SBC meeting     January 2002

Present: Cody Stokes, David Wheeler, Joe Rockenstein, Greg Hall Jason
Kimenker, Tom Vokes, Jeannette Evans, Nancy Liddle and Dave ________.

We are now on line at this web address:    www.macktown.net/sbc
Please make it a habit to check this regularly for announcements, news,
etc. For the meeting in February please review the site and bring any
suggestions, additions, corrections....also brainstorm a domain name.

The forthcoming trifold brochure will basically have the same content as
the web site so please give it your attention and feedback.

Everyone is invited to a We Love The Earth  Valentines party at the Tea
House on February 16th from 1-4p.m.. It will be potluck vittles from
1-2:30 and then live entertainment from 2:30-4p.m. There will be a cash
bar and all members of environmental groups are invited to attend and
speak out on behalf of their group.

On February 11th at 6:30 the Watershed Association of the Tuckaseegee is
hosting a meeting at the United Community Bank in Sylva. It will be held
in the community room and snacks will be provided by the one and only,
Cody Stokes. Try to be there and spread the word.

Arvam Freidman respectfully declined the Green Turtle award this year.
He is deeply committed to his Canary Coalition work and is unable to
make a time committment to the SBC.   The new nominees are: City Lights,
Earthworks, Mad Batter, and Becky's Herbs. We will vote on these at our
next meeting.  Show up and be counted.

A brief discussion was held concerning the Cherokee Land Swap. Jeannette
has documentation about actual land areas and reasons we should not
support this swap.  Contact her if you'd like more details.  Also Ann
Rogers at WCU, professor of contemporary Cherokee Issues might be an
informed person to contact.

The issue of Greeening Up The Mountains came up again.  As time draws
nearer, the Sbc needs to decide how involved it wants to get.  Before
that can be decided, however, we need a lot more information.  SRIR has
turned the event over to volunteers and it may turn out to be quite a
different event, as there is no budget money for it. Lisa Duff will
coordinate again and the town will provide police and clean up. There
will be no solar soundstage .  Jason was planning to attend a
preliminary meeting and will give us all some more information at our
next meeting.

Greg Hall reports that the SBC fiances are right at about $2500

Tom Vokes gave us an insiders report on the status of solid waste in
Jackson County and the issues surrounding that. We learned that the bulk
of the waste is generated by tourism and construction. The county has no
real plans or foresight, and continues to overspend funds on dumping.
Tom proposed his ideas for "precycling"; educating consumers to purchase
products that can be recycled here in our county. He will update and
educate us
through the SBC website.

There is interest in creating /funding/ distributing a flyer that
details exactly what can and can't be recycled here in jackson County.
There used to be something in print ,but it's gone and the SBC would
like to bring it back.  More at the February meeting.

Jason suggested that the way for the SBC to really be involved in any
sort of change is to actively attend all of the town board meetings we
can.  Town of Sylva, Solid Waste, EDC, County Commissioners, and
Planning Board.  It was agreed that htis was agood idea , so now we need
people to schedule it into their lives.
Commissioners meet 1st and 3rd Thursday at 7p.m. at the Justice Center
room 203. Nancy will attend this week(2/7)
Solid Waste Committee will meet  every other Monday for the next few
months. Meetings this month are on 2/11 and 2/25. We should have someone
from SBC attend so e-mail me if you plan to go. 5p.m. room 203 Justice
center.
EDC meetings aren't formally scheduled at this time but  the next one
will be held on 2/18 at 5:30 at the NP&L building.
Planning Board meets at 1:30 on 2/5 at the Camp Lab building at WCU.
Agenda is the Telecommunications Facilities Ordinance.


SBC News:

Tom will spend three afternoons with CVS 8th graders lecturing on
recycling. Also a WCU Bio class
Cody has a new employee and will be moving The Juice Junkie down the
street to a larger place.
Soul Infusion Tea House has two new hires, is using more e-mail, wnet to
the TCA meeting , and is starting up a composting program with
Earthworks.
The Mad Batter build a new bamboo fence to decorate the outside patio
area and it was constructed entirely of recycled and found materials.
Greg Hall , The Chimney Sweep is very busy and was written up in the
Asheville Citizen Times