[SPEAKER_05]: Recording in progress.
[SPEAKER_01]: So before we start the meeting, we have to go to approve the minutes from the last meeting. Motion to accept the minutes. Second the motion? Second the motion. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Okay. So we accept the minutes from the last meeting and then let's determine the meeting for next month, which is September 17th. Do you agree with that, everybody?
[Brenda Pike]: There have been some discussion about trying to plan it during the day so that we could try to get like the tree warden or the transportation director to come. Is that something that you guys would want to try to do next month? Or is that some future month after that?
[SPEAKER_00]: I haven't planned on taking that day off. So I can do a lunch in our community center. Otherwise, I wouldn't be there.
[Brenda Pike]: September 17th. So, just daytime meetings in general, you wouldn't be able to.
[SPEAKER_01]: I worked during the day too, so.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: I mean. Okay, that can be like a future.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: month thing, and then maybe we can try to coordinate so that we can figure out a date and then see if we can get it all off. So that way we can do it. I think it would be good for us, especially for our residents of Medford. So the next meeting, the 17th, we're good? Yes.
[SPEAKER_01]: The 17th?
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, ma'am. That's on a Wednesday.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: I think there was a long night. I like that it's right after. Right after the unveil. Yep. Great.
[Brenda Pike]: All right. Do we want to talk about events next?
[SPEAKER_01]: Sure.
[Brenda Pike]: Okay. So these are the ones that I've, the past events from our, since our last meeting that I'm, that I was aware of. Farmer's Market was a lecture I met for tabling at it. It wasn't a connectors event. And then for the next couple of months, these are the events that I'm aware of. So Lizette's Ice Cream Social. at the senior center.
[SPEAKER_05]: And that's a climate event?
[Brenda Pike]: Yes. And I saw that there's going to be a climate-themed bingo, too.
[SPEAKER_05]: Right.
[SPEAKER_02]: What time is that? At one. On the 11th? Mm-hmm. What'd you say?
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: At one? The senior center will be at at one? Yeah. That's, uh... The electropharm effort at the farmer's market, it's the same day. What time is it, though? So that's three to seven.
[Brenda Pike]: Oh, okay. And June, Lizette was just saying earlier that she thought it would be good to have one or two of our energy coaches for Electrify Medford at the Ice Cream Social too. So there could be a table set up and people could talk to them if they want to.
[SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, that sounds great.
[Brenda Pike]: Great. So I'll reach out to them to see who's available. I don't think I'll be able to make that one because there is something else that I have to go to earlier in the day, a Mass Save meeting that I have to go to earlier in the day.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Do you mean if you go to the Method Connects table with resources to render?
[Brenda Pike]: Well, yeah, or we can combine them into one. Yeah. So we're going to have an Electrify Medford table at the Mystic River Celebration. Is that you're doing that, right? Yes. Are you having a Medford Connects table there too?
[SPEAKER_12]: I assume. I don't think we've talked about it.
[SPEAKER_01]: We usually do that. We do that sometimes, right? So it should be.
[Brenda Pike]: OK. I'm going to be at Tufts Community Day for Electrify Medford. Um, that is, I think it's in the afternoon. Oh, it's 11 to 2 on a Sunday. Yeah. And then there's the Haitian mental health events at the senior center. And I think that there are a couple of the electron that for. Creole-speaking coaches are going to be doing that.
[SPEAKER_07]: And then was that... So what time is that? What time is the mental health one?
[Brenda Pike]: Two to six, right? No, three to six. Three to six. Okay. Three to six. Okay. Yeah, I talked with Darlene briefly about it, but I didn't get any more details. Yeah.
[SPEAKER_07]: I don't have the calendar. Oh, yeah, you're right. I should add that. Yep. September 26, right? Yep. Yep.
[Brenda Pike]: So I wasn't sure so that I wasn't sure what we're what we're going to do for that. So if it was something with you guys, then it would be like themed around whatever you'd want to do. If not, we would I would have found something some other theme around the something else from the PDS department. So I'll add that to this list. And then, Lisette, there's your Hispanic Heritage Month event.
[SPEAKER_12]: Yes, October.
[SPEAKER_07]: What time is that? That is going to be an event from 2 to 6. What's that? Up here, Chambers. I updated the calendar to a metric next right now. So that way, in our calendar, we can have it.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: And it's going to be just one event edition? Yes, one.
[Brenda Pike]: I feel like four hours is a long time for an event. That just might be my patience.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think, I don't know if Patrick and I, we came up with that. How about that two be determined? Because I think that's what we... Question mark. Okay.
[SPEAKER_12]: Yeah, the green flowers is pretty cool.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah. What's happening at the Hispanic Heritage Month event?
[SPEAKER_07]: I think we did three to eight, so we have like a few things. Let me put it in here. Let me get it out so we can... What time is it?
[SPEAKER_10]: Is it River Celebration?
[SPEAKER_12]: Mm-hmm.
[Brenda Pike]: I have it here somewhere. 12 to 4. Again, seems like a long time for an event. They do have a lot of different entertainment there. Like, they'll have, like, musicians and dancers and all kinds of different things. Yeah.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: Yeah. OK, so we have where I'm
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Hiring again, Esther Gomez, she was an edutainer from the Medgar family network that we used for the other events. She was really good. So I've clipped face with her and have a meeting with her of what we're gonna come up with this year, because I'm trying to do something that's interactive with the people. Because in the three mini events that we had last year, one of them was the dancing and stuff like that, and I think that was Amazing even the mayor was like, and then it was coming that works, taking care of that right? They got a plan to have her to do some events.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: I think so.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: um marie cassie's gonna see so it's like a it's like like a mix yeah but like patrick and i i still have to actually not been in touch with him about like because i asked him since this year is a bit different with like budget wise and stuff to like to kind of help us with like how much for the food should we do how much for entertainment and stuff like that so that way like we're not overspending on like one specific thing because even though like I think the first event that we did was big I think we spend a lot on food but in in general like I think we like hit like our market we didn't you know spend more spend less so it's just like now since like all our vendors that we had in the past we don't have them anymore so we're now looking for new ones So that obviously we need to know what's the limit of what we can spend and then talk to whoever we're going to hire for.
[Brenda Pike]: I was at the storytelling event last year with Esther and that was really good. She was doing like Spanish and English telling of the same story with like, yeah.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: you had her little props and stuff and the kids were like all jumping and doing and like it wasn't even just like storytelling it was the kids are interacting with it too so she'd be like all right like I don't know it's like the mountains exploding or something and be like yeah but it's like go like that and do your like exploding like move or whatever it was really good it's great it's very energetic oh yeah I keep losing the tv
[Brenda Pike]: And then October 18th is my department's big event, which is the Harvest Your Energy Festival. So similar to previous years, we'll have like electronics recycling, we'll have paper shredding, we'll have textile recycling. There's going to be, sorry, this keeps, like clothing, blankets, things like that.
[SPEAKER_11]: Giving them a little kind of to review, like, actual recycling.
[Brenda Pike]: So it's things that can't be I think what they do is they'll take things that can be reused out. But the things that can't be reused will actually get recycled. Yeah.
[SPEAKER_05]: Do you have those bins at the schools, the white, we have the white recycling. Yeah.
[Brenda Pike]: And, and actually, uh, this year we're actually using the same company as it has the bins at the schools because the parent teacher organizations, they'll, they'll actually get funding back from that. It's like a fundraising thing that they do for the textile recycling.
[SPEAKER_11]: And recycling is in your area. I would love to talk about recycling in my classes. yeah absolutely even just you know how what you're allowed to put in your bin and what you're not supposed to put in your bin and we offered compost yeah everything like that i think something really good for the people in classes yeah absolutely and so for that event then we should do it prior to that event so that that'll be for it that's what i do yeah that'd be great So, that is 12 to 3. Yeah. Yep. Yep. Yep.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: So, they will they'll recycle what they can and then they'll properly dispose of what they can't. Yeah.
[Brenda Pike]: Cause a lot of those will have like heavy metals and things inside them that you don't want to just go into the regular trash and batteries and things. Yes. And in some cases you might need to pay a small fee for a particular item. Um, we'll have a flyer coming out that'll list exactly what can and can't be done.
[SPEAKER_11]: I feel like I've been told in the past that if it fits in your garbage can, just throw it in your garbage can.
[Brenda Pike]: Oh, no. Yeah. Yeah. You don't want to do that.
[SPEAKER_07]: It's too bad. We have like a booklet about trash and recycling that might be a good thing for you to use in your... Yeah.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: The Hispanic character event is from 3 to 5, but I put 2 to 6 because the character books that I'm making up, that's why. Gotcha. That makes sense. Yep. Yep.
[SPEAKER_01]: And no dancing. Who said that? Dancing, that's right.
[SPEAKER_11]: That's what Ernie's in the class.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: You want to be inside? She doesn't want to do it outside. You know, the big bed is inside, so that's why I have it reserved.
[Brenda Pike]: So the Harvest Your Energy Festival, the other stuff there, there's going to be a beer garden, there's going to be food, we have bands. Lots of tabling for different groups. We're going to have a transportation corner this year. So last year, we had an electric vehicle showcase, which was great. People loved it. But then there were people who were like, where's the love for the bikes? So this year, our transportation corner is going to be focused on biking and public transportation.
[SPEAKER_05]: And what are the hours for that one?
[Brenda Pike]: We had a lot of these bikes. Um, so that is 12 to three.
[Brenda Pike]: Um, we, at the EV showcase that we had at city hall, we had bikes, not the one at the, at the McGlynn school.
[SPEAKER_11]: Yeah. Yeah. So. It's hard to take care of their bikes, you know, like something for kids where they learn how to, you know, chain and what they need. Yeah, because I just see a lot of kids in their backyard. think of it as an alternative. And they leave it rusted. Yeah. But that's a waste. And it's, you know, as they get older, it can be a better alternative than a car.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. And you can have the police department apply the helmet for them. Yes.
[Brenda Pike]: Do they do that? I didn't know that. That would be awesome. I will have to reach out to them because I hadn't heard that. That's very cool.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: You know, like with all this electric stuff, you know, everywhere I go, I try to bring this up because I'm trying to find ways, not only in Medford, but everywhere I go, if you can find a way that it can educate people about electric scooters and how they don't obey the rules and stuff like that. I'm seriously, I mean, waiting for something really tragic to happen, you know, for people to do something about it, you know, like, It's wonderful, everything's electric and blah, blah, blah. But like, should follow rules, you know, like, I just like, I see so many people flying sidewalks and, you know, like going between the cars and stopping. Most of them are kids too, or young adults, you know. Yeah. That's like a new thing that just happened, like the, you know. But I know if you don't establish some rules and come together as a community and try to, You know, I'm teaching them how to do something now. something really bad is going to happen. And then people go, Oh, let's do something about it. Why do we always need to wait? Yeah. Why do we always need to wait for something bad to happen for us to do something about it?
[Brenda Pike]: There are rules around that. Like for instance, you're not allowed to ride just bikes even on the sidewalks in like city centers, like in the, in Medford square here. But just when I was going to get my bubble tea today, someone was riding his electric bike on the sidewalk. And of course it was kids. Yeah.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: I'm gonna have to find some really fun thoughts, you know, because it's kids, you know, you say rules to kids, they're just gonna be like, yeah, but like, who knows, I'm sure they have some really just kids, but parents are still like, if they get something like that for my kids, you know, like, hey, these are the rules, you know, like, so we need to kind of learn the parents because like, comes from home to, you know, it's not just as a I agree.
[Brenda Pike]: I mean, I agree with all of that. I do think that cars are much more dangerous for people. We've had a lot of car deaths recently for hitting pedestrians.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: And I'm going to be responsible for you being responsible.
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, like the cars are reckless to be driving on those bike routes. So I see that a lot, too.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: I believe they're putting like the, you know, it's like a kind of like white, like with the lights thing. So like, yeah.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. Yeah. But it's more like we we want to motivate people to get those things and, you know, say, you know, everything and then go to that more clean energy thing you know maybe can combine with that some teaching that some warning you know like some you're saying kind of like you know how like um they have commercial don't drink don't drive type stuff or like put on your seatbelt when you're like Going in a car, is you're saying like, like something like that, like getting irresponsible. Hey, you know, like, you know, you can save money by getting an electric car, but you still need to follow the same rules that a regular car, you know, like an electric bike. You know, did you know that you're not allowed to be riding any bike on the sidewalk?
[SPEAKER_11]: That's one resilience, like cars and bikes are going to have to get along. Money's not going to go away for the reasons that you say, the money, the energy savings, right? But cars and bikes have to learn to get along, which means everybody has to follow the rules.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, but the rules need to apply for everybody, you know what I mean?
[SPEAKER_10]: I agree with you, yeah. And with cars being as well.
[Brenda Pike]: So but about this event in particular, I know that, so Electron Medford has a table there. We're going to have carnival games that we had at Circle the Square. Those are always a big draw. The Energy and Environment Committee, they're going to have, they're going to do tours of the inside of the wind turbine. And they're going to have information about like invasive species, like plastic takeout containers, talking about the city's electricity aggregation. And I think maybe about the tree ordinance, although Trees Medford might do that. And then the tree ordinance.
[SPEAKER_11]: Oh, you can't have certain kinds of trees?
[Brenda Pike]: No, no. So there's proposed there's proposed tree ordinances that will have rules for what trees can be removed basically what trees can be cut down.
[SPEAKER_05]: That's great.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah and like if you cut down a tree over a certain size then there's some amount that you would pay into a fund to plant new trees and things like that. Yeah so there's a public tree ordinance so and then there's a private tree ordinance as well so that hasn't been passed yet but it's that's in discussion. So that was one of the reasons why they were, folks were interested in having the tree boarding come to the meeting is to talk about that and about other things.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. And because you have a lot of residents also that have brought up to us that they wish certain parts of the city had more trees and how to request that. So we didn't know how to respond to that. And not even that. I remember we talked about it. There was residents who they requested to take a tree down, but a tree that's been there for years. And like, some of them were like, a majority of people were bummed that they took off the tree. It's like, that's part of the reason why too.
[Brenda Pike]: We're having a table there, right? Yes. So I did see that you were signed up for a table. Do you know what you're doing at the table? Cause there, I think they're trying to have folks do more like activities to be engaged with people.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: Do you guys remember something?
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: We did that with Penny. The harvest your energy. No, it was just you, Natasha, maybe Jennifer. I remember the pictures. Yeah, but I'm trying to like, I mean, so I remember the pictures, but I'm trying to figure out what we did.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: I think, Charbel, were you and your mom there, too?
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I was there for the last two years. What did we do? We just had a table with three of us.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: With information? I feel like I see the wheel. I'm the picture of just trying everything. I feel like I see the wheel, but...
[SPEAKER_12]: Yeah, I mean, I think a wheel would be wonderful to have. Yeah, absolutely. Yep. Last year, the wheel was there. Yep. That's when the tent was there. Oh, right. Yeah, the pole. Can you tell me about anything like you had? Yes.
[Brenda Pike]: So the MWRA is going to be there with their water fountain trunk thing, too.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: Yep. I love that, too. It's like a silver truck, and it looks like a fountain. Like six fountains on it? Yeah. And it has enough for you to, like, water. It's so cool. I can take it to every event outside I live in.
[SPEAKER_02]: They used to have, like, the reverse osmosis thing over there in Wellington, over there where Dunkin' Donuts is. And you could go and fill up, you know, you know, you know, a gallon of water.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: It was just, it was, you could just go and feel it. It was right next to the cactus. Yeah. Yeah. They had one near my house when they're gone. Yeah. In Sholanda. Talking about that, in Portugal, in like the beautiful like areas in the middle, they have beautiful stone fountains. and water's coming out, drinkable water. And so tourists and anyone can just go and get water. And it's always running. Do we have a fountain in the city hall that we can fill out a water fountain?
[Brenda Pike]: I mean, we do have a water fountain on the first floor.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: We can put a water bottle. Oh, not that I know of.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah, not that I know of.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: We need to spend money. We can water fountains in our office. But granted, those that are there have been there since the dawn of time.
[Brenda Pike]: They have those at the schools, I know.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: That's why you can fill your bottles.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: We donate a lot of bottles for the kids, you know, because they use a lot. And I thought that was pretty cool that it's, you know, we use like for every office, you know, and each of us have our own, but like the cups that we use, you know, like we use. Yeah. No, but save the planet too, you know, all those planets.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah. In our office, the water bubbler that we have is not one where you replace the thing. It's just connected right into the water hose and you can put your water bottle in to do it. Yeah.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: That's a good question. I don't know.
[Brenda Pike]: Because that way, like... I mean, it might be that you don't have, all of them don't have access to the water pipes in all the offices. I don't know. We have a sink that is going to be moved, so maybe we can do that.
[SPEAKER_07]: I was just going to say, who do we ask for that?
[Brenda Pike]: I think it would be the facilities director. Yeah.
[SPEAKER_07]: Do you want to facilitate that? I should just pop in and let them know and ask them. What?
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: You're talking about that, Brenda. Would you like to tell about it? Would you like to?
[SPEAKER_07]: Yeah. Brenda asked me for like the coaching, but also like pins.
[Brenda Pike]: T-shirts and pins for our energy coaches when they're doing volunteer events.
[SPEAKER_11]: Sounds to me like, I'm getting electricity in Wichita. Right? Get the slogan, you know?
[Brenda Pike]: It's more about like, switching from fossil fuels to electricity and to cleaner electricity.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I noticed the other cities are having electrified airframes, electrified mountains. Yeah, we jumped on the bandwagon. what's going on over here. So they are brand new. It's like Solarize, right?
[Brenda Pike]: When everyone was doing the Solarize programs, Medford did a Solarize Medford program because people get used to the sound of it. And then that, yeah, it becomes more understandable.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I went to one event and they had this group of, you know, doing the Electrify event and then they kind of lost still, you know, like they're trying to figure out how, you know what I mean?
[Brenda Pike]: So anything else you want to talk about in terms of any of these events or other events that aren't listed here that we want to mention? Is this in September or in January? Well, I have September and October here.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Well, because it's September and October, do you have any suggestion of giveaways that it could be giving? I kind of go with giveaway climate and stuff. We have fans. Yeah, we have fans right now.
[Brenda Pike]: By October, we should do something different. Yeah, that's a good question. Water bottles are a good thing for things like the Harvester Energy Festival. We will have the water fountain there. So I think water bottles might be a good thing, as long as they're BPA free and keeping that in mind. Oh, we brainstormed a list of things, too. I'll check that out and get back to you.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Because I was having some trouble to find things around this time, you know.
[SPEAKER_07]: It's not easy.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Like you've got like tissues, you know, like you get a package of tissues for people, you know, like because this is the start of the season of running nose and all issues, you know, all. But I'm like, I have no idea what.
[SPEAKER_11]: Is there a thing from the, from the auction routine about what to do about batteries?
[Brenda Pike]: We will have battery recycling there.
[SPEAKER_11]: But it's like, what do you think people should be doing normally with their batteries? Like they're going to save them for once a year, right?
[SPEAKER_11]: Is that the expectation? Save up your batteries for a year?
[Brenda Pike]: No, no. Up in the DPW office here and I think at 21 James Street there, you can drop off your batteries for recycling.
[SPEAKER_10]: Do that at Best Buy, Home Depot and places like that. I think that would be something to publicize because I think that's a
[SPEAKER_11]: That's a big time impact and I think most people still do. Yeah, I do. I mean, when I worked at the university, it was so easy. You just take him out of the university and deal with it. You know, I don't work there anymore. I don't know what to do.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: But that's the thing too, like, you need to go somewhere to do it, you know, like, so we put out that one more thing in my list that I need to go to City Hall or whatever. Yeah, yeah. To take it there, to take care of this, so.
[SPEAKER_11]: You know, what about those youth works people, like, and they do some, you know. battery well yeah something like that like or figure out like what you're saying like figure out it wouldn't be so bad if the drop-off was easy like the grocery store everybody goes to the grocery store why can't i just drop my batteries out there and somebody will deal with that someone closer like if you have like a drop-off at the library because there you go someone who lives closer to the library would be easier for them to go to the library instead of walk all the way to the city hall or you know places anyway there's i don't know if That's a youth works, you know, that, that stuff that Matisse is doing with the kids. If there's some, they can figure out some kind of thing.
[SPEAKER_10]: Well, work program with an organization or a company or an office. Okay. It's not like an intern. It's not for us. Maybe someone, yeah. I understand that the program. Anyway, batteries. Did you have something to say?
[SPEAKER_05]: Who, me? Yes. Sorry, I thought I heard you. I was clearing my throat, sorry. Okay. I'm listening though.
[SPEAKER_07]: I was gonna say, is there, like, you know how you, like, for example, I'm signed up for, like, HP, like, the eight cartridges, and, like, they always bring in the box, like, one of the slips that you don't even have to pay.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: You just put the stuff that you already use, and then bring it to the post office, and then you're good.
[Brenda Pike]: Or, like, staples or someplace like that.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But we could come up, just like we were talking about the water, you know, in City Hall, we can think about the ways that all the office can do a better job with the recycling and stuff like that, too, you know, like, is everybody really throwing, sometimes I see the recycling bin when they break out the boxes, you know, like there's stuff that don't belong over there, you know, like, so maybe, you know, we educate people inside of here, too. You know, that's so video.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah, well, we can kind of is that something that this group wants to take on is to do some education folks. Yeah, I think that would be a cool project. Yeah, that's great. That would be wonderful. Okay, we can dig into that a little bit more next time then. Yeah, that's great. If we're good with these events, I think the next thing on the agenda was the brainstorming improvements for future events. Did you have anything you wanted to kick us off with there?
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, so I went over, you know, like the other meetings that we had and we had discussed, like, maybe we need to come up with some more new alternative of games and interaction with people. that we are always not just a wheel table, you know, like, always the same, not that we have a climate thing, but like, yeah, that's awesome, you know, like, but it's, I was googling some alternative of games and stuff, but something easy and that it can interact with everybody. Sometimes we're kind of so focused on little kids, then grownups, how can we combine those things? And the giveaways too, you know, like, how can we, especially like if we are hosting the events that just like I asked you what we should be getting, you know, for giveaways that you're going to be kind of incorporating your team, you know, so maybe can give you options of when they invited people, vendors, you know, for the events and let them know, hey, those are some ideas of things that would be super cool to have, you know, to provide if you're looking for new giveaways options, you know, because sometimes we don't know, you know,
[Brenda Pike]: And we've heard that public is or yeah, and we've heard that complaint from people at previous harvest your energy festivals to where the vendors who are tabling will have giveaways that are like cheap plastic that gets thrown away and people get really upset because their kids will take it and then they'll just take them home and throw them away and flyers.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: exactly yeah like maybe y'all everybody just do your cure code or put it in acrylic you know your flyer so people can take pictures instead of handle papers like we oh that's something that i i talked to patrick about for like on my the spanish heritage but that like i wanted to do like more like even for us for outreach for us to have either on our phones for like you know we're trying to get more people into like the whatsapp groups and things like that um either like we have it's just like interact you know what i mean like you can do it like for the first half let everything chill and then if more people know coming you could go back in it but like have like at least like um what's it called um oh my god like a little like those boards like a small one and just have like for the list you can write the name the number of the person and then the qr code there for like facebook for like us or whatever just things like that and qr codes for all the like where all the resources. So it's going to be a page with just QR codes that have like Medford Family Network, Medford Connects. Oh yeah, you can log into the games, you know, like, I'm going to play a game. Okay, you need to like your page on Facebook or whatever, you know, like, you know, like, or something, you know, where you do, you know what I mean?
[SPEAKER_07]: I mean, that too, if you follow six pages or something like that, like of us, you can, you can.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: No, but I did for the Brazilian day and it was a huge hit, you know, like they put it like animals from Brazil all around, surrounded a lot. And then people, the kids would go and look for it and they come to the table and get a prize, you know, so that would be a cool thing. Like find a recycling bin or find this specific electric car or whatever, you know, like that would be cool.
[Brenda Pike]: I know at previous Harvest Your Energy festivals, they had like a treasure hunt type thing where you would go to different tables and get stamped.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: They have the best working ones too. Yeah, exactly.
[SPEAKER_11]: And if you give away a sticker at the end, designed by Lizette, that would be perfect. It's a lot of stickers.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: And on that note, I have a question, guys. Because I'm looking at the calendar and there's 2 in October that we didn't mention.
[SPEAKER_07]: Oh, family night. What's that? There's family night.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, no, but that's the public schools. Okay. And then the family engagement night for elementary, you know. Yeah, so we are waiting for the public to let us know when they're going to decide to do it.
[SPEAKER_07]: Yeah, okay. I don't know if that goes to your committee, but I just want to let you know. Cool.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: And they use us more for the translation part, what they usually use us, I should say.
[Brenda Pike]: Teresa in my office sometimes does buttons, like she'll have a button making station where people can like draw their own pictures and then make a button out of it.
[SPEAKER_11]: Yeah. That's a really good idea. A button machine? I don't know if that's a good concept. People love that.
[Brenda Pike]: So she has one. It's a little, it's a little fussy in terms of like the steps that you have to go through to do it. So the kids can't necessarily do it themselves. Like they can draw the thing and then you would make it for them. Yeah. Yep. Yep.
[SPEAKER_05]: Bringing the buttons back, huh? Does it make a pin? Is it a pin or a, how is it attached? Oh, sorry. Yeah. It's a pin.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah.
[SPEAKER_05]: Is that too dangerous for kids?
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: There's magnets too, people do magnets. That's dangerous for kids too.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah, that might be more dangerous for kids because they could swallow them.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: No, no, no, but in the back, it's not big like that. It's just a little.
[SPEAKER_05]: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no Two magnets together between the, with the clothing in between.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah, yeah, I know parents can be really sensitive about magnets and children because they can hit them, but yeah.
[SPEAKER_05]: Oh boy.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: I was just getting ready to say, just turn to the paragraph right there. So it's basically like, this is the magnet and that's the size of the frame. So it's something that connects, like it's in the back of the backing of the images. You guys get it? So, yeah. So it wouldn't be dangerous for kids.
[Brenda Pike]: Gotcha. So I have one that has like my name and title on it and that's not that big, but yeah, but there are versions. Yeah. Yeah. That's great.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: OK, so we can work on some fun activities that, you know, we can work together for the harvest energy.
[SPEAKER_07]: Yeah.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and then, you know, talk about all the. You know, the next project to that, how to educate the city hall.
[Brenda Pike]: The next time for the next meeting. Yeah.
[SPEAKER_07]: Yeah. Like, each of us can do, like, at least like 3 ideas of what to do for activities.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: You know, you know. Next next meeting, right? Yeah. Yes.
[Brenda Pike]: Is it just for that event or just for events in general?
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Events in general. Okay. You have a ton to select. But I'm like, we should start somewhere. So let's prepare for that specific event and then it can kind of see what it can take from that event that it can bring for the, you know.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: And that's just for us to have a future, you know, ideas. That's great.
[Brenda Pike]: Um, one thing I noticed, um, from, well, actually at the Brazilian event, because we had the, um, open space survey happening right next to us, people love giving their opinion. So I was like, our net, my next electrifying Medford event, I should just have like a little, like. the thing for people to put stickers up that's like gas or heat pumps or whatever, just to get the conversation started because people love giving you their opinion.
[SPEAKER_11]: That's a really good idea. So I've been to events where they said, let's do more of, like that's one board, let's do less of, that's another board. And then people can say, you know, more pedestrian friendly, less blah, blah, blah. I get a wall of less bicycles.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: At least it gives you an opportunity to talk with people about it. Yeah, but the secret square, the planning house, you were just like me. I literally put the table on the side and then we did like that. Yeah, no, I love that because like I think it doesn't fly anywhere. Yeah. Yeah, like you definitely should check it out. That was the housing one, right? Yeah.
[SPEAKER_07]: Yeah.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: The affordable housing group. Yeah. Yes, that's great. Yeah. Let's see.
[SPEAKER_07]: What about seeds for giveaways?
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Seeds? That's great. You know, one year, yeah, but this time of the year, you know, yeah.
[Brenda Pike]: That's a good question. That's a good question. Some things that you would plant in the fall are like bulbs, though, not seeds. Yeah.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, you have to be aware of that. Because we did that in the spring with the food, concert that we were participating with the YMCA, remember? It was so fun. So they had the little soil and they could choose their seed, remember? And then I even did it with RISE, you know, the other events and it brings a lot of people. Yeah, just need to see what we can plant at the same time of the year. Okay. Yeah.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: Herbs for something, something can be indoor. Yeah.
[Brenda Pike]: Libby, do you have any suggestion for seeds that could be planted this type of year, or is that not something for this time of year?
[SPEAKER_07]: What seeds can we use for this? Oh, June must know. June?
[SPEAKER_05]: Yeah. No, you're right. It's usually bulbs. I can't think of seeds that. Actually, though, there are seeds that need to be cold, winter stratification. But I usually do it inside. I put them in my refrigerator. Gotcha. Yeah. And they're flowers usually. Yeah. Let me think about it. There are some perennials that you plant that way.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, that's for the spring, you know, anything during the spring.
[Brenda Pike]: That's the sort of thing I think if you're giving away the seeds, you would need to probably give away the pot and the soil for it too.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Right, yeah. So when I did with YMCA and then I did for Rice, I bought the pots on Amazon. I just saw it on Home Depot page. But the kids just love scooping the stuff. But I did different. I kind of print out the plants, how they look. Because the seeds just have the name of the seeds and what they're doing. So for them to see what it's going to look like. What it's going to be in the end.
[SPEAKER_02]: That's great visual, but I like a lot of the.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah, any other suggestions for future events that we should take note of. OK, we'll circle back next time, then, if people have any ideas next time.
[SPEAKER_11]: I was trying to think of libraries and makerspace, or if you could have some kind of event in the makerspace where people actually make things. And I was just kind of facetiously thinking of knitting, you know?
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah, they do that there, actually. Just last weekend, they had an event. Yeah.
[SPEAKER_11]: You guys might know of a piece you could make that would be sort of climate-related, and then you could work with the librarians, because they like to make stuff. Oh, we can have, like, you know, some top students who have started engineering to, like, you know, make or space type things. I mean, I know kids like that.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: It's just like, you know, like when the teacher say, bring a cart of eggs, because you're going to do a project. So if you want to participate in some project, bring this or that, you know, to recycle. And they can do something cool with those recycling with the kids. The egg, you know, the eggshell, when you, like, pulverize it, when you, like, make it like that, you can use it to clean. Do you guys know that? Yeah, so that's really cool. Like, oh my gosh, I think it's like even to YN, just in general, like a cleaning.
[SPEAKER_11]: It's a little bit invasive, so it's not gonna scratch, but it's gonna... Yeah, I think household cleaners that are poisonous, this is a really good topic. Yeah, and like cleaner alternatives and better alternatives, that's a really good topic.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: And we do have a lot of immigrants in Magfort that work as house cleaners. Their own natural-based stuff that they do.
[SPEAKER_11]: Especially with our Hispanic communities, we know that fabulous snow isn't so bad.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: But unfortunately, since it's the least expensive thing, you can literally buy it at the dollar store for $1.20, not $1.50.
[SPEAKER_07]: Yeah. But I think there's... Okay, let's pick at the dollar store.
[SPEAKER_12]: Yeah, let's go to the dollar store.
[SPEAKER_02]: You're living at the dollar store. What is that actually? It's like fine salt, but like very, really serious. It smells amazing though.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: You know, you know, someone has a house, you know, when they go to their house or this or they have house cleaner.
[Brenda Pike]: But going back to the maker space thing, though, I 1, an event that I didn't mention is, or I could might mention it later on when I get to the energy committee, but they're putting on another free flea market in partnership with Tufts on September 13th. Yeah, so people bring things in to just drop it off and donate it. Other people will come and take it away. And then there's also like maker space type things with it. So if people are bringing something that's broken, someone can help them to fix it or help the next person to fix it. So yeah. And when is that?
[SPEAKER_11]: September 13th.
[SPEAKER_07]: It's going to be at Tufts, but it's open to everybody. Yes, we don't have a flyer for it yet, but we will.
[SPEAKER_11]: It was so environmental. And yet, you know, like I'm like, yeah, plastic things that we have to plug in. So you're a really good machine, but you have to know how to take care of it. But if you're used to destroying something away and getting a new one, you don't know how to maintain things. And a lot of those things that are made modular, it's like, no.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: But it comes to recycling too, when you talk about bikes, you know, there are a lot of people that can afford buying bikes for their kids. So before the weather started getting nice, hey, donate your bikes. then we kind of clean up and kind of fix it up to give where to donate it and donate their old bikes you know like and then so we get ready for you know when the weather hey if you don't have a bike come you know universities have a big like they have that because students leave that bike on campus and then they go back home or whatever and they assume they're right so like leftover
[Brenda Pike]: I mean, that's what this, this free market is for, too, because it's for, like, furniture and dishes and whatever people are leaving behind. Basically, as soon as that some people came back in May when we had it for the 1st time, some people. I would say just like came in, got a bunch of stuff, came back a couple hours later, because it just kept turning over with more people bringing things in. Yeah.
[SPEAKER_11]: I love that.
[Brenda Pike]: We had like 500 people come through. Where was that? It was at Tufts. It was the building that was like right on the corner of like Winthrop. Yeah, it was indoors. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But yeah, when we get the flyer ready, I'll send it around to you guys. I'm meeting with them on Friday to sort of do some last planning for it.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: We can have a date. We can all go together, get coffee. Okay, should we move on to the city updates? Because I know you guys want to get out of here. It's been so long. Yeah.
[Brenda Pike]: Okay. Updates on electrifying efforts we've had. 194 people signed up so far and we've coached 93 people.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: That's awesome.
[Brenda Pike]: And so far we know of 27 actions that have been taken as a result of this. Although I need to follow up with people again because there's always a lag between when we're coaching people and when we actually find out what the things have been done. Oh, it's the city's electricity aggregation program. So it has a, the default option has a 10% higher mobile energy content to it at a lower price than what National Grid has. And it's an opt-out program, so you're automatically opted into it unless you decide that you want to go to a different supplier. So most people do have it. Some people I'll talk to have gotten unknowingly signed up for third-party suppliers who are charging them more. So we're really trying to educate people about that.
[SPEAKER_12]: Are you signing up for it?
[SPEAKER_11]: Yeah. For aggregation? Yeah. I have no idea. I don't know anything about this stuff. Do you want to coach her? Are you going to coach? Yes. We're going to film it.
[SPEAKER_06]: That's a great idea. I actually need a session. Yes, that's great.
[SPEAKER_07]: Yeah. Okay. I'm just going to sing.
[SPEAKER_11]: You can film it. It'll be hilarious. I love this idea. I love the idea.
[MCM00001615_SPEAKER_02]: This is what I'll make of it. You saw how nervous we were when we did that video with the mayor. We were trying to be there.
[Brenda Pike]: So, then, in the next few months, we're going to be doing Facebook ads. We're going to have send flyers home in backpacks. We're going to be sending a letter around to residents, thanks to National Grid. We're talking with NASA radio about doing something with them. I don't know if it's going to be an ad or something else. Cool. Doing real-time landlord outreach. And then we're actually starting up a small business program, education program about energy efficiency called the Main Streets Program. And that will start at the end of October. And so people can sign up ahead of time, these small businesses. But we're also going to be doing a lot of canvassing for like a one week time where we're going to have the people who do the audits to just go door to door with the small businesses and talk to them. So if there's any suggestions that you guys have for outreach that we can be doing to small businesses that you think would make that more successful, that would be great. Because it's things like lighting improvements, like refrigeration improvements, heating improvements, things that will reduce their energy bills.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: I need to be able to buy not just information, but resources. I have the kitchens. Yes, please. My stuff. But it's about the radio. It's NOSA. It's the NOSA radio that is NOSA radio. Yeah. You know, like maybe bring a lot of the renters that even though you don't own a house that you can, you know, bring in information. Yeah. Yeah. No. Because automatic people think, oh, I don't want a house. I'm not going to even listen to this. You know, attention renters, you know, like that message is for you. It's not just for me. Yeah, definitely. And then catch the ears like, oh, I rent in Medford, so what I can do?
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah. Yeah. And there are lots of options that we can talk with renters about, like the aggregation. Yeah.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. But the piece I'm sorry to interrupt. But like I said, have a lot of things that it can decay, but it would be awesome if you could combine with some resources that they can have. Hey, you know, like, what about, you know, changing lives? Maybe that is a fund that can help you with that, because everything costs too, no matter what.
[Brenda Pike]: Well, actually, we're doing this with National Grid and the Mass Save program. And so In some cases, the work would be absolutely free to them. And in others, they'd only be paying like 25% of the total cost. That's awesome. Yeah. That's good. Yep. Would it be possible for them to work with you guys for interpretation if they're going door to door with businesses that week?
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: I could help if somebody scheduled that I can. Not like she'll show up, hey, are you available today? Be nice if you could put in the schedule and see who is available to help.
[Brenda Pike]: And it might be good if you had suggestions for businesses that you think would be good for them to reach out to, that you think it would be useful to have you on hand to talk to them.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Merlin, I will have a list of cuisine business that I was in touch with them and check on them. I can contact them. I can talk to her about it. Maybe we contact all of them and ask them some ideas of what they may be looking for.
[Brenda Pike]: Yes.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: And bring for the next meeting. That would be wonderful.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah. And if anybody else has like similar lists of businesses or you just have some off the top of your head, you could share.
[SPEAKER_11]: many things they did before we all became feminists like the makeover like you think of like a makeover like a restaurant or something and then use that as like like if you're willing to even make over a small request like I did, it's pretty money.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: A business that is attempting to do the before and after and then having, you know, yeah. I accepted the challenge and everything. I just paid very little money or nothing, you know, and it was very helpful for my business. I'm happy. And then put on Facebook, social media, whatever, you know, like people can see, Oh, let me try. I can try that.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah, Kayla from my office is the one who's really focusing on the business side of things. She's our economic development planner, and she's working with the Chamber of Commerce to do outreach to the chamber too. But I will pass that those suggestions on to her. I think she'll really like that, especially if you have any suggestions for some particular businesses that you think that she should reach out to.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it'd be like. We rented the 11 Salem Street of the year, you know, the building and more of the macro. Yep. So. Summertime is very hot. So each of us have a unit air condition over there. You know, like, is there any other savings with no money for the landlord? Yes. You know, like, are you saying you're going to be our.
[Brenda Pike]: For example, the landlord.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Something that can be helpful for both of us.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah, and there are some things that you don't even need the landlord permission for, because it's considered part of the tenant fit out thing. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I wanted to do an update. So, this is behind schedule. So the accessibility improvements for the entrances are finishing up this week. The carrying up this focus on the repairs and the ADA improvements, the heating and cooling part of it is behind schedule. So we have some portable cooling units in a couple of places where the systems were actually down for the next few weeks. And then they'll be continuing work. The project will probably extend to next summer, and any disruptive work is going to happen after school and on weekends. But it's a huge project. They have been sprinting to get all of this done, and I really appreciate how much overtime they've been putting into doing this. We really threw a lot on top of that project. It started out as an HVAC project, and we ballooned into much more. That'll be cool. I emailed you information about this on-street EV charging grant. So the proposed sites right now are the ones that are yellow on the screen here. So Capen Park, Henry Park, Magoon Park, and Morrison Park, if the funding will stretch there. Um, and the thinking behind it was that so the grant is really focused on dense residential neighborhoods where people don't have a drive way to park in. Um, so they need to charge on the street. Focusing on environmental justice neighborhoods, looking at places that are, um, some walk from existing charging stations. Um, so they need 1 nearby. Um, and we looked at the sort of the technical considerations for each site and how easy or difficult or expensive it would be to do at each location. Um, we did a survey, um, that, uh, I think we had 65 residents respond to, in addition to the more than 50 people who'd responded to the previous survey that we put out last year. Um, 60% of them said that they had an EV, and 32% said that they would buy an EV if there were chargers near them. So that 32%, especially, I thought was really interesting. It's free. The city is getting this at no cost right now through this grant. Awesome. Yeah. And if you were charging at home in your own driveway, I mean, you could just plug into a regular outlet for like slow level one charging, or you could install a level two charger. And there are a lot of utility incentives for that and manufacturer incentives. So it's possible to install a level two charger in your own home for really for people who, um, you know, they can't charge at all. Like for a, I don't have a driveway, so I do all of my charging charging stage.
[SPEAKER_07]: Remember the 1 that the leaders is the 1.
[Zcwx-pW5U0k_SPEAKER_00]: Yep. Yep. You know, they have us on the. Silence. Silence.
[SPEAKER_07]: Let me start sharing the screen again here.
[Brenda Pike]: But we have shared information with them that I've. Commerce to businesses and our economic development planner has been doing some outreach around this as well because residents definitely would prefer to have them in like Wegmans and Target and places like that. Sorry, June, it keeps disconnecting. Yeah, I was just gonna.
[SPEAKER_05]: Mention that in the chat, but I could listen to the recording.
[Brenda Pike]: Yeah. Um, but, yeah, if you guys have any feedback about these locations, I think we're making some final decisions about them in the next week before moving forward with, like, permitting and things like that. Okay. Um, the parking department just got an electric truck. Um, that's more for you just with like replacing parking meters and things like that. Not for just like driving around to do parking enforcement, but it's the city's first, like, it's not our first electric vehicle. We do have an electric street sweeper. Um, but it's our first, like, um, non heavy duty electric vehicle. Yeah. And we've ordered an electric refuse truck for the parks department, but we're still waiting for that to come in refuse trucks. So, like, rubbish, it's not for garbage necessarily. It's more well, it is a little bit for garbage for the garbage in the parks, but it's more really for when they're doing, like, tree trimming and things like that for that sort of thing. Um, we are updating our climate change, or we have updated our climate change vulnerability assessment. And I know I have mentioned this to you in the past. Um, and let me share the screen with people. Sorry, June, trying to share this with you too. And we have this, in addition to the report, we also have this like experience page. Let me pull it up on here if I can.
[Unidentified]: There we go.
[Brenda Pike]: I don't know if you can see it. You can just dig into the actual data from this. So each of these locations on here are different assets. We call them different things around the city that we consider to be critical. Some of them are daycare centers, for instance. Some of them are grocery stores or food pantries. So it's not just like emergency services like police or fire or something like that. And then it's overlaid with different types of like climate vulnerabilities and climate sensitivities. And you can begin here to look at, you know, which locations are more vulnerable to, you know, say precipitation driven flooding or sea level rise. We don't, because that's, that's really more dependent on the state of the, you know, why national grid and I don't think we have that that level of that's something after the water supply is that method or is that. That's regional, so that's, yeah, that's, that's the same organization that does the water fountain that we were talking about. They're going to be at the harvest your energy festival. Yes. And then you can also do some overlays.
[Unidentified]: Here. He says.
[Brenda Pike]: Listen, we're going to have it on the web, but. I don't know about our area in particular. Um, I do know that the data centers are, you are sucking down on data centers in general for like everything, but AI, especially a lot, but also like, I don't know what like Bitcoin and stuff like that uses a lot of electricity as well. Yeah, exactly. Yep. They're usually not. Locating them in the northeast because our electricity costs are so high. They're usually locating those sorts of data centers and. Places with cheaper power that's probably from more polluting sources. So, yeah.
[SPEAKER_11]: So, don't use exactly exactly. It's all the things that.
[SPEAKER_01]: you know returning you're getting your name lost yeah matthew oh yeah i usually like so much energy and water i just like i'm trying to remember as much as possible I didn't know.
[Unidentified]: Yeah.
[Brenda Pike]: Some people are using chat GPT like it's like Google or something and I'm like, oh.