Sierra Club Santa Cruz Group Executive Committee
Meeting Minutes, February 14, 2018
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, Louden Nelson
Called to Order 6:35
Attending: Steve Bakaley, Keresha Durham, Gillian Greensite, Rick Longinotti, Mark Mesti-Miller, Jane Mio, Rachel O’Malley, Ron Pomerantz, Erica Stanojevic
Greg McPheeters, Mary Odegaard, Jack Nelson, Steve Leanord, Paul Johnston, Kevin Collins, Mike Guth, Lisa Sheridan
Online Votes
On January 23rd a motion to approve December 2017 executive committee meeting minutes passed.
On February 8th a motion to send a letter to the EPA regarding changes in water quality standards passed
Welcome – Member comments
Approval of Minutes – December Minutes Approved By Email Vote
Executive Committee
Welcome New Members (Greg)
Vote on Officers (Greg / New Chair)
Steve nominates Rick Longinotti as chair - Ron seconds; Rick accepts
Jane nominates Gillian as chair, Keresha seconds; Gillian accepts;
Gillian is voted in as chair
Steve nominates Rick for vice chair; Rachel seconds; Rick accepts; Rick is vice chair
Celebration of Greg’s time as chair
Steve nominates Erica as secretary; Rachel seconds; Erica accepts; unanimous
Rachel nominates Mary and Trician as co-treasurers; Steve seconds; Mary and Trician accept; unanimous
Review of bylaws for new and returning members. (New Chair)
Review of Committees and Committee Chairs (recommend ratify Committee Members in March)
Transportation committee roster:
Continuing members:
Jack Nelson - Chair, Debbie Bulger, Keresha Durham, Rick Longinotti, Mark Mesiti-Miller, Bob Morgan, Jim Danaher
And prospective new members, OK’d to add, once they confirm joining:
Connie Wilson, Sally Arnold, Bruce Sawhill
Gillian nominates Jack as chair - Jack will continue as chair
Next transportation meeting Wednesday Feb. 21st 7 - 9 pm
Steve moves to approve list of committee members; Mark seconds; unanimous
Discussion of Executive Committee Norms - tabled for time
Retreat - Erica and Jane will work on this
Treasurer’s Report (Mary)
Report on checking and savings account
Chapter is still not working out communicating regarding finances; Greg is communicating with National
Events and Outreach Committee (Steve)
Upcoming Events (approved)
o March 8, Rail With Transit
Keresha motions, Rick seconds to spend $572 dollars for ads for this event
Discussion
Motion passes
o March 15, Donna and Peter Thomas “Anything that is Wild”
o May 17 “America’s 13 National Marine Sanctuaries—our Underwater Treasures”
o July 19 Walker Hum, “Triple Crown of Backpacking/Long Distance Hiking”
Proposed Events (need approval)
o Request to Sponsor Transportation Justice Conference March 17th (Rick)
Erica moves that we co-sponsor event ($100 plus putting it out to our members); Steve seconds; unanimous
o Brief Presentation for a joint Sierra Club and Bird Club members walk (Jane)
100 Years of Migratory Bird Treaty act - Celebration with a walk;
Steve moves to approve the event; Rachel seconds; unanimous
Steve may help with co-leading it so long as dates work for him
Enthusiasm for Elkhorn Slough or Watsonville Wetlands
Next Meeting – tbd
Conservation Committee (Gillian)
Recommendation to approve letter opposing Nissan Car dealership on Soquel Ave./41st.
Guests Lisa Sheridan and one other for brief (5-10 minutes) presentation. Letter will be shared prior to meeting.
Nissan Dealership is applying for change of zoning from C2 mixed use commercial zoning to C4 commercial zoning
Lisa Sheridan has reviewed the Draft EIR is poorly written and lacks much information
Traffic study may be skewed
Regarding the letter, a concern that the letter wasn’t focused specifically on environment - traffic is mentioned however not other aspects of the environment; Lisa responds that traffic is one of the primary concerns
Rick is willing to work with Lisa to improve the letter to incorporate more sustainable language
Rachel motions to accept the letter with the concern that Rick works with Lisa to make the land use section more clear; Ron seconds;
Gillian cautions that any language must be carefully worded to make sure that we do not take a position on the corridors plan before discussing it
Friendly amendment to add a sentence regarding greenhouse gases and environmental concerns
Motion passes
Recommendation to approve letter re city Parks Master Plan Mitigated Negative Declaration. Letter makes case for EIR.
Rick questions if it makes sense to ask the city to hire an environmental analyst for these types of plans
Rachel says it would help however city may or may not actually use information
Ron moves approval; Rick seconds;
Steve notes that the acronyms be explicit and also notes a grammar error
Rachel notes a few other typos as well
Unanimous
Recommendation to approve letter re Sanborn Park Master Plan, supporting at their request, Loma Prieta
Keresha notes an error in email at bottom
Also notes an ask about keeping Sierra Club updated and about the mechanism about how this would be done
Also a question about headwaters instead of watershed vocabulary
Rachel moves approval of letter; Keresha seconds; unanimous
Update on county Cannabis issue. Important hearing date. Need for liaison. Kevin Collins presents
Shows a map which shows lands being opened to cannabis cultivation
Concern that there are residential neighborhoods that will be impacted
Concern about rodenticide use
Concern that this affects bobcats and other wildlife as well
Concern about rodenticides being in our watershed
Would like an email message out about this issue
County is attempting to use exemption for their EIR
Kevin will draft the email; Keresha, Gillian, and Rachel will help review and Steve will send
Steve will ask if he can send out an extra email this time, otherwise email will go out early March
Rachel motions to send out an email; second from Keresha
Unanimous
Adjourned 8:33