Borough of Point Pleasant Beach Point Pleasant Beach Environmental Commission
Meeting Minutes
Meeting commenced at approximately 7:02 PM with the Sunshine Law/Roll Call.
Environmental Commission Members present:
Chair Peter Ritchings, Cathy Sogorka, Patti Villani, Cary Mulkeen
Commission Members absent with reason:
Anne Lightburn, Dave Russell and Council Liaison Paul Kanitra.
Cathy Sogorka went through the Green Team Advisory Committee Sustainable Jersey Action Item Status. The Green Team and Environmental Commission are working towards Sustainable Jersey Silver Certification.
Report of Officers:
Peter Ritchings indicated that the Environmental Commission had not received any mail items or applications for review. With the recent resignation of Kelly Romanowski, Chair Ritchings indicated that there is an Environmental Commission vacancy that we should seek to fill as soon as possible. Environmental Commission Chair Peter Ritchings also indicated that he would like someone to volunteer for the role of Commission secretary with the primary responsibility of taking meeting notes and preparing meeting minutes.
Treasurer Report:
There was a brief discussion of the Environmental Commission budget. There were no new expenditures and no new expenditures voted on at this meeting.
Committee Task Force and Project Status Reports
Counsel Status Report/Update: None provided. Counsel Liaison Paul Kanitra was not present.
Shade Tree Commission: Anne Lightburn reported to the Commission on a number of activities on the part of the Shade Tree Commission including tree removal by Jersey Central Power & Light along route 35 southbound and perspective tree species for replanting where applicable and practical. There was a discussion of the continued downtown street tree replacement program. The Shade Tree Commission has prepared hazard tree notification letters which were sent out by Code Enforcement to properties where has hazard trees had been identified.
Open Space Advisory Committee: Anne Lightburn was not present.
Planning Board: Chair Ritchings, who serves on the Planning Board advised the Commission that there were no May applications.
Ongoing Business – Status Reports: The Commission discussed the DPW stickers to be placed on recycling receptacles in an effort to educate townspeople and hopefully achieve greater recycling compliance.
The Commission agreed to join the Point Pleasant Beach Chamber of Commerce.
There was another discussion regarding the plastic bag ban effective in May of 2018 and the continued lack of compliance by some of the major retailers in town.
Upcoming Events: The Commission discussed participation in this year’s Seafood Festival on September 21, 2019.
Public Comment/Public Participation: A gentleman attending the meeting asked about the Randall Avenue right of way which terminates at Lake Louise and whether there were any further improvements planned. The Commission indicated that they were still considering some modest landscape improvements, perhaps a tree behind the existing bench.
Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:05 PM.
