike Reiner & Joe Mottishaw. Check with Merrit contacts on their plan and progression. To see what their detailed plan entails. Dale Bonke from MoE: suggested that Ralph Adams would have valuable feedback – good expertise. Ingrid: Does the group wish to invite someone from the Merritt process? Karin: Someone perhaps from Environment Quality?

Let’s determine what the background process is going to be? VOC’s present a problem in Grand Forks. Also the possibility of Greenhouse Gases, Carbon Tax, Agricultural burning? Spray drift from fertilizers and spray? Will the Grand Forks plan incorporate these? This group needs a starting point of what needs to be included in our air quality plan.

Ingrid to provide a short list of other air quality management plans’ goals to present to the group where they can add or delete to suite our community needs.

NEXT STEPS i. Developing annotated table of contents ii. Short list of AQMP Goals

Ingrid suggests a website hub that all of the group could access a one stop shop.

Homework (from Agenda):

1. Please reflect on your capacity to be involved in reviewing and discussing elements of the plan as they are developed, and provide a realistic assessment of how much time you can put into this project on a monthly basis between May and November, including meetings (i.e. hours/month). Please also think about your involvement over the summer period, from about June 15th – September 2nd: will it step up or step down?

2. Merritt’s AQMP was seen by a number of committee members as a good starting template for the BAQMP, at the same time recognizing that Boundary has its own unique situation that is likely to result in a plan that will look quite different from Merritt’s once it is completed. That said, please take some time to familiarize yourself with Merritt’s plan and think about it:

(i) What should be the essential contents for Boundary’s plan?

(ii) What sort of things are going to be unique/different for Boundary’s plan?

(iii) What kind of “authority” the plan practically should have?

6. WOOD STOVE EXCHANGE PROJECT – JOHN VERE:  Five people have completed the exchange thus disposing of their old woodstove.  A lot of people that have inquired to use program - do not qualify (Area E – Midway- Beaverdell) – John Vere hopes that the program will expand to include them.  To date, he has lots of contacts – program should really take off by this fall Regular Meeting of BAQC April 22nd, 2008

 Goal this year is still to change out 40 stoves – John is confident we should get to about 20 successful exchanges.

7. IDLE FREE AMBASSADOR PROJECT – CHRIS MOSLIN/JOE MOTTISHAW:

 Clean Air Day  Michele announced that they received very limited supplies for advertising for Environment Week as that there is a grant available to supplement this effort. Chris also suggested to apply to BC Transit for the $2,000.available Grant to obtain funds to offset this week.  Christine Grossutti is now hired as our area Idle Free Ambassador. Chris briefly showed a plan for the area on screen for the Idle Free Ambassador’s projected activities  12 Ambassadors are hired for the Province

8. DISPERSION MODELLING:  $15,000.00 is available as per the Budget Report enclosed in package  Paul Willis is going to want Terms of Reference – City may or may not agree to the terms  Which Contractor is going to Tender? Up to City to assist the Contractor.  Chris asked who would like to be a part of this process? Hope to happen this summer: Paul Willis, Chris, Karin, Ingo, (Karin to talk to Lyle to see if he’ll join).

9. NEXT MEETING DATE: Discussed Evening Meetings vs. Day Meetings.  Tuesday, May 27th – 11:30 AM

10. QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

 Roy Ronaghan stated he’s not a reporter but an interested resident only. Passing on the street, he received a comment from a resident stating, “We don’t have a pollution problem-- if we did, we’d be dead!”  Queried the Idle Free Ambassador Program: Concerned with Truckers idling. Ambassador will be pointing out the City bylaw to individuals who violate this bylaw. Ronaghan asked if the City rec’d any complaints on idling vehicles? Chris remarked - Not that they know of to date. City will issue a letters of warning to violators.  Based on info from BC Lung Association Report on main highways being 50 meters from public. Roy stated that he did write to Council regarding Gyro Park – will you be warning participants of the new park that they’re relaxing in a diesel exhaust zone?  Roy also asked if there’s a chance of a Truck Bypass Route being implemented for our City?

ADJOURNMENT:

RESOLVED THAT THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE BAQC BE ADJOURNED AT 1:45 PM. Regular Meeting of BAQC April 22nd, 2008

CARRIED.