Attendance:

Suzanne Noble, Mike Burtness, Lynda Chaney, Kaitlin Deardorff, Diana Goodrich, Meg Wagner,
Andrea Sledge, Sarah and Greg Maes, Amy Mohler, Don Claypool, Dana Nickels, James Cole, Joe Blazek, Janine from upper county, Mick Janke, Billie Failor

• Finances: EGRC is in the black. Drop Box had $291since last meeting.

• Farmer’s Market Report: May through September income - $1801 and expenses $895.86 were paid for through the community outreach grant. Thank you so much Betty for running our booth!

• Stormwater Swale Grant: We have met the state specs for mineral aggregate portion of Bio-Retention Mix. Waiting on the state technicians to get back to us with their questions etc. Turned in final report to City of Ellensburg regarding how we are unable to move forward until we get final approval and are listed on the ala carte menu for state contractors.

• Master Gardeners/Queen of Spades: Are both willing to experiment with our sand for planting.

• Fertilizer: Bill, the chemist is working on his patent for Potassium Silicate using recycled glass sand. The first company to produce it will be in Mabton. To make it worthwhile, we need a minimum of 100 metric tons of glass/year.

• Department of Ecology Solid Waste Permit: We need to get 50% of the sand out of the bunkers to show we are recycling and not just a dumping spot. Please consider getting the sand out of the bunker for your winter traction on driveway and sidewalks. Mix with salt if you want. Luckily Debra Santog is

• Sandbags: Great interest by the group in making sandbags with the bunker sand. We will stencil the bags with our logo to show it is from recycled product. Diana may create a “postcard” type info doc to explain more about the product. Suzanne will check with Jack on if we still have empty sandbags to fill or if we need to buy some. We will get a work party going ASAP. Amy, Janine and Don are checking with local stores – wholesale donation cost will be $5 for 50# bag. We have a short timeline for this project. Further info will be on Facebook regarding sandbag assembly work party!

• DIDO with Yakima Recycles Glass: Mick explained the DIDO (Drive In Drop Off) system they use in Yakima where glass donors drive their glass to set location monthly. Three volunteers receive the glass and inspect it for readiness to crush (clean and without labels, metal, or plastic). Being face to face with the donors increases the donations significantly. Please think about this method and we will discuss further at February meeting.

• Shared Artist Innovator Space: This would be in the Blue Bear Puppet Lab on Main Street. Cost is $288/mo plus utilities/insurance. This would allow a warm place where stationary equipment could be used to make things using glass.

• LVScreener update: Dominic Perron and Don Claypool replaced a VFD controller that was bad, and the machine is up and running as of 11/11/22. This machine sifts the sand into five different grades for various uses. It is only to be used by people who have been trained.

• Buckets: We need more 5-gallon buckets if you find any from restaurants, etc – please wash and bring to the shed –we will stencil with our logo.

• Glass Crusher Repairs: Please inspect the screen in the bottom of the hammer mill chamber before and after crushing – if it looks worn or if you are getting shards in your sand – CONTACT DON CLAYPOOL who is our fixer! You can reach Don at drclaypool@yahoo.com.

• Training for using the Crusher – Jim Wilson is our new go-to trainer for the glass crusher. He can be reached at (425) 765-7772

 

Next meeting: February 27, 2023 at 6 pm via zoom for our next EGRC meeting.
Submitted by Suzanne Noble