Sonoma County Bag Ban Strategizing Campaign
Minutes Feb. 22, 2011
Present: Melissa Bushway, Laurie-Ann Barbour, Brant Arthur, Ken Wells, Mary Munat
Marin lawsuit
• last minute by plastics industry – Stephen Joseph
• Mary communicated with Stuart Moody re: support, who urges letters to the editor, and moving the bag discussion to expand to “Addicted to Plastics”
• This news from Stuart re: Marin (Note: For our information only!)
• Yes, letters to the editor are a top priority.
“… the County is glad to draw fire b/c they expect a positive outcome in the courts, which would then put an end to ‘nuisance lawsuits’ and ‘nuisance EIR's.’ If you want to screen Bag It in SoCo, that would be so timely now. We have an extra copy, and I'd be glad to help if needed.”
New participants and connections
• Clean Seas Coalition - Leslie shares that she is tied in with Clean Seas Coalition, who forwards the most recent conference call amongst dozens of environmental activists and organizations all around plastics, litter, and bag bans. Mary posting on ReduceSingleUse.org
• LIFEE in particular interested in becoming more involved in this next strategizing campaign.
• Surfrider extends big wish for lending a hand as well.
• Miriam Gordon there requests connection to people up on, involved with compostable bags and problems with… Mary connecting her to Will Bakx
• This from Dennis Rosatti of SCCA “SCCA Board took action last night to give me fairly broad authority to prioritize this issue and get us actively involved in it. I look forward to the attending the groups next meeting- Ken said it was cancelled for next week- let me know if/when it gets rescheduled.”
Media/PR/Outreach
• Got DVD’s of Public Forum from CMC – Ann has one, Mary has one
• Mary asked Willard to coordinate running the forum longer via public access
• Leslie and Mary through CRRA GIVE planning a webinar for beyond plastics
• Website updated, posted the Wall Street Journal poll on “should plastic bags be banned?” and as of Feb. 22, 60% of respondents were saying YES! Removed March 3
• Website now has Bag It, Plastics State of Mind, and ways to learn more about bag ban laws and movement (link), asks people to contact Mary to jump in for round two.
Drafting the ordinance
• In pondering the language of our desired ordinance, we need to help research:
• Desired mil of reusable bags
• The stores that will be affected – we propose all grocery, drug and liquor stores for first round.
• Then retailers, restaurants and to-go food, thrift stores
• Propose .50 paper bag fee
• Laurie-Ann writing to plasticbaglaws.org regarding the “must includes” for our ordinance
• How/what to draft that would include polystyrene? Ken mentions that there is no one fighting against those bans.
• Get newest ordinances from Marin, SF – who has done their second round
Next immediate steps
• Mary to draft follow up and thank you co-host letter, just getting out March 4…
• Get on the agenda at city council meetings to urge our elected representatives on the JPA to instruct the WMA to draft the ordinance (see likely supporters, city council meeting details below)
Decision-makers/supporters
• What has occurred thus far: Patrick Carter SCWMA sent out letter to all stores that would be affected, as of Feb. 22 no responses
• Supervisor support – Mike McGuire, Shirlee Zane
• Focus on decision makers, how to keep any steam we’ve got built up puffing away.
• Suggest to Henry Mikus putting out an RFP which will reveal the cost of an EIR, Ken says
• We to contact our electeds asking them to encourage their JPA rep to speak out at WMA in favor of the bag ban. Get it on the agenda at each city, to bring to the WMA.
City Council Members who may be helpful/supportive of Bag Ban, meeting time details and who has been contacted thus far. Contact information previously sent to So Co Bag Ban core team, available to anyone who requests it. Phone calls are a bit more powerful than emails, but emails are great, too.
Cloverdale: Joe Palla, Carol Russel 6:30 pm Second and fourth Wednesdays of each month
Healdsburg: Jim Wood. This from their website as a city goal: “Provide leadership to implement community actions that promote environmentally sound practices and expand public outreach to promote conservation and sustainability.” City Council and Redevelopment Agency of the City of Healdsburg (RDA) meet the first and third Mondays of the month (except holidays) at 6:00 P.M
Windsor: Deb Fudge Mary wrote to Maria De la O, town clerk. Town Council meetings third Wed. each month, 6PM
Sebastopol: Kathleen Schaffer, Sara Gurney, Guy Wilson - first and third Tuesdays, 6PM. email sent to Sarah Gurney
Santa Rosa: Gary Wysocky, John Sawyer, Susan Gorin? Regular meetings of the City Council are usually held each Tuesday (there is no City Council meeting on a Tuesday that follows a legal holiday OR on the fourth Tuesday of the month) at City Hall, 100 Santa Rosa Avenue. The public portions of regular meetings which are held in the Council Chambers at City Hall generally begin at 4:00 p.m. Public study session(s) and closed session(s) portions of regular meetings, when held, are usually held in Room 10, City Hall earlier in the afternoon. The public is welcome to attend and participate in all public sessions of the Council. Current agenda information is available by calling the City Manager's Office at (707) 543-3010
Rohnert Park: Pam Stafford Jake McKinsey City Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the City Hall Council Chamber. Meetings officially begin at 5:00 p.m.
Cotati: Susan Harvey, Janet Orchard The Cotati City Council meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber located at 201 West Sierra Avenue, Cotati.
Sonoma: Steve Barbose The City Council normally meets at 6:00 p.m., on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Meetings are held in the Community Meeting Room at 177 First Street West, Sonoma California.
Petaluma: Tiffany Renee The City Council meets regularly on the first and third Mondays of each month. Closed Session, if any, is generally scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Open Session is held at 7:00 p.m. The meetings are held at City Hall, 11 English Street, in the Council Chambers. Mary wrote to Tiff, who helped us mightily with our ReduceSingleUse website!
Future actions:
- Co-hosts – who goes to city council meetings and can speak up on behalf of getting bag ban on the agenda, pushing it at the county level?
- Partner with SCCA, Dennis Rosatti invited to next meeting, Amie from Leadership Institute
- Keep working on decision makers, connnecting with other organizations and activities
- Webinar with other orgs for life beyond plastics
- Core crew to contact our city council reps
Mary and Leslie – Windsor
Laurie-Ann – Cotati
Melissa – Petaluma
Ken – Santa Rosa(?)
Etc, find out who is from where and can attend to speak out on the matter. Get it on the agendas, keep it in the forefront.
Next meeting: Tues, March 8, 11AM, 900 College Ave. Santa Rosa, conference room upstairs.
Sonoma County Bag Forum, Bag Ban Campaign
So Co Bag Ban, minutes Feb. 22, next steps
