Attendance:

Jack Carpenter, Suzanne Noble, April Sheeley, Barry Brunson, John Schmit, Ramona Bryant, Dennis Wilson, Betty Meilander, Ken Bamford, Dana Henning, Tonya Morrey, Joe Blazeck, Sue Wilson, William Brown, Kaitlyn Deerborn, Keith Axtheilm, Melody Moorhouse, Bob Bush, Mike Burtness
 

• Financial update: Jack- EGRC has over $13,779, which does not account for about $7,000 that EGRC owes in reimbursements for LVS, Farmer’s Market startup/rent, and various parts replacement.  The balance is closer to $6,000.  Don Claypool continues to help mend parts rather than EGRC having to replace all of them, decreasing operating costs.

• Glassware presentation: Dennis’s glassware made from old liquor bottles is a key fundraiser at the Farmer’s Market, quickly running out of supply.  In order to increase production EGRC is looking for interested volunteers, and a welder/firepolisher to smooth the tops of these cut bottles rather than filing them by hand. First EGRC is looking for an experimental set up to make sure torching bottles is feasible (as seen on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSIwjvtZ38w or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6g5-AdJxJI ) and that there are other interested volunteers.  If that is accomplished EGRC will invest up to $1,000 into a torch system. EGRC is also looking for an old record player or potter’s wheel to rotate glasses on while being torched.  
  Bernadette said she will talk with Greg at CWU about their pottery wheel.

• Stormwater Grant update: Suzanne informed group that the New Sand sample she turned into Department of Ecology has passed the sieve analysis test for bioretention swales. It is one step closer to being put on the state approved list as a media that can be used in the bioretention swale option on ECY’s a al carte stormwater management list for contractors. Question now is: how much New Sand does one need for a swale?
  April offered an FYI to the group that bioretention swales are an alternative to stormwater drains where instead of traditional grates where water flows directly in, plants are instead planted in a media that allows water to filter in and plants to uptake toxins before water filters to the river.

• Community Grant update: April informed the group this fund is being used for the Farmer’s Market, a new cement mixer for sea glass, and general operational costs.  This grant is there to give EGRC extra funds to activate the production of products and market EGRC materials.  There is still money available to volunteers that have ideas for products/projects that they want to see come to fruition, like Dennis’s glassware.  Furthermore, a local patent maker is looking into patenting a product made with EGRC glass.  April continues to meet with potential funders and stakeholders for a larger operation, and hopes to begin involving this patented material into the conversation to show market feasibility of crushed glass. 

• Farmer’s Market Check-in: Betty explained that EGRC had the goal of $30 weekly at the market booth.  Last week it had it’s biggest week making $163, and the booth overall generating more than $30 weekly.  In the beginning the majority of people stopped to ask about EGRC’s service and where to bring their bottles.  With this outreach booth the public has started to understand the system and becoming more interested in EGRC products.  

• Betty needs little tiny bottles with lids to make kid sand display.  Set them on the Southwest table.
   

• Announcements:

• EGRC has a surplus of Mason jars, we are accepting donations of $.50 each or $5 for a box (14ish jars).
  The shop will display EGRC products

• Welcome LVS machine!   Help yourself, just as with any other sand, write down what you take on the EGRC data sheet, deposit donation in drop box with provided envelope reflecting info written down on EGRC data sheet ( EGRC asks $8 a bucket for general public, 25% off=$6 a bucket for volunteers, 50% off for large scale/wholesalers=$4)

  • The buckets are lined up in rows by color and columns by grit size (see labels). When crushing color separated labeless bottles, pour into 5 gallon bucket, and place in the middle of shed for designated volunteers to further refine into grit sizes.

• Welcome Shrub Steppe Sea Glass Shed! Cement mixer has moved.

  • There has been a change in EGRC policy from the vague “no heavy glass” to the more specific “no ½ thick glass”  This means most wine bottles are ok.  Handles and thick bottoms should be sorted out for sea glass or even glassware.

  • No more collection of bottles for Grace Episcopal raised grow beds.

• Barry discussed taking mixed paper to Michaelson’s in Yakima.  Suzanne mentioned that Michaelson’s pays $400 a ton.  Jack told the group that EGRC has visions of expanding past glass, and someday could house mixed paper to be collected in large quantities to go to Michaelson.  April wonders if the Yakima group could haul it if it were made easy or if EGRC could provide some sort of incentive.

• Reminders:

• Red bin is IOOF glass, please crush as a courtesy to them.

• Send out flyer asking for monetary donations from those you serve and explaining our basic products.  Both of these bring in the revenue needed to keep EGRC going and growing in capacity.  Be sure to let them know how you want them to prep the glass that you will be crushing.

• Buckets are for sale or borrow

• Please take home all boxes, bags, sacks, etc. that you use to transport glass to recycle. I take home all garbage left at the shed to my home trash bin. Leave the least amount of trash at the shed as possible. THANK YOU for this consideration.

• We have provided two large totes for you to leave “heavy” glass. NOT all wine bottles with indented bottoms have thick glass. IF the two totes are full, PLEASE take your ½” thick glass back home. We do not have the capacity to process all heavy glass. It takes 48 hours to process 40 bottles. Thank you for this consideration.  

• PLEASE remember to wear closed toe shoes and eye protection. Wear gloves if you need to do and internal hammer chamber inspections. Remember to turned off the circuit breaker to the machine prior to any internal inspection.

• PLEASE vacuum the hammer chamber after you have crushed any glass with paper labels. Remember to check the screen and shroud for wear. Also vacuum the two air filter after each crush session. Check and clear vacuum for jams. 

• With our new LVS machine up and screening New Sand, GLASS WITHOUT LABELS is preferred. We are separating glass with no labels by color. Use the bins under the table if you only have a few of a given color. Someone will crush them when the bins are full… if you have time to do that task, Thank You!

• PLEASE place all New Sand crushed without paper in white 5-gal buckets, use a wire tag do identify the color and place it in middle of the shed. Please leave room for walkways. DO NOT stack more than two buckets high.

• The LVS team will sort and screen the sand as soon as possilbe.

• All New Sand crushed with paper labels can go out to either one of the bunkers. PLEASE wheelbarrow the sand at far back into the bunker as possible. The sand compacts very well so you should not have a problem placing the sand anywhere in the bunker.

• Please bring your family and friends to EGRC’s booth at the Farmers Market and show off how you are helping the environment. The booth is usually at the end at the Ruby street entrance.
  
  Minutes respectfully transcribed by April Sheeley