[00:00:01]
OKAY. LET'S GO AND CALL THE ORDER.
[Call to Order]
THIS IS THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE BEACH WORKSHOP.IT'S OCTOBER 19TH, 2014 AT 5 P.M.
MR. ROSS. MR. LINDEN, THE CHAIR. AND IF YOU'D ALL PLEASE RISE, PUT TO THE LIGHT OF THE UNITED STATES IS AMERICA THE REPUBLIC WE LAUNCHED TODAY? ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU. THE PURPOSE OF THE WORKSHOP THIS EVENING IS TO DISCUSS THE VERY THE BANNING OF
[Items 4 & 6]
PLASTIC STRAWS. AND I THINK THE TITLE DISCUSSION WAS BROUGHT UP BY A DISCUSSION STAFF BY MR. LEDWIDGE. IS THAT CORRECT? AND PARTNERS WITH IT? YES. YEAH. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME ONE TIME USE PLASTICS AS WELL AS DROP IN CENTER CITY ATTORNEY US HERE RIGHT NOW.SO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONVERSATION STAYS ON TRACK WITH WHAT'S ALLOWED IN THERE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE REGULATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
REALLY? PLASTIC BAGS, PLASTIC STRAWS AND THEN POLYSTYRENE OR STYROFOAM.
THOSE ARE THREE OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING BANNED IN DIFFERENT PLACES IN FLORIDA, PLASTIC BANS, PLASTIC BAGS CAN NOT BE BANNED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BECAUSE WE'RE PREEMPTED BY THE STATE. AND WE'RE ALSO PREEMPTED BY THE STATE WITH REGARD TO POLYSTYRENE OR STYROFOAM. SO THE ONLY THING IN THIS WAS GOVERNOR OF THE SCIENTISTS VETOED A BILL THAT PASSED IN THE LEGISLATURE IN JUNE SAYING THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COULD BAN PLASTIC STRAWS.
SO WE'RE ONLY DEALING WITH PLASTIC STRAWS.
I KNOW I SENT AN EMAIL YESTERDAY.
SOME OF THE ORDINANCES THAT I SENT TO ACTUALLY INCLUDE POLLI SIDE OF YOUR STYROFOAM.
BUT IN AUGUST, THERE WAS A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT THAT SAID THAT WE'RE PREEMPTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL IN FLORIDA, BROKEN PLASTIC STRAWS ON.
WELL, THE INTENT OF THE WORKSHOP, REALLY, AS WE DISCUSSED WHEN THIS CAME UP, WAS PUBLIC INPUT AND THE IMPACT ON BUSINESSES.
SO WE WERE HOPING THAT MAIN STREET CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, LOCAL BUSINESSES WOULD APPEAR AND GIVE US THEIR THOUGHTS ON HOW THIS WILL IMPACT YOU.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? YES, SIR. WILLIAMS NINE NINETY SEVEN.
YOU CANNOT KEEP PLAYING. I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE INVITED TO DO THIS.
IT IS KIND OF INTERESTING. I SPEND ABOUT HALF OF MY TIME IN CALIFORNIA, WHICH RECENTLY JUST PASSED A LAW BANNING PLASTIC STRAWS, BUT DOING IT OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS.
YOU CAN HAVE A PLASTIC STRAW IF YOU ASK FOR IT, BUT OTHERWISE NOT.
THE INTERESTING THING, I BECOME FRIENDLY WITH OUR RESTAURANT OUT THERE, WHICH IS A GOOD PLACE TO EAT AT A REASONABLE PRICE.
AND I ASKED HIM HOW WAS GOING WITH NO STRAWS.
HE QUIT DOING STRAWS ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS AGO.
IN HIS VIEW, HE SAID IT'S GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
AND I SAID, OH, REALLY? HE SAID, YEAH.
HE SAID THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST DON'T REALLY GIVE A DAMN ABOUT PLASTIC STRAWS MAY STILL COME HERE ANYWAY.
BUT HE SAID THE SIGN UP THERE HAS ATTRACTED ALL THE VEGANS, THE VEGETARIANS, THE TREE HUGGERS. AND SO THE NET EFFECT ON MY BUSINESS IS IMPROVEMENT, SAID NOW WITH A LAUGH.
IT'S GONNA BE PASSED, AND I HOPE THAT THAT LITTLE BURST WILL PROBABLY GO DOWN.
BUT THE NET EFFECT OF THIS RESTAURANT, WHICH IS WELL KNOWN IN LONG BEACH, IS THAT IT'S IT'S GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
WE'RE DOING THIS. ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS IS THE EFFECT ON WILDLIFE WITH SEA TURTLES EXAMPLE. ALMOST EVERY NECROPSY THERE'S PLASTIC AND PLASTIC IS NOT A GOOD NUTRIENT AND IT WILL APPLY TO ALL WILDLIFE.
SO THAT NET PART OF THE POINT IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING IS I DID BROACHES WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO BE HERE.
I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE SUPPORTIVE AND THEY'RE DOING SOME VERY, VERY OUT INITIATIVE, SOME POSITIVE INITIATIVES IN DEALING WITH PEOPLE IN PLASTIC.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING RECENTLY? IDENTIFY YOURSELF, PLEASE.
WE HAVE RULES. THIS IS LINDA BELLE.
AND I'M NOT REPRESENTING THE CHAMBER, BUT I HAVE ATTENDED AN EVENT THAT THEY HAD.
IT WAS AN OPEN HOUSE FOR A LOCAL VENDOR.
[00:05:02]
AND I'M SORRY, YOU DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THAT VENDOR, BUT THEY BROUGHT A LOT OF MATERIALS AND THEY HAD A A PERIOD, I THINK, FROM 10 TO ONE THAT THEY WERE AVAILABLE FOR BUSINESSES TO COME AND LOOK AT THE MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE FOR SUPPLYING LOCAL RESTAURANTS. SO THERE WERE A LOT OF OPTIONS GIVEN THAT WERE NON PLASTIC.THAT'S WHAT I SAW. MAYBE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS RECORDS.
I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT IT DID. LINDA BELL.
I MET 9 4 1 9 6 CALL POINT PLAY CITY LYNDA'S.
THANK YOU FOR STRAW POLL. LET IT GIVE US ALL STRENGTH FOR THE MIDDLE.
AT FURTHER SAY YOU KNOW THEN MAKES A GOOD POINT ABOUT INCREMENTAL.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO GIVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME.
I THINK WE NEED TO THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS SHOW.
BASICALLY, YOU CAN'T YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE IN PLASTIC DRAWERS AGAIN IN RESTAURANTS, YOU CAN'T SELL THEM GROCERY STORES, ETC.
AND GIVE US SOME THOUGHT ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT, BECAUSE IMPLEMENTATION IS REALLY THE KEY TO. BUT 90 PERCENT OF WHAT WE DO OR DON'T CONSIDER TELLING US ARE STILL ON YOU. DID IT YOU MISS YOUR GOLF? YES. THEREFORE, CLOSELY.
YEAH. KNOW HARLEEN FELL OFF 8 4 5 TARPING AVENUE BURGAN BEACH.
I DID SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WOULD BE AFFECTED BY A TOTAL BAN. WHAT I FOUND WHEN I SOLICITED THAT FEEDBACK IS THAT MANY OF THEM HAD ALREADY ATTEMPTED TO GO FROM PLASTIC STRAWS TO PAPER STRAWS WITHOUT A LOT OF SUCCESS.
SO THEY HAD GONE TO PAPER STRAWS, AND THE PAPER STRAWS THAT THEY HAD WERE DISINTEGRATING BEFORE FOLKS WERE FINISHED WITH WHATEVER THE BEVERAGE WAS.
AND SO THEY GOT SOME NEGATIVE FEEDBACK.
THAT DIDN'T STOP THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY CONCERNED.
SO SEVERAL OF THEM DID TELL ME THAT THEY ARE NOW USING THIS COMPOSTABLE STRAW INSTEAD OF PLASTIC. SO OF ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT I GOT, THE VAST MAJORITY SAID THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO SUPPORT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, GIVEN HOW FAR DOWN THE ROAD THEY NEED TO REPLENISH THEIR INVENTORY, ETC.
ETC.. I DID GET ONE PERSON'S FEEDBACK THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT, DO NOT DO THIS.
SO BUT THAT WAS ONE OUT OF ALL OF THEM.
THIS WAS THE ALTERNATIVE THAT WAS PROPOSED.
AND IT WAS CHENEY BROTHERS THAT THE CHAMBERS DEAL WITH AND WORKING ON A DISCOUNT PROGRAM FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF PAPER AND PLASTIC PRODUCTS OR BIG PLASTIC.
YOU KNOW, I DID WITH THAT THREE MINUTES.
AND SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN PEOPLE DID GO TO THAT.
AND I THINK THERE IS THERE'S INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK A TRANSITIONAL KIND OF AN IMPLEMENTATION WOULD MAKE A LOT OF SENSE IF IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO WE DID A TIERED IMPLEMENTATION IN WWW.E AND STEP ONE WAS NOT SERVING ITS PLASTIC STRAW WITH A BEVERAGE ONLY UPON REQUEST.
HOW LONG OF A PERIOD WOULD YOU SAY WE NEED TO DO THAT? I THINK WHAT IT WAS VARIES DEPENDING ON THE INVENTORY THAT FOLKS HAVE.
I MEAN, THERE'S ONE RESTAURANT DOWNTOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HAS BEEN UP AND RUNNING FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT THEY'RE STILL USING THE PRODUCTS STAMPED WITH THE PRIOR BUSINESS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF INVENTORY IN SOME BUSINESSES AND NOT SO MUCH IN OTHERS.
AND AGAIN, I DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM EVERYBODY.
THE MAJORITY THAT I DID HEAR BACK FROM SAID DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
BUT LET'S NOT GO OVERBOARD IN A HURRY.
WHAT'S BEING REPORTED? WELL, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I GET AND THIS IS PROBABLY JUST BECAUSE OF THE DAY AND AGE THAT WE LIVE IN WITH SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I GET IS THE GOVERNMENT CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO. DON'T TRY TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
I'M MAKING MY LIVING FOR MY FAMILY.
AND DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO NOT DO.
AND THERE'S THERE'S SOME VALIDITY TO SOME OF THOSE ARGUMENTS.
AGAIN, THOUGH, THE FOLKS WHO ARE INTERESTED AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR THE
[00:10:05]
ENVIRONMENT HAVE ALREADY DONE SO.SO THAT'S THE OTHER ARGUMENT IS YOU DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO BECAUSE I'M GOING TO DO THIS ON MY OWN AGAIN.
I THINK IT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DAY THAT WE LIVE IN.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT. I MEAN, THE POLICY WE HAVE IS THAT WE HAVE SOME GENDER TABLETOPS AND WE HAVE THOSE FRAMES THAT GO ON TOP OF THE BAR THAT HAVE A GRAPHIC.
YOU GET THEM STATE OF FLORIDA.
IT'S GOT LIKE A TURTLE WITH A STRAW IN HIS MOUTH.
AND IT SAYS STRAWS OR BY REQUESTS ONLY IN ANY REASON.
WHY WOULD THE DATA ON WHAT WE DO THAT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE. IT TAKES A WHILE TO NOT GET IN THE HABIT WHEN YOU BUILD A DRAKE.
YOU HAVE. YOU PUT THE ICE, THE MIXER IN THIS DRAWER, GARNISH HANDED OUT.
SO EVEN SINCE WE STARTED DOING THAT, IT'S YOU STILL HAVE TO TRAIN PEOPLE NOT TO GET THIS TRIAL. IT'S A LEARNING PROCESS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE STRAW SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, THE BIODEGRADABLE STALLS ARE COMPOSTABLE. STRAWS ARE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE ONES WE USE NOW.
I MEAN, THEY'RE HUGE, VAST DIFFERENCE, WHICH MIGHT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR A LOT OF US.
ONE BIG BULK ITEMS, IT'S IT'S A MAJOR PRICE DIFFERENCE.
SO I WOULD AGREE THAT I GET WHAT SHE'S SAYING ABOUT GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT.
THE WORD BAN AUTOMATICALLY TURNS PEOPLE.
NOBODY WANTS ANYTHING BANNED FROM USE A VOLUNTARY.
YOU KNOW, BY REQUEST ONLY OR OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE PROGRAMS WHERE THEY GET A DETAIL THAT GOES ON THEIR WINDOW. THEY BECAME PART OF A GROUP THAT SAYS THIS BUSINESSES OPTED TO USE NON PLASTIC STRAWS AND ENCOURAGE OTHER BUSINESS TO GET ON BOARD WITH THAT.
IT'S SURPRISING HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT JUST DON'T NEED A STRAW.
YOU KNOW, YOU GET IT TILL NOW AND THEY GET UPSET AND THEY GET ONE.
THEY DON'T WANT IT. AND I NEVER HAVE.
I MEAN, WHO USES A STRAW AT HOME OR SOME? I MEAN, YOU DO AND THEN YOU HAVE TO DO SO.
SURFRIDER CAME UP. I TALKED TO SURFRIDER ABOUT THIS IS A FLORIDA FIVE OR 1 C 3 THAT'S INTO OCEAN PROTECTION IN FLORIDA AND CLEANLINESS AND EVERYTHING.
AND THEY'VE BEEN ON THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY'RE HOPING SOMEBODY BE HERE TONIGHT. I DON'T SEE ANYBODY.
BUT THEIR THING IS IT STRAWS ARE A VERY SMALL PART OF A VERY BIG PROBLEM, BUT THEY'RE THE POSTER CHILD OF THAT PROBLEM.
SO IT BRINGS AWARENESS AND IF IT GETS A CONVERSATION GOING.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE STRAW? IT'S LIKE PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT FROM NON COASTAL COMMUNITIES. I THINK WE ALL SAW THAT VIDEO OF THEM PULLING THE STRAW OUT OF THE TURTLES NOSE WITH A PAIR OF PLIERS OR WHATEVER.
AND THAT STARTED THE WHOLE CONVERSATION.
SO THOSE TYPE THINGS GO ON TO A BIGGER PICTURE OF ALL KINDS OF SINGLE USE PLASTICS TO GET AWAY FROM. BUT YEAH.
SO THEIR THING IS IN THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T LOOK AT SOUTH FLORIDA'S BAN.
I MEAN, THEY'VE DONE IT BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
MY BEACH. I JUST CAME FROM DC AND THEY SOMEBODY IS IN THE RESTAURANT NEXT TO THE TABLE, NEXT TO US. AND THEN YOU GET HIS DRAWER AND THEY SAID, THANK YOU FOR NOT GIVING ME HIS DRAWING AGAIN. WELL, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO.
IT'S AGAINST OPOSSUM VICE-MAYOR.
IT'S YOU, SIR. HE'S KING TOUGH.
LET HIM UP FOR STILL. COME ON.
MR. MAYOR, PUT LAURA 2 7 9 FOR A LONG VOTE DRIVE IN FRONT OF THE BEACH, CALIFORNIA, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA. SORRY.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A SPONSORSHIP THAT'S BEEN DEALING WITH DIFFERENT STATE, SO I'VE GOT A BUNCH OF STATES ON MY MIND, SOME KIND OF EXCITED IN PART ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION.
THE PART ABOUT EXCITED ABOUT IS THE IS THE BANNING OF PARTNER.
THE BANNING PART HAS A KIND OF CONNOTATION ON IT THAT WE'RE FORCING FORCING FOLKS.
SO WHEN I GOT ON THE ISLAND, I STARTED AT A VERY SMALL GROUP AND IT STILL EXISTS.
AND THE MAIN DRIVER OF THE GROUP WAS KIND OF HOW DO YOU ELIMINATE SINGLE USE PLASTIC? SO FOR US, WE'VE CREATED ALREADY A DATABASE OF ALMOST EVERY RESTAURANT ON THE ISLAND AND WHERE THEY'RE AT. AND WE TRY TO UPDATE IT AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
SO I CAN OFFER THAT INFORMATION TO THE CITY.
ALSO, I KNOW IN THE MILITARY THEY SAID NEVER VOLUNTEER FOR ANYTHING.
BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A CITIZEN TO VOLUNTEER, I WOULD LOVE TO.
SO EVER DO WORK GROUP TOGETHER? BUT JUST TO GET BACK ON THE TOPIC, JUST FROM SOME OF MY SUGGESTIONS, FROM A LITTLE BIT OF THE LIMITED EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD SO FAR ON THE ISLAND, YOU HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESSES AND I SAY A LOT. I WILL SAY PROBABLY 90 PERCENT OF YOUR BUSINESSES WANT TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION. IT WOULD BE BETTER TO DO A VOLUNTEER KIND OF PHASE.
AND JUST LIKE LYNN WAS SAYING, SOME KIND OF IMPLEMENTATION BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGEST NEGATIVE COMMENTS THAT DOES COME BACK, IT'S A COMPLETE TRANSITION SWITCH INTO THE FINANCES OF THAT BUSINESS AND ESPECIALLY A SMALLER BUSINESS.
BUT REALLY, THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE'VE ALSO GOTTEN BACK AS FAR AS FEEDBACK IS THE CULTURAL ASPECT OF IT IS TO REALLY SWITCH YOUR BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY AND TO BE SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS ON WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING OUT.
BUT I THINK YOU'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BECAUSE REALLY A LOT OF OUR TRASH BECOMES
[00:15:05]
ON THE FRONT END. IT'S WHAT WE DO ON THE FRONT END THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DEPOSITING INTO OUR OUR TRANSFER SPARKLES.SO I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOING TO ACTUALLY WHEN I CAME TO THE MEETING TONIGHT, I WAS GOING TO BECAUSE I DO WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO ON THIS, TOO.
BECAUSE WHEN I WAS IN THE TOURNAMENT THIS WEEKEND, I KIND OF SAW SOMETHING AND IT JUST KIND OF RAISED A QUESTION.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE A CITY ORDINANCE THAT TALKS ABOUT TAKING A BEER CAN OR BEER AND THEN IN A RECEPTACLE. SO AS I WAS WATCHING AT THE TOURNAMENT, WE'RE TAKING A BEER CAN THAT'S ALREADY HOLDING A PRODUCT.
WE'RE PUT IN A PLASTIC PRODUCT AND NOW WE'RE THROWING TWO BOOKS AWAY IN THE TRASH.
SO I THINK OUR CITY ORDINANCE ACTUALLY SAYS WE HAVE TO PUT IT IN A DIFFERENT CONTAINER.
SO IT'S LIKE WE'RE CREATING TRASH.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALL AS A COMMISSION KIND OF STEP BACK A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE CREATE A WORK GROUP OR WORKING TEAM OF FOLKS IN THE CITY THAT COULD COME UP WITH THESE LITTLE, YOU KNOW, THESE LITTLE DIFFERENT NUANCES THAT COME UP.
AND I WOULD EVEN ASK THAT YOU LOOK AT YOUR OWN ORDINANCE, THAT'S NOT YOUR OWN AUDIENCE.
THE CITY ORDINANCE AND SEE IF THAT COULD BE CHANGED, BECAUSE I MEAN, TO TAKE SOMETHING OUT OF ONE RECEPTACLE, PUT IT IN ANOTHER.
AND NOW WE HAVE TWO PIECES OF TRASH THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE COULD HAVE ELIMINATED A LOT OF TRASH TO SEEKING OUT THE TOURNAMENT ITSELF.
JUST MY MY LAST MATCH, IT WAS GONNA HAVE A LAUGH.
ACTUALLY, MR. MAYOR, THIS WAS FROM A CONVERSATION AND WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.
AND I REALLY LOVED IT. AND THIS IS SOMETHING MAYBE JUST TO BRING IT BACK UP AND THINK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR ALONG WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, MAYBE SEE IF THERE IS A CO-OP THAT CAN BE ESTABLISHED, IF YOU CAN HAVE ONE WAREHOUSE THAT EVERYBODY CAN STORE THESE PRODUCTS. MAYBE IT'LL CUT SOME OF THE BUSINESS COSTS FOR THEM.
SO I THINK IT'S IDEAS LIKE THAT THAT I WISH YOU WOULD ALL GO FOR FIRST.
OH, NO. DAN BELONGS WITH BEN MALONE'S AFTER WE ACTUALLY HAD A INFORMATION NAME.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE THIS SENDS A MESSAGE OF WHERE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY.
AND I'M SURE THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF IMPLEMENTATION, WHETHER IT IS WHEN YOUR INVENTORY IS EXPIRED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DEAL WITH GROCERY STORES OR STORE SELLING, BUT BUT I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO BE CONSISTENT ENVIRONMENTALLY THAT WE MOVE FOR THIS RITUAL, OTHERS CAN BE PROVIDED US WITH A COUPLE OF ORDINANCES AND THE APPLES APP, APPLE, ONE WHOSE KEY BLESS ISLAND DIET, AND ESSENTIALLY THEIR JUSTIFICATION WAS THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE ON AN ISLAND, PLASTIC STRAWS MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE BEACH AND THUS POSE TERRIFIC HAZARDS TO WILDLIFE.
AND AS I'VE SAID. OR IN OUR MEETINGS, I DO BEACH CLEANUP.
THE TO DIVIDE A DOLLAR FOR EVERY STRAW.
I WOULDN'T BE SITTING IN THIS CHAIR.
I'D BE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE.
SO IT'S IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO THE IMPLEMENTATION.
AND I THINK MR. LAURIE IS CORRECT THAT WE GET THE IMPACT OF THE COMMUNITY AND MAYBE HAVE THE BUSINESSES SUGGEST TO US SOME IMPLEMENTATION STEPS OF HOW THEY'D LIKE TO SEE THIS DONE. POST SOME OF THESE ORDINANCES SO THEY CAN READ THEM AND UNDERSTAND THEM.
BUT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
YOU KNOW, WHAT GETS ME ON THOSE THINGS IS THERE'S A JUICE BOX, ROSITA BEACH CLEANUPS, A LITTLE YELLOW, BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THEY'RE HARD TO PICK OUT TO DO, OTHER THINGS WILL GRAVITATE. AND THEN THEY COME WRAPPED IN PLASTIC.
CORRECT. WHICH IS HER NIGHTMARE.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS, DRYFOOS.
SO I'M JUST THINKING THIS THING THROUGH.
EVERY TIME YOU GO THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT, YOU'RE GETTING A DRINK. IT'S GOT A PLASTIC LEATHER PLATFORM AT ALL.
CORRECT. WOULD A BAN INCLUDE THE MCDONALD'S? CAN'T PUT A STRONGER DRIVER.
MR. CHAIRMAN, FOR ALL OF YOU, I GAVE YOU A LITTLE SAMPLE OF A PAPER STRAW THAT CAME FROM A RESTAURANT UP ON JEKYLL ISLAND.
AND WHEN I ASK THE BARTENDER ABOUT IT, HE SAID WHEN NO ONE TURTLES IN THE WORLD.
AND HE SEEMED TO BE QUITE PROUD.
SO MAYBE ONE OF THE THINGS WE COULD DO IS TOUCH BASE WITH SOME OF THE BUSINESS UP IN JEKYLL ISLAND TO SEE HOW THEY DID IT.
[00:20:02]
THEY UNFORTUNATELY GOT VERY BUSY.SO I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO SIT WITH THE MANAGER AND TALK TO HIM AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO, BUT HE WAS QUITE PROUD OF THE FACT.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT DOESN'T REALLY LOOK LIKE A PAPER STRAW.
AND IT DOES LAST. GRANTED, IT WAS IN A DIET COKE, BUT IT MADE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS WITHOUT COLLAPSING.
SO THAT MAY BE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO AND SEE IF WHAT THEY DO OR HOW THEY DID IT.
WELL, I CAN TELL YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE BARTENDER WAS PROUD OF THAT.
I CAN I CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT IT'S A IT'S A SERIOUS CONVERSATION STARTER.
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY COME BACK OVER, THEY SAY, CAN I GET A STRAW? AND THEY SEE THAT THEY NEXT TO THE STRAW OR THE TURTLE, THEY GO, OH.
AND YOU SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TO IRELAND.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T FROM THIS AREA.
WHAT TIME IS IT? BUT IT STARTS A CONVERSATION YOU WILL GET TOWARDS THE NEST.
HERE IS THE TURTLES. AND THAT IT SHOWS THAT THE COMMITTEE IS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING THAT MOST PEOPLE NOT NOW SURFRIDER DID MENTION THAT IF WE DO THINGS LIKE THIS TO MAKE SURE YOU ALLOW FOR AVAILABILITY FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED WATER, THAT NEED PLASTIC.
SOME PEOPLE DO NEED TO USE THESE DROPS.
SO YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE SOMETHING.
SO IT'S A REQUIREMENT FOR SOME PEOPLE.
SO THAT WAS A BIG THING THEY WANT ME TO PASS ON.
SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? THERE'S MORE AND MORE PUBLIC INPUT.
ALL RIGHT. PETE STEVENSON 1 6 2 7 GOODMANS, WAVEFRONT, BERNARDINI BEACH.
ACTUALLY, I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON MORE OF WHAT I'LL CALL IT.
A PORTION OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO TEND TO SUPPORT THAT IDEA.
MY QUESTIONS GO. THERE ARE JUICE CONTAINERS FOR PICTURE FOR THE KIDS THAT HAVE, IN EFFECT, A PLASTIC PIPE OR A STRAW FASTENED TUBE.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU NOW TELL PHOBICS I GOTTA GET HIM OFF THE SHELF OR IS THE LAW GOING TO GO THAT FAR? IT'S MORE. HOW FAR DO YOU HANDLE THE IMPLEMENTATION IN TERMS OF GOING ALL THE WAY, IF I UNDERSTAND IT? IF YOU GO DOWN TO A BAR AND TAKE IT ALL OFF, THAT IS MAYBE AN OPTION.
BUT I DO THINK YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE COMING IN FROM GEORGIA.
THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR STUFF WITH THEM.
WHERE WERE YOU WERE TO TRY AND HANDLE IT? AND HOW DO YOU ENFORCE IT? FAIZAN? ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT DO YOU HOW DO YOU READ THE REPORT? BECAUSE I TAKE THIS AS WELL.
I THINK WE LISTEN TO MR. STEVENSON'S POINT. HOW DO OTHER HOW HAVE OTHER COMMUNITIES DONE THIS? SO WE TALK ABOUT JEKYLL ISLAND.
HOW IS JEKYLL ISLAND DATA? HOW IS KEY WEST HAM? SO, YOU KNOW, PHONE, WE NEED SOME INFORMATION ON THOSE KIDS DRINKS.
HOW IS OUR THE GROCERY STORES IN KEY WEST HANDLING THOSE DISPOSABLE DRINKS? AND THAT AND THAT ISSUE.
INFORMATION IS ALWAYS A GOOD INVESTMENT.
KEY WEST ORDINANCE ADDRESS THAT.
I THINK THAT'S VERY A VERY INTERESTING POINT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO LEGISLATE.
YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I THINK YOU CAN LEGISLATE THE SELLING OF PLASTIC STORES AS ABUTMENT. BUT IT GETS PRETTY TECHNICAL THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH WHAT MIKE SAYS IS LIKE SOME INPUT.
I WOULD LIKE. YOU KNOW, I I'M DISAPPOINTED THE CHAMBER WASN'T HERE WHEN THEY WERE ONE OF THE ONES THAT WANTED TO HAVE THIS WORKSHOP IN SPECIFIC BUSINESSES TO COME.
IF WE COULD SEND AN ORDINANCE, LIKE MIKE SAID, OUT, GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SELL.
IT WOULD BE GOOD IF SOMEBODY I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT'S GOING TO BE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT WORK LOAD ISSUES, COULD COULD CHECK WITH PUBLIX AND SEE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIX IS PET STORES IN KEY WEST AND SEE SEE HOW THEY'VE HANDLED THEIR NET WOULD BE A START.
AND THEN WE CAN SEND UP KEY WEST PEOPLE, THEN HAVE THEM COME IN AND IT IN IMPLEMENTATION.
I THINK WE CAN WE CAN COME UP WITH A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR THE PATIENT.
OK. THAT'S FAIR AND EQUITABLE.
SURE. SO WE'LL GET INFORMATION.
THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT GET INFORMATION FROM OTHER PLACES LIKE THAT SEEMS TO BE THE FORM AND ALSO SEND OUT IDEAS OTHER THAN THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS.
WELL, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND MAIN STREET, NOT SO MERCHANT ANY ORGANIZATION.
YOU KNOW, WE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION HERE.
THE DOWNTOWN, THEY'RE WORKING TO TRY AND GET SOMETHING DONE THAT THE STORE DOES.
BUT BUT I THINK THE KEY IS WE REALLY WANT THEM TO COME THEIR OWN INPUT.
GOT IT. I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL.
[00:25:02]
BUT I KEEP HEARING THE WORD WE.AND WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO DO IS THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WHO PROPOSE THIS NEED TO GO BACK AND SPEND SOME TIME AND DO THE RESEARCH INSTEAD OF I THINK THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS PLENTY OF THINGS TO DO. AH, WHEN I WANTED TO GET SOLAR TRASHCANS, I'VE PROBABLY SPENT 40, 50, 60 HOURS. I MEAN, FIELD TRIPS AROUND.
I GOT ON THE PHONE. THIS IS A POLICY DECISION.
BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED AND THE WEEDS WE NEED TO DO OUR HOMEWORK.
THE CITY STAFF, WE CAME UP WITH PRIORITIES.
OUR PRIORITIES WERE WATERFRONT PARK.
OUR PRIORITIES WERE CONSERVATION LAND.
AND WE KEEP GOING OFF OFF OUR PRIORITY.
AND ALTHOUGH I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL THING, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU IF YOU SUPPORTING THIS, SPEND THE TIME AND EFFORT AND COME UP WITH ALL THAT MATERIAL, MAKE THE PHONE CALLS, CALL THESE PEOPLE AND COME BACK WITH A PROGRAM.
I THINK INSTEAD OF STAFF IS OVERWHELMED.
I'VE SUPPORTED MANY OF THESE THINGS.
BUT I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE STEP FORWARD AND DO THE ACTUAL WORK, BECAUSE I CAN GO ALL THROUGH ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
AND THE STAFF DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO DO THEM.
SO NOW WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER THING TO THAT.
AND THAT'S MY CONCERN. BUT I'M ONE OF FIVE.
COMMISSIONER ROSS. YOU HAD ME.
WE OBSERVED YOU HAD ME AT WEEK.
GREAT. AND WE'VE EVEN HAD A VOLUNTEER OUT HERE.
MR. LORI, WE'LL WORK WITH YOU TWO TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
WE'LL DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. ANY TASK SHOULD HAVE A DEADLINE.
SO AS YOU WERE SPEAKING, I WAS WHIRLING IN MY HEAD.
THE DATES WERE HITTING HOLIDAYS FOR US.
SO WE'RE NOT IN A RUSH TO DO THIS.
SO I WOULD SAY BY THE FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY, I WILL HAVE.
SO I WOULD ASK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND ANYBODY ELSE CONCERNED, SEND ME THE QUOTE, THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ANSWERED ON THIS ISSUE FROM ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT HAS DONE THIS. OK.
IF YOU WOULD DO THAT FOR ME, PLEASE.
I'D APPRECIATE IT. MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AS WELL.
AND I WILL GATHER THAT INFORMATION AND PRESENT MY FINDINGS AT THE FIRST COMMISSION MEETING AGAIN. SO IT'S GOOD.
I'M HAPPY TO SEND OUT THE KEY WEST ORDINANCE STILL TO AS MUCH BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS I CAN. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? OK. WITH THAT, WE'RE ADJOURNED.
WE WERE BACK AT 6:00.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.