===== PDF PAGE 1 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] WHERE HISTORY & PROGRESS MEET Approved (11/20/2025) MEETING MINUTES ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION October 16, 2025, 6:00 P.M. 1. Call to Order Establish a Quorum a. Dave Shah, Staff Liaison, called the meeting to order at 6:02 P.M. b. Members in attendance included Co-Chair Tom Cherrington, Commissioner Bob Blaus, Commissioner David Carlson, and Commissioner Allen Rodriguez. Chair Nazree Williams, Commissioner Victoria Burris, and Commissioner Tyler Kesler were absent. c. Aldermanic liaison present included Alderman Christopher Swiatek. d. Staff liaison present included Assistant Director of Public Works, Dave Shah. Shah welcomed the newly appointed Commissioner Carlson to the group. 2. Approval of Minutes a. Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of September 18, 2025 i. Rodriguez suggested postponing approval of the Meeting Minutes until the next meeting. There was a consensus to delay approval until November. 3. Public Participation/Presentations a. None 4. Items for Consent a. None 5. Review and Discuss the Commission Priority List a. Current List i. Sustainability Plan – Subcommittee Update Discussion: None. ii. Annual Report 1. November 20, 2025 – Present Draft Report at the Commission Meeting 2. December 15, 2025 – Present Annual Report to City Council Discussion: Rodriguez requested that the draft be shared with everyone on the Commission to collaborate. He also requested that Williams be able to present the report at the beginning of the December 15 City Council meeting if possible. Shah noted pictures taken throughout the year would also be shared for possible inclusion in the report. Rodriguez additionally suggested incorporating a PowerPoint presentation at the December 15 meeting. b. New Additions or Upcoming Events 475 Main Street T 630.293.2200 Daniel Bovey MAYOR West Chicago, Illinois F 630.293.3028 Tia Messino 60185 westchicago.org INTERIM CITY ADMINISTRATOR ===== PDF PAGE 2 ===== [Extraction: embedded PDF text] i. Pumpkin Composting Event – November 8, 2025, 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. 1. Location: New Hope United Methodist Church, 643 E Washington St, West Chicago, IL 60185 Discussion: Rodriguez suggested printing flyers to distribute to shoppers at Jewel and said he could deliver them to management for distribution. Rodriguez raised a concern regarding the risk of ICE targeting the event. Blaus noted that most attendees trickle in, and there is not typically a large group in attendance at once. Rodriguez suggested reaching out to the host church to determine their protocol if ICE showed up at their property. ii. Holiday Lights Recycling Event – November 28, 2025, to January 16, 2026 1. Locations: WC City Hall, WC Water Treatment Plant, WC Public Library District, New Hope United Methodist Church of WC, Murphy Ace Hardware, The ARC Center, Jewel Osco Discussion: Rodriguez suggested adding Menards to the list of drop-off locations and asked Commissioner Carlson if he could make contact to facilitate this. 6. Other Business a. Cooking Oil Recycling Program Coordination i. Program implementation by mid-November 2025 Discussion: Shah confirmed two locations have been selected for drop-off sites – one at the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant and a pilot location near the water tower on Hawthorne Lane, which would be available 24/7. Some discussions followed regarding logistics, accessibility, and signage. Rodriguez noted that this program should be used towards earning SCARCE’s Earth Flag. b. November & December 2025 Commission meetings Discussion: Commissioners agreed to keep the November 20 meeting as normally scheduled and reschedule the meeting in December to December 11, 2025. c. SCARCE Training Discussion: SCARCE requires staff training as part of the requirements to earn an Earth Flag. The Commission suggested scheduling this training for February, if possible, so the Flag can be earned in the first quarter of 2026. d. September 2025 Commission Meeting Recap Request Discussion: While not on the agenda, Rodriguez requested a summary of discussions regarding single-use bag fees from the September meeting he was unable to attend. Summarization by the Commission followed, which recapped the previous meeting’s discussions. Rodriguez commented that Williams and Kesler may want to meet with the Mayor regarding these topics as well. e. Jacket Presentation – Rodriguez presented the Commissioners with City logo jackets as a gift to represent the City and show his appreciation of their efforts. f. Recycling Discussion: Carlson shared some thoughts on recycling education and shared an example from Australia where they would tag improper recycling on residents’ bins. He also expressed interest in focusing efforts on educating children about responsible recycling practices. 7. Adjournment a. At 7:31 P.M., Rodriguez made a motion to adjourn, and Cherrington seconded the motion. The motion was unanimously approved by voice vote. Respectfully, Ashley Heidorn Public Works Administrative Assistant