Elgin Watchman

Send us a textWe're back, with new changes to the podcast.We talk about upcoming events where you can get involved, Kendra gets hyperbolic about a law that was passed in January, and Tia takes a deep dive into the plastic bag discussion, which finally made its way back to the council. We're back and excited to dig into all things Elgin. Correction: Kendra meant to say that "15 through the rest" are the addresses on the other side of her building.

As 2024 turns to 2025 in the next few days, the city of Elgin prepares to change waste haulers, moving on from a 20+ year contract with Waste Management (WM) to a new contract with Lakeshore Recycling Services (LRS).This is the final episode of The Elgin Watchman's Season Three special series on Waste. We've been calling this series WASTE WARS. In this episode, Tia and Kendra talk about the tour that LRS generously took them on of the company's MRF (aka Materials Recovery Facility, which is kind of like a recycling facility). If you are interested in learning more about Elgin's new waste hauling company, you will want to tune into this episode. It is an awesome behind the scenes look at a company who cares about the environment and someone with whom Elgin residents are about to enter into a multi-year relationship. This is a must listen to episode for anyone who cares about waste and recycling.To access LRS' Elgin Resident online portal, CLICK HERE. For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, December 10th at the Edward Schock Centre in downtown Elgin. The following issues were discussed by commissioners on December 10th and cheerfully shared with you by Erik & Tia after the fact: Tia did not attend the ESC meeting, so she hosted this episodeNot enough commissioners thought attending the December meeting was important, so the meeting lacked a quorum and the "people's business" could not be done. In other words, there was just a lot of talking (which is kinda par for the course with this group)The mayor's wife showed up as a concerned citizen to offer comments about the proposed removal of the Kimball Street Dam and weigh-in on the commission's city council recommendation about single use bag fees (or possibly a ban)Elgin Parks Superintendent Greg Hulke spoke for a long time about the city's parkway tree planting programCommissioners chatted about the city's Climate Action Planning processThe lack of advanced event planning for the 2025 Elgin Earth Summit was discussed and there may be two volunteers willing to engage on this question sometime after the holidaysIn the "deep-dive" segment of this episode, Erik & Tia unpack some of what is happening with the consultant facilitated Climate Action Planning process. They spent some time talking about the assessment phase. Specifically, the consultants are asking the community to engage in a mapping tool exercise. Here is a link to an overview of the process:  https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8f125e0f2d3745aaba550fb92e3da76eHere is a link to the City of Elgin's Interactive Climate Action Map where YOU and YOUR NEIGHBORS are encouraged to provide pre-planning feedback:  https://elgincap.mysocialpinpoint.com/For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout platform. Look for The Elgin Watchman wherever you listen to podcasts.

In our last episode, Tia & Erik covered the November 12th Elgin Sustainability Commission meeting and unpacked the commission's discussion about their Single Use Bag Fee ordinance proposal to the city council (which happened almost two years ago). They also reported on what commissioners were saying, which was they were hearing the city manager's office was warming to the idea of a single use bag ban instead of the commission's recommended bag fee.  Tia & Erik also shared feedback they had received from an unscientific online survey they distributed via social media on this issue.  With all that being said, this SPECIAL EDITION episode focuses on the city manager's office's response to The Elgin Watchman's online survey and previous podcast episode. Tia & Erik specifically talk about a leaked email letter from the city's Director of Communications & Engagement on behalf of the city manager to senior staff and city council members. In that leaked letter, the city manager tries to address "inaccuracies" in The Elgin Watchman's coverage.   In this SPECIAL EDITION podcast episode, Tia & Erik try to address "inaccuracies" and "misrepresentations" in city hall's leaked email letter.***NOTE 1*** Despite city hall's denials, The Elgin Watchman stands by its coverage and reporting on this issue because it was what was discussed at an open public meeting. The Nov. 12th meeting was attended by city council appointed members of the Sustainability Commission with a former city staff member chairing the meeting, a current city staff member in the room whose job is to advise and support the commission, and an elected member of the city council. ***NOTE 2*** It is important to note that no one shut down discussion about the City Manager's Office alleged support of a single use bag ban . . . nor did anyone question it. Everyone at the Nov. 12th commission meeting accepted it as fact, which is why The Watchman report on it and stands by its coverage of this open meeting.***NOTE 3*** A leaked copy of Jeff Knox's email to senior staff and city council members is posted on The Elgin Watchman's website in the Blog Section with our critique and responses. (Please note . . . the Blog Section is behind a $0.00 pay wall that you simply need to set-up your login credentials to access)  CLICK HERE to read that email with paragraph by paragraph commentary by The Watchman. ***NOTE 4*** Finally, it is also interesting for our loyal listening audience to note that city hall has not reached out to The Elgin Watchman to deny any of this coverage. ***INVITATION TO CITY MANAGER*** We extend an invitation to City Manager Rick Kozal to sit for an interview, straighten out the record, and clearly explain his Office's position on single use bags, their impact on the city's waste hauler, the effect they have on local landfills, and city hall's point of view on the bigger picture of "sustainability" beyond just one issue like single use bags.  For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout platform. Look for The Elgin Watchman wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, November 12th at the Edward Schock Centre in downtown Elgin. The following issues were discussed by commissioners on November 12th and cheerfully shared with you by Erik & Tia after the fact: Climate Action Planning processCarpentersville Fox River dam removalStatus of t-shirt purchase for commissionersCommission's recommendation to Elgin City Council to remove the Kimball Street damProposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinanceGuest speaker from School District U-46 and former sustainability commissioner Deb McMullen talking about science standardsTia & Erik dedicated this episodes "deep dive" segment to talking about a strange development regarding the proposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinance. Commissioners disclosed an alleged shift inside the Elgin City Manager's office where city staff, who allegedly opposed to the proposed bag fee, are now discussing the possibility/feasibility of a bag ban ordinance. The Elgin Watchman launched an unscientific opinion poll after the meeting, asking local Elgin residents whether they favored a bag fee or a bag ban and why. Erik & Tia shared those responses and discuss some of wisdom behind some of the feedback. This episode is a long one . . . so buckle-up . . . because you won't want to miss some of these twists and turns.For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout platform. Look for The Elgin Watchman wherever you listen to podcasts.  ***UPDATE*** After recording this podcast episode, The Elgin Watchman was informed that the city's new Director of Communications and Engagement, Jeff Knox, sent an email to senior city hall leadership and members of the city council denying that "the City Manager's Office is in support of a single-use grocery bag ban." Despite city hall's denials, The Elgin Watchman stands by its coverage and reporting because this was what was discussed at an open public meeting by city council appointed members of the Sustainability Commission with a former city staff member chairing the meeting, a current city staff member in the room whose job is to advise and support the commission, and an elected member of the city council.   It is important to note that no one shut down discussion about the City Manager's Office alleged support of a single use bag ban . . . nor did anyone question it. Everyone in that room accepted it as fact, which is why we are report on it and stand by our coverage of this open meeting. A leaked copy of Jeff Knox's email to senior staff and city council members is posted on The Elgin Watchman's website in the Blog Section with our critique and responses. (Please note . . . the Blog Section is behind a $0.00 pay wall that you simply need to set-up your login credentials to access)  CLICK HERE to read that email with paragraph by paragraph commentary by The Watchman. Finally, it is also interesting for our loyal listening audience to note that city hall has not reached out to The Elgin Watchman to deny any of this coverage.  We extend an invitation to City Manager Rick Kozal to sit for an interview, straighten out the record, and clearly explain his Office's position on single use bags, their impact on the city's waste hauler, the effect they have on local landfills, and city hall's point of view on the bigger picture of "sustainability" beyond just one issue like single use bags. 

The Elgin Watchman welcomes special guests Brian Pinion, Downtown Neighborhood Association Vice President and Jamie Berry, owner of Vern's Tavern as they explain the complex issue of simply throwing things away in Downtown Elgin. As a business owner, Jamie provides insight into the long-standing issue of trash contracting in a confined space like the downtown area and exposes some of the challenges that come along with how we collectively (or not) manage waste. Brian explains the partnership that was coordinated among business owners via the Downtown Neighborhood Association with the help of city staff to finally resolve the question of where to put our garbage? The collaborative nature of this discussion highlights ways in which our waste streams are often overlooked or neglected, creating inefficiencies and lost opportunity in reduction or diversion. We appreciate Jamie and Brian for their patience as this episode was recorded earlier this summer and wasn't immediately released due to waste contract coverage. As an additional update, the Watchman is pleased to hear that the solution the DNA and some of the Elgin businesses came to will include recycling services- progress!For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout platform. Look for The Elgin Watchman wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, October 8th at the Edward Schock Centre in downtown Elgin.   While Tia was off this month celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day, Erik and his Siamese Cat (aka Luang) summarize this month's commission meeting using a multiple choice question format.   The following issues were covered by Erik & Luang: Climate Action Planning processIllinois Green Alliance's website resources on net zero building constructionNov. 2nd Pumpkin Smash composting eventActive Mobility Plan RFP responseSustainability Commission's 2025 priorities and preliminary budgetProposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinance & the commission's open invitation to the community speak on this issue and present ideas at its Nov. 12th meetingFox River Dam removalErik also shared his thoughts about what he thinks the city council's next steps should be regarding the proposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinance and specifically:Placing the issue back on an upcoming agendaClarifying what questions city council members still need answer before they vote on the ordinanceTasking city staff with reporting back and providing a deadline dateNot sending any of this work back to the Sustainability Commission because that work is not within the defined roles & responsibility of the commissionVoting on the proposed ordinance before the April 2025 city council electionsFor more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout platform. Look for The Elgin Watchman wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, September 10th at the Edward Schock Centre in downtown Elgin.    Tia and Erik unpack the run-of-the-mill agenda items. It did not seem as if there was very many new topics being discussed this month. Until . . . Tia and Erik accidentally stumbled upon the agenda topic of the East Side Neighborhood Garden workday. It was during this discussion, they discovered a potential city hall cover-up. (Or maybe it was just city hall incompetence, which seems to always be the answer)Is your curiosity piqued? Good . . . more on this in moment. First, let's run through a list of issues discussed on this episode:Elgin's Climate Action Plan (CAP) processResignation of a commissionerThe city's new "bronze status" as part of the EV Ready programCity council's decision to enter into negotiations with a new waster haulerVideography project focusing on documenting CAP project and other miscellaneous sustainability topicsEast Side Neighborhood Garden project, community work project, and recognition of organizations and businesses that made it all possibleCommission's recommendation to city council to remove the Kimball Street dam of the Fox RiverCommission priorities and budget process for the upcoming fiscal year 2025It is possible that Tia and Erik might be listening to too many crime drama podcasts. However, they ended up revisiting an old discussion topic from last season -- the fate of former commissioner Chris Flaherty. Tia and Erik stumbled into this conversation because of the resignation of commissioner Katie Gronke and the discussion about the East Side Neighborhood Garden workday, which is where Flaherty's name came up a few times. And like TV character Adrian Monk, Tia and Erik pondered lots of questions and even tried to unpack some of the evidence -- both for and against -- behind the reasons Flaherty is no long on the Elgin Sustainability Commission.What happened to former commissioner Chris Flaherty? Did he get screwed? Who had it in for him? Was the law broken?Now that there is a vacancy again on the commission, will city council members do the right thing and ask him to serve again?Will this deep-dive topic inspire the commission to put more relevant and interesting items on future agendas in an effort to keep Tia and Erik focused on important local sustainability issues?For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout platform. Look for The Elgin Watchman wherever you listen to podcasts.

Our season three special series on Waste continues with this episode in which Tia, Kendra, and Erik unpack what happened at the August 28, 2024 city council meeting.Every council member weighed in with their opinionsThere was a motion to enter contract negotiations with Lakeshore Recycling (LRS)There was a amendment to that motion to NOT move forward with LRS and instead enter contract negotiations with Waste Management (WM)The mayor tossed in the equivalent of a 3rd grade math problem for the council to solve (spoiler alert ... apparently no council member has passed 3rd grade math)WM officials spoke. LRS officials spoke. WM truck drivers spoke. Elgin Sustainability Commission members spoke. Even a three-time-losing city council candidate spoke and leveled serious allegations at a current council member.In short, it was a s***show, which is not unusual for the Elgin City Council.   If you want to subject yourself to a few hours of torture, you can watch the Committee of the Whole (COW) and Regular City Council meetings on the city's YouTube channel by CLICKING HERE.   Inspired by local students recently going back to school, Tia led Kendra and Erik through a discussion where each council person received a letter grade for their effort and participation.    This episode might be one of the longest ones in The Elgin Watchman's three seasons of podcasting, but we promise . . . you won't want to miss this episode.  For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

Our season three special series on Waste continues with this episode in which Tia chats with the Elgin City staff recommended waste hauler in the 2024 RFP, Lakeshore Recycling Services. She is joined on this hot August day by Katie Neary, Manager of Municipal Services and Josh Connell, Co-Founder and Board Director and Vice President of Government Affairs from LRS. The Watchman wanted to hear from the bidding haulers and in this episode, and got a chance to ask a few follow-up questions after the city council meeting in which they were recommended to city council for the contract award. You can review the conversation on that city council meeting here.The Watchman asks LRS the following questions and learns that there has been a request for two additional alternate bids to the originating RFP from the city to the haulers.Staff is recommending your bid to council- why do you think your bid was compelling and what do you think council finds interesting or valuable within it?There was a lot of discussion around Elgin being the "Crown Jewel" of your contract portfolio- how do you feel your company is trending within the market place and what other ambitions do you have? Why Elgin?What do you think the citizens of Elgin would appreciate about your services more than other haulers we've had in the past?Council decided to wait until next week to make a determination- has the city asked for any additional information from you or have there been clarifications provided to your bid that you can share?CLICK HERE to see the RFP and all the addendums provided by the city to companies wishing to submit a proposal for consideration. This material may provide listeners with some context.The Watchman is requesting the alternate bid communication to the haulers and will provide links upon receipt. For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

In today's sixth episode of our Season Three deep-dive series -- Waste Wars -- Tia, Kendra, and Erik discuss the August 14, 2024 meeting of the Elgin City Council. Last month, Tia and Kendra unpacked and discussed (season 3 episode 9 on July 8, 2024) the city of Elgin's request for proposals (RFP) from area waste/recycling companies for a potential five to 10 year contract. In today's episode, they continue that discussion.Four waste/recycling companies submitted proposalsCity staff provided their recommendation to switch from Waste Management (WM) to Lakeshore Recycling Services (LRS)LRS showed up to the meeting to answer questionsCuriously, WM also showed up to lobby council members to reject city staff's recommendationAnd as you can imagine, the council meeting got weirdCLICK HERE to see the RFP and all the addendums provided by the city to companies wishing to submit a proposal for consideration. This material may provide listeners with some context.  CLICK HERE to view the August 14th city council meeting being discussed in this episode.  CLICK HERE to check out LRS' website, and CLICK HERE for their Better Business Bureau rating page.   CLICK HERE to check out WM's website, and CLICK HERE for their Better Business Bureau rating page. For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, August 13th at the Edward Schock Centre in downtown Elgin.    To summarize the commission agenda items, Tia and Erik typically play fun little podcast games to keep things interesting. However, this month's podcast studio vibe was different. Kendra Kroiss, who is part of Team Watchman and a periodic guest on the show, was in the house. AND it was her birthday. Needless to say, this episode was celebratory and the monthly podcast game was . . . hmmmm . . . shall we say . . . different. The following issues (and probably more) were discussed in between the singing and merriment:Climate action plan process, consultants, and structure in addition to summaries from the first round of meetings2025 Elgin Earth Summit planning processShared Harvest's newest plans and path forwardEfforts to hire a videographer to document the climate action planning process (or perhaps some other sustainability initiatives?)Developing a recommendation memo for the Elgin City Council re. the commission's position on removal of the Kimball Street Fox River DamDeep dive conversation about the new Strong Towns Elgin organization, its mission, objectives, and how people can get involvedAgain, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to The Elgin Watchman's favorite person in the world -- Kendra Kroiss.  If you are looking for more information about Strong Towns Elgin, CLICK HERE and HERE and HERE and sign up to receive email updates HERE. For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout platform. Look for The Elgin Watchman wherever you listen to podcasts.

In today's fourth episode of our Season Three deep-dive series -- Waste Wars -- Tia talks with Clair Ryan, who is Kane County's Recycling Program Coordinator. Lots and lots of ground was covered throughout this episode, but here is a summary Electronics recyclingKane County's Solid Waste PlanRecycling and waste data collectionLandfill capacity monitoringLocal municipalities and their efforts to secure proposals from waste haulersWhat the heck is recyclable when everyone is saying something different?The Recycling Contamination Task Force ... huh?Packaging lawsAnd so darn much moreThis wonky episode is soooo interesting. You totally want to tune in.For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, July 9th at the Edward Schock Centre in downtown Elgin.    To summarize the commission agenda items, Tia and Erik typically play fun little podcast games to keep things interesting. This month's game was based on the 1986 movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."  Erik and Tia covered all of the following issues and probably more:Elgin's tree inventoryElgin's Tree Management PlanElgin's Treebank Planting ProgramKimball Street dam removal recommendationProposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinance and draft communication/education planSuperintendent of Parks and Facilities Greg Hulke's impersonation of a filibustering U.S. Senator Governance and agendasDropBox, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and Open Meetings Act (OMA)Are you interested in Elgin's tree assessment, plans, misc. information, and other external sources about trees? Here are some links the city of Elgin is sharing on its website:Elgin's Urban Forest Reports & MapsTree AssessmentExternal ResourcesDo you want the city to plant a tree on your parkway? CLICK HERE  For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout platform. Look for The Elgin Watchman wherever you listen to podcasts.

In today's third episode of our Season Three deep-dive series -- Waste Wars -- Tia and Kendra go through the request for proposals (RFP) for the city of Elgin's waste hauler contract starting in 2025. How long will the waste hauler contract be? Will there be a renewal trigger? Will there be an opt-outWhat changes are being asked for from bidders?Will there be garbage stickers or not?What are the odds our garbage fees will be going up in 2025?Tia & Kendra cover all of these questions and more. CLICK HERE to see the RFP and all the addendums Tia & Kendra talk about. For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, June 11th at the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin. (Spoiler alert . . . the meeting was adjourned at 7:28pm for the second month in a row ... so, kudos to Commission Chairperson Tom Armstrong).   The agenda was small, but it felt like everyone had something to say on the following topics:Elgin's tree planting programClimate Change Action planning process (and consultants)Grant proposal re. Eastside Community GardenGrant proposal re. Native Garden Demo ProjectElgin Farmers MarketKimball Street Dam proposed removal and commission recommendation to city councilHonestly, the star of the meeting was Friends of the Fox River's Art Malm, who was also the city's first water engineer and was primarily the person who wrote all the operating protocols & procedures for the city's water plant. Lots of learned during this portion of the meeting, including:removal of the Kimball Street damn is a separate issue from the city's need to move the water intake pipe for the water plantthe recommendation to remove dams on the Fox River is the result of years and years of work done by the Fox River Study Groupopposition to dam removal is loud but spearheaded by a very small group of residents throughout the watershedMalm cited an opinion poll where almost 50% of people in the watershed believe the Fox River is dangerous because of perceived water quality concerns (which dam removal would address)allegedly deciding not to remove Fox River dams would trigger the EPA to require implementation of a phosphorus mitigation plan that could cost an estimated $60 million dollarsand so very much moreDuring the deep-dive segment of this episode, Tia decided to focus on the uncomfortable tension in the room by looking more closely at governance issues related to commissioners and the staff liaison.whose role is what?what responsibilities belong to who?who reports to who?who has the authority to do what?setting commission priorities and how to prioritize projects/work?The deep-dive segment of this episode is certainly not as sexy as the Kimball Street dam removal issue, but it certainly may be the most important issue on the table that's not being talked about enough in open public sessions.For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, May 14th at the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin. (Spoiler alert . . . the meeting was adjourned at 7:28pm and Erik came to this episode in a great mood.)   The commission meeting contained lots of discussion on a variety of different topics. There was no action, but lots of talk. So, Tia & Erik used one of their podcast games to summarize all the chatter. The following is a laundry list of topics you will hear discussed in this episode:Elgin Earth SummitElgin Climate Resiliency Plan consultantNew Sustainability Coordinator hireWaster Hauler request for proposalsEV readiness programElgin Farmers MarketKimball Street dam removal recommendationPromotion of city's tree programSustainability Grant Program -- Shark Tank conceptTurf Reduction pilot program proposalVine weeds murdering native plants at East Side Neighborhood GardenAs per Tia & Erik's tradition, they did a deep-dive on one of the topics. This month they talked about the organization "Blacks In Green," which was a participant in this year's Elgin Earth Summit. While the discussion revolved around "environmental justice" (EJ) and how many EJ neighborhoods exist in Elgin, the essence of the conversation was focused on the organization's interesting "Sustainable Square Mile" they have created. Blacks In Green has a great website filled with lots of resources and tools. We echo commission chairperson Tom Armstrong and strongly encourage you to check it out at https://www.blacksingreen.org/resources.   A special thank you to the Elgin Sustainability Commission for providing a word casserole for all of our listeners this month. Please tune in next month to see if they can serve some dessert.  Since the May 14th commission meeting and the publication of this episode, city of Elgin published the Request for Proposals (RFP) for Waste Recyclable Yard Waste and Organics Collection. There are exhibits associated with this proposal. If you are interested in reading that RFP, you can find it here:  https://elginil.gov/bids.aspx?bidID=1859.     For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our

In today's third episode of our Season Three deep-dive series -- Waste Wars -- Tia interviews Elgin City Council Member Carol Rauschenberger.   To say Council Member Rauschenberger's "mind is blown" on so very many topics related to the city's Waste/Recycling contract is an understatement. What seems logical to this council member appears to be an foreign concept to waste haulers.  [TEASE] For example, should the city council consider NOT renewing recycling services with a contracted waste hauler and divert that monetary savings into operating its own recycling center where it would have more control over what actually gets recycled (and could create a baseline and annual benchmarks to track community progress)? You're going to have to click-thru to find the answer to this question and many more ideas that Tia and Carol explore. This episode is a load of FUN! Oh, and Happy Elgin Earth Month! If you want to participate in our Elgin Earth Month community project that we're calling "Is This Recyclable Or Not Recyclable?" you can CLICK HERE to learn more.Even if you don't want to participate, you can follow along and learn surprising things about what you can and can't put in your curbside recycling cart by checking out our blog at https://www.elginwatchman.com/blog. For example, can you recycle steel aerosol cans (e.g., Lysol, anti-perspirant, etc.)? Hmmmm? I guess you'll need to click-thru and check out the blog.  ;-)    For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, April 9th at the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin. Surely, this meeting occurred in an alternative universe because: 1) 100% of the city council appointed commissioners were in attendance AND 2) the commission got through a very busy agenda within the 1.5 hour time limit they recently mandated for themselves in 2024.     In this episode, Tia Aagesen & Erik Anderson  summarize the agenda items and discussions. They also jump into their time machine, travel back in time, and have a deep dive conversation on the commission's multi-year drama -- the Single Use Bag Fee ordinance.  (queue up the Jack Benny music)The following is a laundry list of topics you will hear discussed in this episode:2nd Annual Elgin Earth Summit event  scheduled for April 20, 2024Zero Emission Yard Equipment Rebate programSingle Use Bag Fee (proposed ordinance) Community Education ProgramSustainability Grant ProgramProposed Removal of the Fox River Dam at Kimball StreetProposed Turf Removal ProgramIf you are interested in getting caught up on previous episodes pertaining to the Single Use Bag Fee ordinance, then you can CLICK HERE, and  CLICK HERE, and HERE, and HERE (interview with council member Tish Powell), and HERE (interview with council member Corey Dixon), and HERE, and HERE, and HERE, and HERE, and HERE (interview with Batavia council member and commissioners), and HERE (more Batavia updates after they passed their ordinance), and OMG HERE. And if you want to listen to the most boring thing ever, CLICK HERE to listen to the audio from the March 22, 2023 Elgin City Council Committee of the Whole meeting where they talk about the Elgin Sustainability Commission's proposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinance before "tabling it" for another day (and quite possibly "never").  Oh, and Happy Elgin Earth Month! If you want to participate in our Elgin Earth Month community project that we're calling "Is This Recyclable Or Not Recyclable?" you can CLICK HERE to learn more. Even if you don't want to participate, you can follow along and learn surprising things about what you can and can't put in your curbside recycling cart by checking out our blog at https://www.elginwatchman.com/blog. For example, can you recycle steel aerosol cans (e.g., Lysol, anti-perspirant, etc.)? Hmmmm? I guess you'll need to click-thru and check out the blog.  ;-)    For more information on so many sustainability related issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our

In today's first episode of our Season Three deep-dive series -- Waste Wars -- Tia interviews Elgin City Council Member Tish Powell.    Broadly, they discuss the city of Elgin's upcoming decision on who to hire for garbage and recycling services for the next 3, 5, or possibly even 10 years. Throughout this discussion, the following topics are discussed and explored:Process for securing proposals from interested waste haulers . . . aka "requests for proposal" (RFP) . . . and when the city will make the RFP available to waste haulersProcess for evaluating and selecting one of the bids for garbage/recycling servicesTransfer Stations and whether Elgin might need to site a second one if the council chooses a waste hauler other than Waste Management (WM)State of our local landfills and the importance of reducing wasteOrganics Collection Program -- benefits of use and why participation is low (CLICK HERE to learn how to subscribe to this service)At Your Door Service for items not allowed in the garbage or recycling carts (CLICK HERE to learn more about the program; it is FREE)Various ideas that came out of a 2023 community-wide survey about waste/recycling (CLICK HERE to view the survey results in their entirety)Spoiler alert . . . the cost of trash/recycling services is likely going up in 2025 with the start of a new waste hauler contract.In addition to being an elected member of the Elgin City Council, Tish Powell is a former city employee who managed the waste hauler contract from the staff side of things. Today, she is an employee of Republic Services, which is a business offering waste treatment and disposal, field and industrial services, E&P services and emergency response. Tish is a highly knowledgeable expert on waste management, and The Elgin Watchman appreciates her willingness to come on the podcast to share her insights with its listeners.  Happy Elgin Earth Month . . . In celebration of 2024 Elgin Earth Month, The Elgin Watchman is inviting YOU and every other Elgin resident to participate in a community project focused on waste reduction and recycling. The rules are easy. Simply take a picture of an item in your house that you're not sure whether it is recyclable or garbage. Send it into the Elgin 3-1-1 center and ask them which it is -- garbage or recycling. Share your question, answer, and picture with us here at The Elgin Watchman, and we will upload it to our blog section. By doing this, we can all learn from each other and help reduce the amount of garbage being sent to our already overloaded landfills. You can get more information about this Elgin Earth Month community service project, by CLICKING HERE. For more information on other topics and previous podcast episodes, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, March 12th at the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin. An efficient meeting by all measurements with virtually no tangents, side conversations, talking over each other, and long-winded echoing of each other. Maybe it was because the commission's City Councilperson liaison -- Carol Rauschenberger -- wasn't in attendance. *wink* (Just kidding, Carol). Truthfully, it is more likely the influence of the commission's new lion tamer (aka Sustainability Analyst/city staffer) Kristin Youngmeyer.  In this episode, Tia Aagesen & Erik Anderson  summarize the agenda items and discussions. They also do another deep dive on the issue of the commission's 2024 Priorities. The following is a laundry list of what you will hear talked about in this episode:Kimball Street dam removalElgin Earth Month in April 2024Elgin Earth Summit on April 20thElgin Climate Action Plan RFP and submissionsSoon-To-Be new addition to the city's sustainability staff team2024 Budget for the Elgin Sustainability CommissionZero Emissions Yard Equipment Rebate programSingle Use Bag Fee ordinance2024 Priorities for the Sustainability CommissionThere were two kinda/sorta big announcements at the end of the meeting:The next Strong Towns Elgin meeting is happening on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 from 6:30-8:30pm at the Light Lounge at Vern's Tavern. Click here to RSVP on FacebookThe next Elgin Earth Summit planning meeting is happening on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 6:00pm at Elgin City HallThe first episode of The Elgin Watchman's WASTE WARS Season Three deep-dive series dropped a few weeks ago. If you missed it, click here to listen. The Elgin Watchman also announced a community-wide WASTE WARS project that everyone is invited (in fact ... encouraged) to participate in. In involves collectively seeking clarity from the city of Elgin and its private sector waste hauler on questionable recycling items. Click here to read about the details and how you can get involved. We're only at the beginning of this Season Three and hope you and your friends will join us for what is shaping up to be an amazing season. Get involved . . . Be engaged . . . AND . . . Always keep watch! For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

Welcome to Season Three of The Elgin Watchman podcast. As you know, we got off to a slow start with this podcasting season . . . winter weather, public meeting cancellations, etc. Regardless, we're back in the saddle again. We appreciate your patience as we find our podcast publishing rhythm again.  As we've done in the past, the first podcast drop of each month is coverage of the Elgin Sustainability Commission. The second podcast of each month is an episode that is part of a deep-dive topic series that runs throughout the course of a the season. For example, we focused on Lead in Elgin's Drink Water System during Season One. In our second season, we partnered with Friends of the Fox River and collaborated on a series focused on a variety of Fox River watershed issues including the recently proposed dam removal project. THIS SEASON, we will dedicate the second episode of every month to a new topic -- Waste Wars -- where we will explore waste/recycling issues for Elgin and surrounding communities. We feel this topic is especially relevant in 2024 because the Elgin City Council is seeking proposals from waste haulers with whom they want to contract the community's waste and recycling services for the next 3, 5, and perhaps even 10 years.   In today's first episode of our Season Three deep-dive series -- Waste Wars -- Tia interviews Cristobal Cavazos of Immigrant Solidarity DuPage about Environmental Racism. Specifically, they discuss the City of West Chicago's fight with LRS (Lakeshore Waste Recycling Services) over trying to site a second waste transfer station in their Latinx majority community.  Why is talking with someone outside of Elgin about a waste transfer station located outside of Elgin important? Because . . . There is a waste transfer station located in ElginElgin's waste transfer station is owned by Waste Management (WM)Starting this podcast series with the topic of transfer stations makes sense because it links to the topic of negotiating a contract with a new waste hauler (or renewing the current contract with Waste Management). How? Because WM's waste transfer station gives them a competitive advantage by lowering their internal operating costs.And what happens if the city council decides to contract with a waste hauler other than WM (aka our current hauler)? Could there be a future push to site a second waste transfer station in Elgin (similar to what West Chicago is dealing with)?What are the implications surrounding waste transfer stations? Who in the community bears the brunt of those public decisions?And so on and so forth . . . you get the idea. We will explore many topics associated with Elgin's waste and recycling efforts. Hopefully, we will all learn something along the way.We're only at the beginning of this Season Three special series, so buckle up buttercup. Things are going to get interesting at city hall. Get involved . . . Be engaged . . . AND . . . Always keep watch! For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, February 13th. After cancelling the January 2024 meeting due to weather, the February meeting touched on a lot of different topics. Unfortunately, the commission couldn't vote on anything because of an agenda snafu that entangled the group in Illinois Opens Meetings Act hell. In this episode, Tia Aagesen & Kerry Kelly summarize the whole enchilada, which included all of these topics:Starting meetings on time (or not) and respecting each other2024 commission priorities2024 commission budgetSustainability Grant ProgramApril 2024 Earth SummitCommission sponsored 2024 sustainability eventsArtificial turf controversy and Councilwoman Rauschenberger's disappointment in the commissionCity's RFP for consultant to help develop a Climate Action PlanCity's RFP seeking bids on citywide waste/recycling servicesUpdate: Single Use Bag Fee Ordinance -- Status DOAKimball Street dam removal (or not removal) issuesRiverlife Elgin updates and the city's proposed North Grove Street redevelopment projectAnd so much moreFor more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.Did you like Season Two's deep dive coverage of The Fox River Story in collaboration with Friends of the Fox River? If so, then you're going to love our Season Three deep dive coverage focused on local Waste & Recycling issues leading up to the Elgin city council's 2024 decision about which waste hauler to hire for the next 3, 5, 10 years?  Don't miss the first episode in this special series when Tia talks about Environmental Racism with Cristobal Cavazos of Immigrant Solidarity DuPage and the City of West Chicago's fight with LRS (Lakeshore Waste Recycling Services) over trying to site a second waste transfer station in their Latinx majority community.

Tia and Erik chat about their favorite podcast moments of 2023 and look ahead to what's on deck in 2024 for The Elgin Watchman podcast. Spoiler alert #1 . . . Erik's biggest disappointment was the Elgin City Council's inability to govern effectively when it tabled the proposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinance recommendation from the Sustainability Commission. Spoiler alert #2 . . . Season Three will focus on Waste, Recycling, and Composting, which is where you can bet the proposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinance will reappear. For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.Are you following our Season Two special podcast series -- "The Fox River Story" -- which is a fun collaboration with our friends over at Friends of the Fox River? 

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, December 12th. What looked like a potentially short meeting with only two agenda items, turned into a two hour debate about the pros vs. cons of using artificial turf in city parks/playgrounds and Sports Complex fields. In this episode, Tia & Erik chatter about some of the following topics a heated debate between commissioners and city staff about artificial turf:Americans with Disabilities ActMicroplasticsPFASData-driven Decision-making (or the lack thereof)And so much moreIf this topic is something you are passionate about, then keep your eyes on the upcoming city council agendas because that is where it will appear next.For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.Are you following our Season Two special podcast series -- "The Fox River Story" -- which is a fun collaboration with our friends over at Friends of the Fox River? 

Erik is still lost and no where to be found so Tia and Gary Swick pick up the slack and tackle the hottest topic in town: the dam! Ahhh yes..the Kimball Street dam...what is going on with that? Why's everyone talking about this?!Listen to Tia and Gary as they navigate the latest findings from the Army Corps of Engineers and what their recommendations mean for the Fox River and Elgin. What's the history of the dam? How is it impacting our community and environment? What's happened recently that we're all of a sudden talking about it? And what is the recommendation! What should we do?!Never fear, Gary Swick has all the answers and helps us understand this complex and contentious issue. Listen in and learn how you can school your relatives over mashed potatoes this season!

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, November 14th. For almost two hours, commissioners and various city staff members talked about the upcoming expiration of the Waste Hauler contract. In this episode, Tia & Erik chatter about some of the following topics that emanated from the commission meeting:There is a new commissioners at the tableIs Public Works Director Aaron Neal sexier than commissioner Frankie GarciaResults of a community survey focused on waste/recycling services provided by Waste ManagementIssues pertaining to a pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) waste management modelSingle stream vs. multi-stream recyclingBarriers to implementation of a citywide organics program and ideas to lower those barriersAnd so much moreHere are a few "fun" facts about Elgin's garbage situation:Between 2016 and 2022, the amount of garbage collected curbside has increased from 27 tons to 30 tons.Between 2016 and 2022, the amount of recyclables collected curbside has decreased from almost 12 tons to 10 tonsBetween 2016 and 2022, the amount of yard waste collected curbside has decreased from 3.6 tons to approx. 2 tonsAs a side note, it was interesting that the proposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinance didn't come up once during an almost two hour conversation about waste. Kinda shameful if you ask Wally the Watchman! City of Elgin ordinance authorizing the creation of the Elgin Sustainability CommissionFor more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.Are you following our Season Two special podcast series -- "The Fox River Story" -- which is a fun collaboration with our friends over at Friends of the Fox River? 

It's ladies night! Tia can't make the September commission meeting so the wonderful and talented Kerry Kelly attends in her stead. Tia invites Kerry on to unpack the meeting and is joined by another friend of the podcast, Kendra Kroiss, who weighs in on process and procedure themes from the meeting. In the September episode, Kerry divulges the commission's priority and strategic planning efforts and "visioning" session that was held during the meeting, along with questions about whether the commission should weigh in on the dam removal (or did they already?!) and an update on the Greenhouse Gas Emission presentation for city council. What should the commission focus on? What is their role, exactly? And how should the commission operate? These questions and more are asked and maybe answered- tune in! 

Welcome to the sixth episode of The Fox River Story, a Season Two collaboration with Friends of the Fox River.Tia Aagesen and her husband TJ (who is the big sexy voice of Wally the Watchman) host today's show. This sixth episode of The Fox River Story focuses on how the Fox River is being utilized as a community asset that generates economic development opportunities for communities throughout the watershed.Tia's first interview is with Karen Ann Miller, who is an Executive Planner for the Kane County Development Department. Karen talks about the recent designation of the Fabulous Fox Water Trail as part of the National Water Trails System. For more information, check out the trail's website by CLICKING HERE.Tia's second interview is with the always amazing Kerry Kelly, who wears so many different hats in the Elgin community. However, on this episode, Kerry spends time bringing Tia up to speed on the North Grove Redevelopment Project and something called Riverlife Elgin. For more information, check out this letter sent by the Northeast Neighborhood Association to the city of Elgin about this project by CLICKING HERE.For more information about the podcast, please visit The Elgin Watchman website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. Follow us wherever you get your other podcasts!For more information about Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR), please visit their website and LIKE their Facebook page. If you want to read more about the history of the Fox River, there is an awesome article titled "Our Waters, Our Fox" on the FOTFR webpage. CLICK HERE to read it.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, August 8th, and unlike the last few months, this time they were joined by the city's new Sustainability Analyst, Kristin Youngmeyer.  The fourth city staff liaison to the commission in the last six years. While this month's commission meeting agenda appeared to be designed for brevity, it turned out to be anything but short and sweet.   In this episode, Tia & Erik talk about the following issues discussed at the commission's July meeting:Elgin Farmers MarketCity Street Tree Planting ProgramSingle Use Bag Fee OrdinancePumpkin Smash Composting EventVarious Budget Requests (that were rejected)Advice For New City Staffer, Sustainability Analyst Kristin Youngmeyer For those of you who are new to the podcast (including the new sustainability analyst) and might want some background on the last few years of commission work and discussion on the proposed Single Use Bag Fee ordinance, we suggest you check out The Elgin Watchman's eGuide on this subject. CLICK HERE to find the material on our webpage.  For more information about local sustainability efforts and issues, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.Are you following our Season Two special podcast series -- "The Fox River Story" -- which is a fun collaboration with our friends over at Friends of the Fox River? 

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, July 11th, without a city staff liaison present to help guide their deliberations -- AGAIN.  Just like last month's commission meeting, this agenda was one of the shortest ones in recent history.  In this episode, Tia & Erik talk about the following issues discussed at the commission's July meeting:Farmers MarketTree giveaway programSingle Use Bag Fee ordinance (ugh . . . again)Kane County Climate Action Plan & the online survey (Note: CLICK HERE to take the survey)The mysterious Elgin Carbon Footprint report and the city manager's unwillingness to release it to the commission (or the public)Dysfunctional commission workgroupsThe BIG deep dive issue that usually happens during episodes covering commission meetings was . . . wait for it . . . drum roll please . . .   City of Elgin ordinance authorizing the creation of the Elgin Sustainability CommissionThere was a lot of chatter among commissioners at the July meeting about "what are we allowed to do" and "would it be out-of-bounds if we ______________." So, Tia and Erik went back to the original ordinance and the recently reviewed ordinance to find some answers. If you are a Democracy Geek, then you might like this episode a little more than you typically do.  *wink* For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. Are you following our Season Two special podcast series -- "The Fox River Story" -- which is a fun collaboration with our friends over at Friends of the Fox River? 

Welcome to the fifth episode of The Fox River Story, a Season Two collaboration with Friends of the Fox River.In today's episode, Erik Anderson and Cindy Skrukrud of the Fox River Study Group talk about water quality issues throughout the Fox River Watershed.For more information about the podcast, please visit The Elgin Watchman website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. Follow us wherever you get your other podcasts!For more information about Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR), please visit their website and LIKE their Facebook page. If you want to read more about the history of the Fox River, there is an awesome article titled "Our Waters, Our Fox" on the FOTFR webpage. CLICK HERE to read it.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, June 13th, which marked the first time in recent  years they were without a city staff liaison present to help guide their deliberations. Oddly, this might have been one of the quickest meetings in recent history. LOL This was also Sustainability Commissioner Christ Flaherty's last meeting as a commissioner.   In this episode, Tia & Erik talk about the following issues discussed at the commission's June meeting:Elgin Area Climate Action Now's (EACAN) presentation about the connection between waste/recycling management and climate change (and more importantly what they are asking the commission to do about it)RFPs, consultants, and various plans the commission is trying to undertake (e.g. climate action plan, mobility/transportation plan, sustainability action plan)The mysteriously missing greenhouse gas inventory reportFarewell to Commissioner Chris FlahertyFor more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.   Are you following our Season Two special podcast series -- "The Fox River Story" -- which is a fun collaboration with our friends over at Friends of the Fox River? 

Welcome to the forth episode of The Fox River Story, a Season Two collaboration with Friends of the Fox River.In today's episode, Tia Aagesen and Gary Swick of Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR) talk about "The Fox," citizen engagement, and reclamation of the Fox River Watershed. As always, today's podcast just scratches the surface. Hopefully, it gets you (and many others) thinking how we can collectively invest our time and resources in watershed restoration projects. You might even want to look into attending an upcoming FOTFR meeting or event and get more involved. Who knows?For more information about the podcast, please visit The Elgin Watchman website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. Follow us wherever you get your other podcasts!For more information about Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR), please visit their website and LIKE their Facebook page. If you want to read more about the history of the Fox River, there is an awesome article titled "Our Waters, Our Fox" on the FOTFR webpage. CLICK HERE to read it.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, May 9th, which was the day after Erik's 53rd birthday. (Note: Erik was devastated the commission didn't have a cake or sing to him or provide any birthday spankings). Regardless, he was thrilled to have the chance to cover the following issues:Mrs. Smith's students presentation about plastic pollutionEast Side Neighborhood Garden grantElgin Native Roots fundingJuly Special meeting to discuss budget issuesGrowSolar Chicagoland group buy programpaleBLUEdot's upcoming Waste Management online surveyWorkgroup reportsMikala Larson's resignation (Bye, Felicia)For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.Are you following our Season Two special podcast series -- "The Fox River Story" -- which is a fun collaboration with our friends over at Friends of the Fox River? If not, then get off your butt and check it out. Gary Swick is grooooooovy!  :-)

Tia & Erik attended the Elgin Sustainability Commission's Elgin Earth Summit on April 29th and helped bring an end to another successful Elgin Earth Month. From their exhibitor booth, they invited event attendees to take the microphone and answer this question:What does a more sustainable Elgin look like in the future?There were 17 brave souls who seized the moment and provided their sustainability testimony. This group was diverse and their opinions reflect that fact.While it is just fun to kick back and listen to what your neighbors envision as a sustainable place to live, perhaps the better question we should be asking ourselves is:What should we do with this vision-casting exercise?As usual, Erik weighs in with his opinion at the end of this special edition.  In short, he suggests that it is time for the Elgin Sustainability Commission to provide leadership and create a new Sustainability Action Plan for the Elgin community. The vision-casting is done. All that's left to do is create some goals and craft some strategies.Giddy-up!

Welcome to the third episode of The Fox River Story, a Season Two collaboration with Friends of the Fox River.In today's episode, Erik Anderson and Pam Otto of the St. Charles Park District talk about habitat related topics throughout the Fox River watershed. Did you know the Fox River watershed is home to:96 species of fish32 species of fresh water mussels250 bird species21 reptile species14 amphibians species14,000 plant species (of which 77 are endangered and another 25 are on the threatened list)Today's podcast just scratches the surface. Hopefully, it gets you (and many others) thinking how we can collectively invest our time and resources in watershed restoration projects. For more information about the podcast, please visit The Elgin Watchman website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. Follow us wherever you get your other podcasts!For more information about Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR), please visit their website and LIKE their Facebook page. If you want to read more about the history of the Fox River, there is an awesome article titled "Our Waters, Our Fox" on the FOTFR webpage. CLICK HERE to read it.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, April 11th, and as always they had a lot to talk about.  Tia and Erik (Yep, you read that right . . . Tia is back . . . Hurrah Hurrah!) . . . they unpack and summarize all of those commission agenda items including:Elgin Earth Month & the commission's Elgin Earth Summit event on April 29th at ECCVolunteerpalooza (which is now an event in the past)Spring rain barrel saleA whole lotta miscellaneous stuff coming out of the commission's workgroup reportingGreenhouse gas inventoryWaste/recycling contract renewal effortsAnd moreErik refused to talk about the proposal Reusable Bag Fee ordinance, which was a topic of conversation at the end of the commission meeting. Erik walked out of the meeting during this discussion because there was nothing new that hasn't already been said over-n-over-n-over again.   The deep-dive topic for this commission focused episode was the Greenhouse Gas Inventory.  Erik explained what this type of study tell us, and he shared Elgin-specific results from a 2019 study done by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). CLICK HERE to see that report. And stay tuned for more as Elgin Sustainability Analyst Mikala Larson prepares to share new data with the commission in the next few months.  Did we mention that Tia is back? Hurrah! For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

On March 22, 2023, city staff came back to the Elgin City Council with information to share about the proposed Single Use Bag Fee Ordinance, which was a recommended policy change from the Elgin Sustainability Commission approximately 6-months ago.  Rather than summarize the Committee of the Whole discussion for you. Erik shares the entire audio extravaganza of city staff, council members, and the Mayor wading through this issue at midnight on what was technically March 23rd at that point. As you weigh into this murky muck  of a conversation that we call democracy in Elgin, we encourage you to ask yourself the following questions:Do you think city staff is on the same page as the Elgin Sustainability Commission?Did staff appear to bring the necessary information council needed to make a sound decision on this issue?Which of the city council members are truly ignorant about the impact plastics and microplastics have in our community?Would you rather listen to an hour of high school student council members talking about this subject or the elected members of the Elgin city council?What could city staff have done different to have made this public discussion more productive and less contentious?For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. For more information about how Batavia, Illinois (a smaller city right down the Fox River from Elgin) has successfully dealt with the issue of a single use bag fee ordinance, here are two previous episodes you will want to check out:Talkin' Single Use Bag Fee Ordinance With Batavia's Environmental CommissionUpdate: City of Batavia's Single Use Bag Fee Ordinance And if you haven't downloaded The Elgin Watchman's Single Use Bag Fee Advocacy eGuide, please do so ASAP:Go to our Waste webpage at www.elginwatchman.com/wasteScroll a little bit down the page and you will see itExpand it to full screen, read, and click the buttons/links to learn moreConsider downloading or sharing the eGuide with likeminded friendsStart calling and emailing Mayor David Kaptain and all city council members using the information on the last page of the eGuide. Ask them to please adopt the Single Use Plastic Bag Fee ordinanceYou can make a difference. Get involved . . . get engaged . . . and always keep watch!

Welcome to the second episode of The Fox River Story, a Season Two collaboration with Friends of the Fox River.In today's episode, Erik Anderson and Gary Swick talk about the concept of WATERSHED THINKING, which simply stated is a viewpoint that everyone and everything in the Fox River watershed is connected. This complicated system of individuals, organizations, and government agencies is unpacked in discussion between Erik and Gary. Additionally, Erik interviews two very involved individuals and picks their brains about the organizations in which they are involved.NOTE: A special thanks to Tom Slawski and Ders Anderson for their participation. Please take a moment to consider this . . . There are hundreds of municipalities, counties, states, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations interacting with more than a million people living in the Fox River watershed. How does this complicated web of relationships find common ground, shared values, goals, strategies, etc? Todays' podcast scratches the surface of this question. Hopefully, it gets you (and many others) thinking because together we can figure all of this out.  For more information about the podcast, please visit The Elgin Watchman website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. Follow us wherever you get your other podcasts!For more information about Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR), please visit their website and LIKE their Facebook page. If you want to read more about the history of the Fox River, there is an awesome article titled "Our Waters, Our Fox" on the FOTFR webpage. CLICK HERE to read it.

I know, I know . . . this episode is neither coverage of the Elgin Sustainability Commission meeting nor is it one of the eight episodes this season dedicated to "The Fox River Story" collaboration with Friends of the Fox River.  However, this episode did spin off from The Fox River Story 8-part series, so please cut us some slack.  *wink* In today's, special edition, we speak with Tom Slawski, who is a man wearing many hats, including (and likely not limited to):Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (where he is the chief biologist)Southeast Fox River PartnershipSoutheastern Wisconsin Fox River CommissionAfter interviewing Tom as part of season two's The Fox River Story, we realized he was just 24-hours removed from being one of the chief planners/organizers/hosts of the 11th Annual Fox River Summit. As you might imagine, we couldn't resist the opportunity to ask lots and lots of questions about the summit while we had Tom's undivided attention. AND when push came to shove in The Elgin Watchman offices, we couldn't help ourselves and turned that conversation into a special edition. We hope you enjoy Tom's summary of this annual event and encourage you to make plans to attend net year's summit being planned for April 2024.  For more information about the podcast, please visit The Elgin Watchman website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. Follow us wherever you get your other podcasts!For more information about Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR), please visit their website and LIKE their Facebook page. If you want to read more about the history of the Fox River, there is an awesome article titled "Our Waters, Our Fox" on the FOTFR webpage. CLICK HERE to read it.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Tuesday, March 14th, and as always they had a lot to talk about. In fact, at one point in the meeting, there were 10-minutes  where at least five people were talking over each other. In an effort to summarize things, here is a list of what was discussed over a 2+ hour period of time:Commissioner Kevin Zaldivar resigned and the city of Elgin is taking applications online to fill this vacancyApril is Elgin Earth Month and the commission is planning to host Elgin Earth Summit on April 29th at Elgin Community College (NOTE: there are also many other organizations hosting events throughout April. More info can be found on Facebook at @ElginEarthMonth)Money was allocated to purchase a membership with the Illinois Recycling FoundationApplications will start being accepted for the commission's Electric Garden Equipment Rebate program sometime in April during Elgin Earth Month (funding is limited; so act quickly)Residents have until April 15th to submit their application to the Parkway Tree Planting program. Call 3-1-1 for more details or good luck digging through the sea of data at cityofelgin.orgCommissioners will be joining local environmental organizations and acting as liaison and conduits of information for the commissionCommissioner David Jurina wants the city to ban fossil fuel hook-ups (e.g. no more gas lines) for new housing and building developments. The bulk of this episode is dedicated to speaking with Commissioner Jurina about the presentation he will be making to the Elgin City Council on March 22nd. If you are able to attend the city council meeting, the commission encourages you to sign-up and speak in favor of this proposal.  If you are unable to attend the council meeting, then please listen to this podcast, contact the Mayor, council members, and the city manager's office, and voice your support.For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

Welcome to Season Two of The Elgin Watchman podcast.  As we did in Season One, the first podcast episode of every month focuses on coverage of the Elgin Sustainability Commission and an environment sustainability issue (or city hall) with which they are grappling. The second podcast episode of every month focuses in-depth on a sustainability issue important to Elgin and its neighboring communities. In Season One, The Watchman focused on whether there is lead in Elgin's drinking water and the city's lead service line replacement program. This year, during Season Two, we are widening our scope and attempting to adopt a regional -- or dare we say watershed-wide -- view of sustainability. Season Two of this podcast represents a collaboration with Friends of the Fox River as we attempt to tell THE FOX RIVER STORY.Today is the first in a series of eight episodes focusing on the mighty Fox River that starts near Waukesha, Wisconsin and ends its journey 223 miles downstream in Ottawa, Illinois where it meets the Illinois River. President of Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR), Gary Swick, sets the stage for this eight part podcast series. His introduction touches on a lot of topics that will be explored deeper in future episodes including:The glacier that started everything pertaining to the riverCivilization along the riverWildlife/HabitatWater qualityDamsAdvocacy & Friends of the Fox RiverFor more information about the podcast, please visit The Elgin Watchman website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. Follow us wherever you get your other podcasts! For more information about Friends of the Fox River (FOTFR), please visit their website and LIKE their Facebook page. If you want to read more about the history of the Fox River, there is an awesome article titled "Our Waters, Our Fox" on the FOTFR webpage. CLICK HERE to read it.

The Elgin Sustainability Commission met on Valentine's Day 2023, and The Elgin Watchman's Tia Aagesen made a guest appearance sharing her observations from the commission meeting in addition to the February city council meeting. Topics covered were:Lead Service LinesSingle Use Bag Fee proposed ordinanceStrategic PlanTyler Creek WatershedCommission WorkgroupsFossil Fuel-Free ProjectSuperbowl FunAnd moreFor more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.CLICK HERE to access The Elgin Watchman's Single Use Bag Fee Advocacy eGuide.

Season Two of The Elgin Watchman podcast is just beginning. And what better way to get a new season moving in the right direction than by covering the first Elgin Sustainability Commission meeting of the year and talking about:Open Meetings Act refresher from City Clerk Kim Dewes2023 commission budget2023 Elgin Earth MonthAnd lots of miscellaneous commission blah-blah-blagThis episode is similar to December's coverage of the sustainability commission. With Tia being on on sabbatical to run for city council and Erik out-of-state on business, Elgin's Queen of Zero Waste -- Robin Migalla -- did The Elgin Watchman a "solid favor" by agreeing to attend the meeting and allow Erik to interview her after the fact.For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform. CLICK HERE to access The Elgin Watchman's Single Use Bag Fee Advocacy eGuide.CLICK HERE to access The Elgin Watchman's Sustainability Volunteerism e-Guide.

Happy New Year and welcome to Season Two of The Elgin Watchman podcast! A special thank you to our friends at Elgin Area Climate Action Now (EA NOW) for agreeing to sit for an interview with Erik. Topics covered during this episode include:Where is the city of Elgin at with what it committed to in the city council's Climate Emergency resolution?What is Elgin Area Climate Action Now? How can podcast listeners get involved?What does 2023 look like for local climate action advocates?Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity that can help make Elgin a more sustainable and environmentally friendly community? Look no further than The Elgin Watchman's volunteerism e-guide. CLICK HERE to view that online resource.  Clicking on the Elgin Area Climate Action Now logo in the e-guide will take you to the organization's webpage where you can learn more.For more information about The Elgin Watchman podcast and access previous episodes, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.

"Get involved. Be engaged. And always keep watch!" This is the mantra of The Elgin Watchman podcast.Today's mini-episode is an infomercial for the Elgin Sustainability Commission's Zero Waste Workgroup, and it is your opportunity to get more involved.Jeff Biss about the objectives of this workgroup and some of their upcoming 2023 projects.  Zero Waste Workgroup meetings are the third Wednesday of every month between 10-11 am at the downtown branch of the Gail Borden Library.For more information about how to join this commission workgroup, go to https://www.cityofelgin.org/sustainability or call the city's information hotline at 3-1-1.

"Get involved. Be engaged. And always keep watch!" This is the mantra of The Elgin Watchman podcast.Today's mini-episode is an infomercial for the Elgin Sustainability Commission's Transportation & Mobility Workgroup, and it is your opportunity to get more involved. Erik  interviews commissioner Tom Armstrong about the objectives of this workgroup and some of their upcoming 2023 projects.  Transportation & Mobility Workgroup meetings are the first Wednesday of every month between 5-6 pm at the downtown branch of the Gail Borden Library.For more information about how to join this commission workgroup, go to https://www.cityofelgin.org/sustainability or call the city's information hotline at 3-1-1.

"Get involved. Be engaged. And always keep watch!" This is the mantra of The Elgin Watchman podcast.Today's mini-episode is an infomercial for the Elgin Sustainability Commission's Renewable Energy Workgroup, and it is your opportunity to get more involved. Erik  interviews commissioner David Jurina about the objectives of this workgroup and some of their upcoming 2023 projects.The Renewable Energy Workgroup meetings the first Wednesday of every month between 6-7 pm at the downtown branch of the Gail Borden Library.For more information about how to join this commission workgroup, go to https://www.cityofelgin.org/sustainability or call the city's information hotline at 3-1-1.

"Get involved. Be engaged. And always keep watch!" This is the mantra of The Elgin Watchman podcast. Today's mini-episode is an infomercial for the Elgin Sustainability Commission's Outreach & Education Workgroup, and it is your opportunity to get more involved.  Erik  interviews commissioner Katie Gronke about the objectives of this workgroup and some of their upcoming 2023 projects. The Outreach & Education Workgroup meetings the third Wednesday of every month between 6-7 pm at the downtown branch of the Gail Borden Library. For more information about how to join this commission workgroup, go to https://www.cityofelgin.org/sustainability or call the city's information hotline at 3-1-1.

Season One of The Elgin Watchman podcast is almost over, but there are still a few loose ends to tie-up. Loose ends such as the December 2022 Elgin Sustainability Commission meeting.So, this episode is unlike any other 2022 episode. Tia is on sabbatical. Erik was out-of-state and couldn't attend the December meeting. So, Franklin Ramirez did The Elgin Watchman a "solid favor" by agreeing to attend the meeting and allow Erik to interview him after the fact.Did we mention that Frankin's 16-year-old nephew -- Trey -- joined us in the podcast studio and provided "color commentary". Again, this was a very unique and interesting podcast episode. In fact, it was kinda cool to have a Generation Z individual sharing their observations and commentary.Overall, meeting topics discussed included: Elgin Robotics Club; grant report for Sherman Hospital compost structure; grant report for Eastside Neighborhood Community Garden; volunteer recruitment consultant proposals; 2023 project budgets; commissioner term limits; and public power project.For more information about the Elgin Robotics Club and their upcoming competition at Elgin Community College, please go to The Elgin Watchman Facebook page.For more information, please visit our website, LIKE our Facebook page, and subscribe to our podcast using one of the many RSS Readers on our Buzzsprout podcast platform.  And if you haven't downloaded The Elgin Watchman's Single Use Bag Fee Advocacy eGuide, please do so ASAP:Go to our Waste webpage at www.elginwatchman.com/wasteScroll a little bit down the page and you will see itExpand it to full screen, read, and click the buttons/links to learn moreConsider downloading or sharing the eGuide with likeminded friendsStart calling and emailing Mayor David Kaptain and all city council members using the information on the last page of the eGuide. Ask them to please adopt the Single Use Plastic Bag Fee ordinanceYou can make a difference. Get involved . . . get engaged . . . and always keep watch!