MINUTES
APRIL 21, 2003 MEETING OF THE
CITY OF SANTA MONICA
TASK FORCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT
The meeting was convened at 7:10 p.m. Task Force members in attendance: Susan
Mearns, Sandy Grant, Tim Carmichael, and Mark Gold. Santa Monica City
staff in attendance: Brian Johnson and Dean Kubani. Others: Mayor Pro Tem Kevin McKeown,
Parks and Recreation Commissioner Jennifer Wolch, Planning Commissioner Arlene
Hopkins, Laurel Roennau, Marty Rubin, Stacy Brown, Gene Burke, Frieda Dubin, and
one other member of the public.
Minutes
The minutes from the March 17, 2003 meeting were
unanimously approved.
Follow-up Discussion of Sustainable City Plan Governance
Dean Kubani presented a proposal
for the creation of an advisory body with broad representation in the community
and expertise in the new SCP goal areas to provide leadership and guidance for
implementation of the Sustainable City Plan. The proposed advisory group will operate
in a similar way to other City advisory committees, working groups and task
forces, in that it will focus on completing clearly defined objectives and will
report and make recommendations to Council regarding those objectives. The initial objective of the advisory
group will be to oversee development of an implementation strategy designed to
achieve the adopted goals of the Sustainable City Plan. The Task Force unanimously approved a
motion in support of the creation of this Sustainable City advisory group as
described. Dean indicated that this
proposal will be forwarded to City Council for approval in June 2003.
Discussion Regarding
Environmental Impacts of Two-Stroke Motor Scooters
Discussion on this item was
deferred until the May 19 meeting to allow Task Force member Matt Peterson to be
present for the discussion.
Subcommittee Updates
Susan Mearns presented an update
regarding her participation on a committee reviewing a preliminary design report
for a fluoridation system for Santa Monica’s drinking water. The committee last met on March 25 and
the City’s consultant Black and Veatch answered preliminary questions submitted
by Susan and Mark Gold regarding the recommended fluoridation agent (B & V
recommended sodium fluoride), storage, use and handling concerns (sodium
fluoride would be delivered in small quantities and the supplier would remove
empty drums, eliminating hazardous waste disposal issues for the City), method
used to calculate the optimal fluoridation dosage (based on average water
temperature), and considerations regarding the planned fluoridation of MWD
water, which the City currently purchases.
Susan noted that she had submitted additional questions about the
fluoridation process to the City on April 8, which were to be forwarded to Black
and Veatch for response.
These included questions about the availability of human health risk
assessment and long-term chronic health data for sodium fluoride, additional
toxicity information, questions about systems safeguards, and storage and
disposal permitting issues. Mark
Gold asked to be notified by the City well in advance of the next meeting of
this committee to ensure that he and Susan would be able to attend. Tim Carmichael noted that within the week
he would circulate to Task Force members a revised draft of a letter to Council
regarding fluoridation.
Once approved by Task Force members the letter will be signed by Mark and
forwarded to the City Council.
Dean Kubani provided an update on
the Santa Monica Airport Ad Hoc Committee.
Staff are currently trying to coordinate a date and time for a meeting
with representatives of the South Coast Air Quality Management District. That meeting will likely take place
sometime in May or early June.
Continued Discussion of
Potential candidates to Fill Task Force Vacancies
Dean Kubani reported that he has
been in touch with three potential candidates to fill Bobby Rees’ vacant
position and Tim Carmichael indicated that Julie Masters from NRDC is interested
in applying for his soon to be vacant position. Dean indicated that he will advertise the
vacancies and prepare an application form and will report back at the May 19
meeting.
Santa Monica College
Environmental Speakers Series
Discussion on this item was
deferred until a future meeting because Bill Selby was not present.
Metropolitan Water District
Update
Discussion on this item was
deferred until the May 19th meeting because MWD Board member Judy
Abdo was not present.
Public Input
Gene Burke thanked the Task Force
for its involvement in the fluoridation issue. He expressed his concern about the use of
sodium fluoride as a fluoridation agent, about potential contaminants such as
arsenic and lead, and synergism between fluoride and metals such as aluminum.
He also provided information about the incidence of accidents related to
fluoridation of municipal water supplies and discussed lawsuits and decisions
regarding fluoridation in other California communities.
Marty Rubin noted that he is
concerned that the City doesn’t fully understand the potential costs and
liabilities related to water fluoridation.
Another member of the public noted
that much of the anti-fluoridation material distributed at previous Task Force
meetings was out of date. She
questioned why water tastes different from different water fountains in
Palisades Park, and noted that some portable toilets in Reed Park are unstable
and potentially dangerous.
Stacy Brown noted that a
California Guide to Environmental Literacy is currently being prepared and she
will provide contact information to anyone interested.
Laurel Roennau indicated that the
recent resolution from OPCO that was endorsed by the Task Force has been on the
past several Planning Commission agendas but has still not been heard, and may
not be for some time. She discussed
the concept of “trip tax” which charges developers a fee based on increased
traffic generated by their developments. It is currently in place in the City of
Los Angeles Coastal Corridor and she feels that this is something that should be
explored in Santa Monica. Task Force
members asked that this be agendized for discussion at the May 19 meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00
pm
