Richmond Hospital Authority

Due to a lack of quorum, no official resolutions were passed, and minutes from October and November could not be approved. Key discussions included the suggestion to renew six expiring Commission terms, with a recommendation to renew the student/youth member term for one year to align expiration dates. The Commission emphasized the importance of regular attendance, noting that infrequent attendees should consider participating unofficially rather than holding official slots, as low attendance hinders progress. The group deferred the completion of the Richmond Environmental Guide and planning for community energy plans until the next meeting or early 2017 when more members are present. The Commission agreed to adopt an action spreadsheet format, similar to one used for the Richmond Winter Ice Festival planning, to better track action items and responsibilities, and discussed utilizing the meeting room's interactive screen.

The meeting focused on several operational and project-related items. Initial actions included the election of officers: Alison Zajdel as Chair, Curtis Healton as Vice-Chair, and Scott Hess as Secretary. Key discussions revolved around planning upcoming WCTV productions, setting topics for several dates in May, June, and July, including themes like industrial wastewater treatment, the Earlham Farm initiative, invasive species, and local food initiatives. The commission also discussed involving children as co-anchors for future shows. A significant portion of the meeting addressed developing a recycling plan for Richmond parks and public facilities, dividing research responsibilities among members to investigate best practices from similarly sized communities regarding staffing, budget, contamination handling, and equipment. Furthermore, the commission decided to invite Heapy Engineering to a future meeting to discuss free energy audit services they offer to municipalities.

Key discussion topics included a potential partnership with Johns Manville for sponsoring glass recycling billboards, with follow-up required for plastics recycling billboards. The commission researched a sharps medical needle recycling collection program modeled after Madison, Wisconsin, involving potential cooperation from Philips Drugs and the Richmond Police Department. A coordinated public awareness campaign in March was proposed to address proper medical sharps disposal. The group agreed to investigate the pricing and financial savings associated with a single-stream recycling system and options for paper recycling, in preparation for future grant opportunities. Furthermore, the commission addressed required processes for bringing new members forward for formal Richmond Common Council approval, including seeking nominations for a city government representative, a youth member, and two additional official members.