Turning the Tides met Monday, November 16, 2009 at the Downtown Library. Present were Doug, Andrea, Mihael, Reuben, Mikaela, Carol, Kristin, Anji, Liz, Janet, Dixie and David

Anji proposed an organizational model for TTT that includes an advisory board, community organizers and members at large.

An advisory board would meet quarterly and probably spend next year establishing guidelines.. The Foraker group provides board training and development - Liz will research this and put together a preliminary membership application that includes expertise, duties and liabilities - possibly willingness to travel. Doug suggested we include alternate members. We agreed to send names of people we’d like to nominate around the internet - to the 15 or so TTT members that show up to meetings - with a completed list of nominations by Dec. 1 and a meeting Dec. 14 to vote. It was suggested that we include representatives of private industry, education, science, youth, media, an attorney and a CPA.

Community organizers would meet once a month and include the following positions:
Beach clean-ups
Political advocacy
Community organizer I - tabling events, fireside chats, special events
Community organizer II - schools, business, neighborhood groups
Membership development and funding
Research
IT


These could be added to, broken down into smaller positions, etc. Chairs would keep binders or other records describing their activities - for people that may eventually fill these positions.

Monthly fireside chats would feature movies or speakers with the community invited - and could be a way to pick up more members.

Other business:
Doug contacted Bill Stokes - the man who led a movement to rid villages of plastic bags - he is willing to do a webinar or video conference for TTT and possibly high school students on how he’s accomplished this. Doug will find out how much this might cost and if he would be willing to do it at the beginning of next year.

Mikaela volunteered to work with high schools and Cachet and Karen on the Statewide reusable bag design contest.

Janet and Bob will review the new State clean-up grant opportunity.

Kristin and Reuben will research possible grants for bags.
Janet came up with a model of an award/certificate to be presented to companies that cut down on plastic/styrofoam. Hildegard will develop this artistically. The Empire has agreed to cover TTT business awards.

Janet will invite Juneau’s new solid waste person to a TTT meeting. Anji will draft a letter congratulating him on his new position.

Janet will also check on Breeze In’s new plastics policy.

Doug said we should be aware that the governor will be nominating someone to take part in the new Presidential commission on oceans. Maybe TTT can recommend people like Jim Ayers or Larry Merculief - instead of industrial representatives.

Hildegard reported - through Dixie - that the university is very interested in inviting Sylvia Earle to Juneau to speak and will try to invite her to for April 23.

We voted to table Marcus’s visit until January.

Next meeting - December 14 - 5:30 - Downtown library big room.

Dixie