Charlestown Township
Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC)
Meeting Minutes
Monday, January 13, 2025

Armstrong opened the meeting at 7:02

Attendees:
Carol Armstrong (Chair), Dan Walker (Vice-chair), Meg Solomon (Secretary), Jill Green, Pete Goodman, Faith Talnac

December Minutes approved.

Place Holders

(Reminder of EAC-initiated projects for next 6+ months):

New Business

  1. EAC web page where residents can get information on our resources and on disposing of household items – Anu will work on getting a list posted on the EAC page of the Charlestown Township website. She will also work on managing the EAC page as a lot of content is being posted.
  2. Great Backyard Bird Count Feb. 14-17, 2025 – Green will contact GVHS admin to see if they are interested.
  3. Sustainable HOAs – someone from Charlestown Hunt responded to the survey that Rachel Griffin sent out to all townships in Chester County.
  4. Girl Scout project placement of pollinator plant info sheets on EAC website – Aarna Singh wants to put a garden in Charlestown Park full of native pollinator plants that bloom all season. She is developing the documentation. The plant list will be published on the EAC page of the website. Armstrong to communicate with Singh.

Old Business

  1. Adoption by EAC of Charlestown Road for PennDOT – next clean-up April 5th, 7-10AM. Green to contact P&R to get it on their website and Facebook pages.
  2. Review of BoS, PC, P&R meeting highlights – (Green - BoS, Walker - PC, Armstrong - P&R ). Dan Mount stepped down as chair. Agritainment, ???, grid scale solar, in-law suites are topics being discussed in PC.
  3. Creation of EAC Events calendar, Social media subcommittee of EAC – Green will share the calendar of EAC activities (those that are known for 2025) with P&R. Green reached out to Makinlee Fox and they are meeting this month.
  4. Swiss Pines – no update.
  5. Kwiamwis Siputët Signage – interpretive sign vs PA historical marker debate (maybe both). Armstrong will discuss with P&R first - no update.
  6. Single Use Plastics Ban Ordinance – BoS discussed in December meeting, made a few changes and the plan is to pass in February’s BoS meeting. Will need to add to website and signage for the businesses to display. It will take affect 6 months after they pass the ordinance.
  7. Status of EAC membership in WeConservePA. They need support and for future events. Goodman plans to talk to Kuhn about this - no update.
  8. EAC Membership Recruitment – Faith Talnac attended meeting and will be submitted as a board member candidate to the BoS.
  9. EAC Logo – no update
  10. Composting in Chester County – no update - move to placeholders.
  11. Nature News topic for January – the little things we all forget about.
  12. Balloon Release – Talmack brought up the problem with balloon releases - they are very damaging to all wildlife. Walker to mention at PC meeting tomorrow.
  13. Bird Town Programs – There will be 2 events associated with the Valley Forge Audubon Group.

    Pete

    One is the Great Backyard Bird Count that can be enjoyed in multiple ways. Flyer with details will be sent to our email list this week. Also, there will be a bird walk at Brightside on February 17th at 8:00 AM.

  14. Township Newsletters – (due dates are 1/15, 4/15, 7/15, 10/15.) Armstrong to write an article about Beech Leaf Disease (April, 2025). Soundararajan will contact Csete about the possibility of writing an article about the single use plastic ordinance. Walker to write an article about the road cleanup for the January issue.
  15. Riparian buffer maintenance at Brightside and Charlestown Parks – we received the Outdoor Corp team for 4 days starting April 28th.. This will be free for the township this year.
  16. Battery Collection – Armstrong took 3 boxes to Fedex. The township will purchase new boxes.
  17. Stream Warming – Armstrong still working on it.
  18. Community Education – Microplastics in our bodies. Live presentation by Armstrong. Date tbd.
  19. Review of Placeholders – no action taken.
Meeting Adjourned at 9:02.