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Sustainable BC committee approves December minutes; staff outline compost pilot, electronics recycling, tree plantings and grant efforts
Summary
The Sustainable BC Committee approved the minutes from its December meeting unanimously on Feb. 24, then received staff updates on composting pilots, electronics recycling, tree plantings, and grant applications.
The Sustainable BC Committee approved the minutes from its December meeting unanimously on Feb. 24. Patty Hoke moved to approve the minutes and Bessie Ploog seconded; the chair recorded unanimous approval.
Committee members then heard a series of staff updates from the City of Battle Creek environmental department and volunteers about ongoing programs and upcoming events.
Patty Hoke said staff are continuing conversations with Consumers Energy about an on-demand program that would serve city facilities including City Hall, Verona Wellfield and the wastewater plant. She also reported exploratory work on a potential food-waste compost pilot in partnership with My Green Michigan and said staff are identifying possible pilot locations; the city is watching recent pilot launches in Portage and other Michigan communities.
Bessie Ploog reviewed near-term volunteer opportunities and events: a March electronics and polystyrene (styrofoam) collection that will need volunteers to help sort materials, and multiple tree-planting events in April (staff identified the week of April 7 and the week of April 20 as target timeframes). Ploog said details and signups are posted on vcwater.org.
Hoke and staff also described grant work: the committee submitted a pre-proposal for the Sustain Our Great Lakes grant to address invasive-species treatment along the linear path from Bailey Park and are coordinating with the Kalamazoo River Watershed Council on tree-planting funds and site work. Hoke said she expects to invite Sarah Lundy from the county to present on the county’s required municipal solid-waste plan update at a future meeting.
Ryan Ranke of the Calhoun Conservation District told members he is conducting a conservation needs assessment to gather public input; he said he will share the survey with the committee email chain. Committee members asked Hoke to circulate a summary of the city’s 2024 sustainability accomplishments and noted an interest in focusing on government management and waste chapters of the sustainability plan during 2025.
