09-10-25 MINChanhassen Environmental Commission (EC)
6:00 pm
September 10, 2025
Members Present: Scott Grefe, Leslie Elhadi, Billy Cripe, Paget Pengelly, John Stutzman,
Glenn Stolar, Tanvi Akuthota
Members Absent: Sidney Lindmark
Staff Present: Jamie Marsh, Environmental Resource Specialist; Jenny Potter, City Clerk
Visitors: Judy Harder
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m.
Oath of Office
Jenny Potter, City Clerk, administered the oath of office to Tanvi Akuthota, the new Youth
Commissioner.
Minutes
The commissioners reviewed the meeting minutes from the July 9 meeting. Commissioner Stolar
moved to approve the minutes as amended, and Commissioner Pengelly seconded. The motion
carried 7-0.
Discussion Items
1. Introduction and Review 2025 Onboarding Information
Jamie Marsh, Environmental Resource Specialist, discussed that the Environmental
Commission’s main focus is educational opportunities for the community.
Chair Grefe shared that they follow Roberts’ Rules of Order loosely, as this is an informal
setting. The Commission must have a quorum to hold an official meeting. The Environmental
Commission meets monthly in addition to hosting community events.
Events include Environmental Trivia, Environmental Academy events in partnership with Carver
County, an annual Arbor Day tree planting at a city park, and the Business Expo during the 4th of
July festival.
2. Environmental Academy Updates
The Academy is underway for 2025. Commissioners Stolar and Elhadi attended the first event at
the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which discussed plant rescue. The plant rescue team
focuses on relocating and propagating endangered plants during development. The Commission
discussed the upcoming Highway 5 roadwork.
Commissioner Pengelly will attend the second session of the Environmental Academy at Camp
Fire MN as a representative of the Environmental Commission.
The third session will be held in the new city hall to teach about recycling. Chair Grefe will
attend this event.
Commissioners Elhadi and Stutzman plan to represent the commission, and possibly Chair
Grefe, when the Academy tours the new Dakota Prairie Composting event in October. Ms.
Marsh says the new technology used at the new composting facility is very interesting. The
remaining events will be discussed at the October meeting.
3. Environmental Trivia Night
The next trivia night is scheduled for Thursday, October 9 at Hackamore Brewing at 7 p.m. The
commissioners discussed the trivia categories, divvied up the question writing and signed up for
trivia night duties.
The Commissioners shared details with Youth Commissioner Akuthota on how trivia nights run.
Hackamore has confirmed the date. The Commission discussed a few ideas to ensure a smooth
event, such as an additional display screen, reserved tables and scheduling a dry run for the
technology. The Commissioners discussed prizes for the trivia winners.
4. Heritage Tree Ordinance Update
Ms. Marsh is working on a tree preservation ordinance. She will present to the City Council at a
work session in September. The potential code change would define a heritage tree based on
species and DBH, which refers to the diameter, and would also incentivize the preservation of
heritage trees.
The Commission discussed the effects this could have had on previous developments had it been
in place.
The Commission expressed interest in receiving an update on this potential ordinance at the
October meeting.
Upcoming Items and Events
Adjournment
Commissioner Stutzman moved to adjourn the meeting. The commission voted 7-0, and the
meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Minutes prepared by Amy Weidman, Senior Administrative Support Specialist
Minutes Submitted by Jamie Marsh, Environmental Resource Specialist