MARKHAM CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

1. CALL TO ORDER

Brent Mersey, Chair, called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m.

2. AGENDA

The agenda was accepted with the following addition:

a) Field Trip to a Green Bin Facility

3. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE MARKHAM ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON NOVEMBER 20, 2008

The minutes were accepted with the following change indicated in italics:

NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 15^th, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the Ontario Room.

Moved by Philip Ling

Seconded by Tom Rado

THAT the minutes of the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee held on November 20^th, 2008 be adopted as amended.

CARRIED

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

a) Annual York Region Environmental Advisory Committee Meeting

Chair Brent Mersey will follow up with Christopher Sauer about the status of the Official Report that the Committee plans to submit to Council. Committee members were asked to submit any comments for the report to either Brent Mersey or Christopher Sauer.

b) Request for Town email address

This item will be handled by the incoming Committee Chair.

c) Communication with Town of Markham Clerk’s Office

This item will be handled by the incoming Committee Chair.

d) Profiles of Committee Members

Chair Brent Mersey reported that only a few profiles have been received and circulated those profiles as examples. He encouraged new Committee members and others who have not yet submitted their profile, to do so as soon as possible so they may be included in the material presented to Council at the General Committee meeting on February 9, 2009. The profiles will also be placed on the Committee website when it is developed.

e) Presentation to Town of Markham Council

Chair Brent Mersey and Vice Chair Philip Ling will make a presentation on behalf of the Committee to Town of Markham Council at the General Committee meeting on February 9, 2009. Using Philip Ling’s letter as a starting point, the presentation to Council will advise who the Committee members are, where the Committee is now and the excitement and vision the Committee has for the future.

Brent Mersey and Philip Ling will draft the presentation over the next week. By January 25^th, they will email their draft to Committee members for review and comment. Responses from Committee members will be needed within two days. Brent Mersey and Philip Ling will then finalize the presentation and submit it to the Clerk’s Office by the end of that week.

f) Planning Committee Initiatives for 2009

Chair Brent Mersey reported that Lloyd Helferty had submitted a list of potential projects and Joyce Chau had reviewed the Greenprint website.

It was suggested that Committee members become engaged in activities that are aligned with Town of Markham’s strategic plans, such as the Greenprint initiative or cleanup initiatives, interactive events like the past David Suzuki visit, or Conservation, Trees and Urban Forest, and Waste initiatives. Committee members were encouraged to make known any area in which they might have an interest.

5. NEW BUSINESS

a) Election of Committee Chair and Vice Chair

It was

Moved by Tom Rado

Seconded by Serena Chin

THAT Philip Ling be appointed as Chair of the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee by unanimous acclamation.

CARRIED

Moved by Joyce Chau

Seconded by Serena Chin

THAT Tom Rado be appointed as Vice Chair of the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee by unanimous acclamation.

CARRIED

6. OTHER BUSINESS

a) Committee Field Trip to a Green Bin Facility

Chair Brent Mersey will investigate the best time for Committee members to visit such a facility.

7. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Markham Environmental Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, February 19^th, 2009 at 7 p.m. in the Ontario Room.

8. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m. on a motion from Tom Rado, seconded by Serena Chin.

ATTENDANCE

Members

Staff

Regrets