Rock Island Today

City of Moline Keep Moline Beautiful Commission met April 12.

Here is the minutes provided by the Commission:

Present: Rodd Schick, Lori Turner, Sue Ratkiewicz, Diane Slover, Kristen Bergren, Susan Wolf

Also attended: Greg Johnson, Mary Lind, Julia Fout

Absent: Adam Holland

Sue Ratkiewicz called the meeting to order.

Motion to accept the minutes of the March 8th, 2018 meeting was made and seconded. Motion carried.

Old Business:

Committee Reports and Updates:

➢ The commission will continue to identify projects for KMB. Rodd will email the Goals/Objectives updated worksheets, the KMB mission statement and our KMB materials which were submitted to Keep America Beautiful to the KMB commission members so that we will have information at-the-ready when grants become available.

• City Update and Blue Can Group: Rodd reported that the City Council accepted the new recycling contract bid from Midland Davis which will include purchasing all new, city-wide 95-gallon containers for single stream recycling including glass and aseptic plastic (asceptic plastic are multi-material packaging like juice boxes and milk cartons) through a Closed Loop Fund Grant that would provide the opportunity to purchase the carts at 0% financing. Rodd noted that while the new carts hold considerable more volume than the old carts, the footprint of the new carts is not that much larger. Midland Davis is investigating uses for the old bins, perhaps for food compost collection. Rodd said that the black garbage bins have a life expectancy of another 10 years at which time the old carts would be replaced by smaller garbage carts. The new contract requires that Midland Davis do some city-wide marketing and education on the new items that are allowed. When the Closed Loop Grant is secured, it will take about 60 days to order and receive the new recycle bins and then marketing and education on new recyclable items allowed will begin. Besides reclaimed glass, the recyclables market is profitable. Rodd informed the Commission that the City will begin a pilot recycling program in some City parks; garbage and recycling bins with good instructions and Keep Moline Beautiful signage to prevent contamination, will be set-up side-by-side at Green Valley, Sylvan Island and Butterworth Parkway. Sue noted Bettendorf’s explicit signage along parkway paths and at side-by-side bins as a good example. The pilot program will be advertised on social media.

• Garden Guardians: Mary and Greg will discuss emailing renewal applications to all Guardian contacts.

• QC Earth Coalition Update: Greg created a Keep Moline Beautiful logo ink stamp to use at our events and to

stamp Quad Cities Earth Coalition Summer Passports.

• Great American Cleanup Event: Greg and Rodd will organize hundreds of Moline residents to participate in the Great American Cleanup around the City during April. KMB members will hold their annual cleanup of the Kiwanis Bike Path on 4/28 at 10am. KMB members will also man a booth at the Niabi Zoo Earth Day event on April 21 and 22 with the Recycle Super Hero cutouts and recycling activities. Julia will inquire at the high school about interest in organizing another cleanup of the Moline High grounds. She will also inform students of the volunteer opportunities available with the Great American Cleanup events and the KMB Earth Day Zoo event. Rodd and Greg announced the 13th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic will be on Saturday, April 21st at Riverside Park Shelter from 11:00am-1:00pm.

• Arbor Day: Greg informed the Commission that April 27th is Arbor Day and that trees have been planted over the years at Moline schools; most Moline schools now have one or two Arbor Day trees. Diane suggested that this good work be advertised.

• Touch-A-Truck: KMB volunteers will man a booth at the Touch-A-Truck event on May 12th from 9:00a.m.- noon, to educate the community on single stream recycling and the Garden Guardian program with sorting recycling activities, planting activities and photo ops with the Recycling Superhero cutouts. New Business:

➢ The commission discussed the idea of holding meetings at 4:00pm instead of 4:30pm on the 2nd Thursday of each month, but it was decided that the 4:30pm start time will continue for the time being.

➢ The Commission decided that the recycling promotion and education of the new single stream program will begin after the new carts are ordered and delivery dates are set. Rodd will ask Kathy Morris, Scott Area Landfill director, about meeting with the KMB Commission to educate us on community marketing and education on single stream recycling.

➢ Mary asked if Rodd could inform the commission about the City’s green cart yard waste subscription program at the next meeting.

A motion was made to adjourn the meeting at 5:30pm. Motion seconded and passed.

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