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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-10-2020 IPM MinutesSUB -COMMITTEE MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1225 MAIN STREET, SEBASTIAN, FL JUNE 10, 2020 Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Mr. Benton at 3:00 p.m. If. Roll call Present: Mr. O'Neill Mr. Carrano Present via Zoom Technoloav Dr. Graham Cox Ms. Kathy Brothers Ms. Christine Kelly-Begazo, Advisor -- Late Arrival Not Present Ms. Ruth Callaghan -- Excused Also Present: Brian Benton, Leisure Services Director Kim Haigler, Environmental Technician Janet Graham, Technical Writer (via Zoom Technology) III. ADDroval of Minutes — February 19. February 26. March 3. and March 11, 2020 Mr. Benton asked if the committee members had a chance to review the Minutes listed above. Everyone indicated that they had. Mr. Benton then asked if anyone had any changes or corrections to the Minutes as presented. Hearing none, Mr. Benton called for a motion. A motion to accept all the Minutes listed above as presented was made by Mr. Carrano, seconded by Ms. Brothers, and passed unanimously via voice vote. IV. Announcements A. Weekly meetings through approval of Final Parks Plan Mr. Benton reviewed that in the past this sub -committee had been meeting on Wednesdays. However, now Zoom technology is being used, Wednesday is not the best day for City staff to have these meetings, as the City Council meetings are also on INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SUB -COMMITTEE PAGE 2 MINUTES OF JUNE 10, 2020 Wednesdays. He asked if anyone had an issue with moving these meetings to Tuesdays. All members indicated they had no issues. Thus, all meetings going forward will be on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. They will be held in Council Chambers going forward, and Zoom will be provided for the members who want to attend in that manner. Weekly meetings will be continued, and this project will hopefully be finalized by the end of June. He will discuss this in more detail later in this meeting. B. Solicit for Committee member participation on Stormwater IPM Sub- committee Mr. Benton asked if there are any members who are presently on this current Parks IPM Sub -Committee who do not want to participate in the stormwater IPM project. Ms. Brothers stated she is happy to participate, but she is not sure what she can contribute, as her background is in legal and finance. Mr. Benton stated he will provide information on exactly what the stormwater project will entail. Mr. Carrano and Dr. Cox want to be involved. Mr. O'Neill stated he would participate as long as it does not require too much technical knowledge. Ms. Haigler stated that, since they have the experience of working on this project, staff will have a better idea of how to proceed with the stormwater project. Mr. Benton stated there will also be another member or two from the Natural Resources Board who may be interested in being involved. Since there is a basis for participation from this sub -committee, staff will be able to start to plan and move forward with the next project as well. Mr. Benton reminded everyone that any public comment or public input be directed towards parks and properties, not canals. Mr. Benton addressed comments that have been made to the effect that this process with the Integrated Pest Management Sub -Committee was abruptly stopped. He reviewed that Ms. Haigler has been actively working through the COVID-19 pandemic on getting input. He asked Ms. Haigler to give an update. Ms. Haigler stated it is also worth mentioning that regarding the daunting list of chemicals that was compiled, Mr. Benton has been sorting through it and created a spreadsheet for it. She has taken the edit suggestions that have been submitted by committee members. She has also solicited edit suggestions from industry professionals in the area. She has taken all of those suggestions and incorporated them into a new draft, which will be reviewed as part of next week's meeting agenda. Ms. Haigler stated staff is also incorporating a native garden for the enhancement of natural predators at the Garden Club Park. She is also currently working through the INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SUB -COMMITTEE PAGE 3 MINUTES OF JUNE 10, 2020 process to acquire air potato beetles to control air potato vines for a number of parks that are currently being invaded by the air potato vines in the City. Mr. Benton mentioned that he is in the process of researching through the Sports Turf Managers Association whether it is possible that the City can move forward with obtaining the Sports Turf Managers Association Environmental Facility Certification for the Barber Street Sports Complex. This will involve Mr. Benton becoming a member of that association, and he is looking into that. Hopefully, for the next budget year he can join that association and, as the City continues to process this IPM for parks, it will be a good certification that the City can get to show its IPM progress. Public Input Mr. Benton called for public input from persons who are in Council Chambers, and then if there is anyone on Zoom who wishes to speak. Hearing no one, Mr. Benton closed this portion of the meeting. VI. New Business A. Discussion of potential chemical controls i. Which are most applicable for active, passive, and athletic properties ii. Target pests of each method iii. Estimated cost for each method iv. Caution labeling and environmental toxicity Mr. Benton informed anyone who is attending and is not familiar with how these meetings have gone so far that this is just a portion of the IPM plan that is being put together. This committee is now at the point to discuss chemical controls. There have been numerous meetings in which cultural and biological controls were discussed. Pests were discussed and what the goals were. So these items under New Business for this meeting are not the entirety of what is being discussed for the IPM project. Mr. Benton reviewed that he created a chart. These are products that have been used in the past. A few of these products have been used at Barber Street since the moratorium was lifted. Also, in City playgrounds a few of these products have been used. This list has some products that he has highlighted, in red, which means not allowed. Everything that will be used going forward will be caution label or below. Nothing with a warning INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SUB -COMMITTEE PAGE 5 MINUTES OF JUNE 10, 2020 indicated that it was not something that was found to be ineffective. He stated they could probably do some color coordination on some of the other products that staff has tested. Ms. Brothers requested adding a column noting what has been tried and how effective it was. Mr. Benton stated that can be done. He stated that they have tested Dr. Kirchner's product as well, so that product will be added to the list. (AT THIS POINT, CHRISTINE KELLY-BEGAZO JOINED THE MEETING VIA ZOOM.) Mr. O'Neill asked that under the cost of a product an ascending number of dollar signs ($, $$, $$$) be added to indicate which products are most expensive. Mr. Benton stated that was a good suggestion. He also inquired how the committee members want him to determine the cost on the products. He can do it based on the cost, or he can do it based on either the pounds or the ounces per acre or per thousand feet. It was the consensus of the committee that the cost per thousand square feet should be used. Dr. Cox acknowledged Mr. Griffin at the meeting. Dr. Cox stated he is ready to serve on the canals project. Dr. Cox also suggested that the natural products that can be used should be listed. He will add a color code for those products as well. Dr. Cox asked that a table be made that shows the mechanical, biological, and cultural ones. He thinks that would be a useful format. Mr. Benton asked the committee members if they agreed that it would be helpful. It was the consensus of the committee that it would be helpful. Mr. Benton stated that a draft of the IPM plan as it now stands will be provided at the next meeting. Ms. Haigler and Mr. Benton will have to work on developing a chart for those other methods. That may not be on the next agenda, but it will be coming based on everyone's input. Dr. Cox offered to help with that as well. Mr. Benton stated Ms. Haigler has done a lot of work on the project, and he tries to help as much as he can. However, Ms. Haigler does have a lot of other work in her own department. Mr. Benton called on any members of the public who wished to speak. Patrick Powers addressed the "use limitation type" and "the label is the law" and had some precautions and suggestions regarding how those matters can be addressed. Christine Kelly-Begazo described the exceptions to every label. One is that you are allowed to use less product than is shown on the label if you feel that it will still do the job that you are looking for. The second exception is that you use more protective equipment than what is recommended on the label. Mr. Benton is concerned with the use of the phrase "limitation type." Ms. Haigler suggested calling it "tolerance threshold." It would be by an estimated population of the INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SUB -COMMITTEE PAGE 4 MINUTES OF JUNE 10, 2020 label will be recommended for use within City parks. He reviewed the chart in detail and what it includes. He explained that his recommendations on the use limitation type for the City of Sebastian begins with Least Limited, More Limited, Most Limited, or Not Allowed. —Those are the four stages, and then it goes to Pests Treated by the Product, then Parks Where Product is Permitted for Use. He explained this goes from being allowed in all City parks, being allowed in athletic fields, Riverview Park, and playgrounds only, or only allowed to be used at the athletic fields. Those are the different uses that are permitted. Then there is Cost of the Product. There will be another section added that is going to be the application rate that the label specifies must be used. As has been emphasized through this whole process: 'The Label is the Law," and it is what we are required to go by. He called for input on chemical controls from each member. Ms. Haigler stated there are a few additional products that staff would like to add to the list that are safe, such as Spinosad and a few others. Mr. Benton added that Friendship Park is a site where products can be tested that could then be transferred over to Barber Street. He did emphasize that the City is not technically a testing agency. The items listed on the spreadsheet are items that the staff has used or tested. As the budget will allow, as other products are tested, those will be added to this list, indicating whether they work or do not work. The sub -committee will have the say as to whether a product gets included on the list or not. Ms. Haigler added that staff and the committee want to make sure that chemicals that are not necessarily used regularly are included, so they will be in the tool kit. She also asked Mr. Benton to elaborate on what Use Limitation Type means. Mr. Benton explained that relates to the phases or stages that will be gone through as it is decided what is going to be used. There are a few items which are least limited, which would be Advion and EcoMight WOW. Those can be used in all of the parks. Regarding what can only be used on the athletic fields is where the most limited usage will be listed. Mr. Benton introduced Ken Griffin, who is Director of Stormwater and Public Works. Mr. Griffin asked regarding the three chemicals that are indicated as Not Allowed, for the City of Sebastian's parks. He inquired how they came to be considered. He asked if they have been tried. Mr. Benton stated the WOW product was discovered that it could be used, and it serves the same purpose as Roundup and others. Products that are more environmentally friendly can be used, so that the products that are more toxic do not have to be used. Ms. Haigler asked the Committee if products containing glyphosate as the active ingredient should be added to the list of products that are not allowed. Mr. Carrano suggested that information be provided on the items that the City has tested and how they rate among each other. Mr. Benton suggested adding a yellow label that INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SUB -COMMITTEE PAGE 6 MINUTES OF JUNE 10, 2020 pest per square foot. Staff will look into this and will bring this item back at the next meeting. VII. Old Business -- None VIII ITEMS FOR NEXT AGENDA — Tuesday. June 16 at 3:00 o.m Mr. Benton stated there would be a draft of the IPM ready to be disseminated to the committee members. Mr. O'Neill suggested taking an athletic field out of service, like rotating crops, and letting it rest for a season. Mr. Benton stated Friendship Field is a good starting point for a lot of the natural products that have been tested elsewhere to try out these products. If they work, then they can be begun to be integrated in at Barber Street and eliminate some of the other products that are used. That will be somewhere down the line. As far as taking fields offline, he opined that it is going to come down to discussions with the youth groups who use those fields. One consideration is, if a field is taken offline for a season, what the cost will be to get it back to where it needs to be the following year. Mr. Benton invited commission members who had questions or comments to voice them at this time. Mr. Carrano requested getting the draft of the IPM as early as possible. Ms. Haigler on the discussion regarding the disallowed chemicals suggested language such as: No warning -labeled products. Mr. Benton stated that in speaking with the City's certified applicators, it is not necessary to go beyond a caution label. Ms. Haigler also suggested language such as: "A chemical will be banned or accepted based on the percentage of active ingredient." Mr. Benton stated that is something that staff and committee need to work through. He also suggested sending out the SDS and the labels for Mansion to all committee members. That way, each committee member can do their own research on this specific product. Ms. Kelly-Begazo suggested that no product be absolutely banned but be designated as a last -resort product. She stated the University of Florida has never prohibited a product that was legally allowable. That is not part of an IPM program. An IPM program starts off with least -toxic methodology first, with hard chemistry being the very last thing that is utilized. Mr. Benton agreed and further stated that there may be times when the pests become resistant to a product that has been used, and it will mean going to another product that may have been less desirable to be used. Mr. Benton asked if the committee members had any questions on this discussion. All members stated they understood and agreed. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SUB -COMMITTEE PAGE 7 MINUTES OF JUNE 10, 2020 IX. Adjournment There/being no further business, Mr. Benton adjourned the meeting at 3:52 p.m. Bv: // fd--- Date: �/ m� 0/a0 a0 19