12/17/2019 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 12-17-2019 workable replacement for banning single use bags. He asked Council not to take action tonight on plastic bags as the County is guaranteeing to pass a six month grace period on Thursday. He said give the County the six months to work with North Olmsted and see what can be done. He said if it the City isn't happy, it can always revisit this legislation in the future. Fran Mentch Cleveland Heights Ms. Mentch said she is the Chair of the Water Committee with the Northeast Ohio Sierra Club. She said the Great Lakes holds 20 percent of the planet's surface fresh water and 90 percent of North America's. She said supporting single use plastic bags is destructive of the Great Lakes, environment and public health. She said supporting plastic bags is also destructive of local government. Ms. Mentch said that Council is claiming home rule is the basis of the decision to support single use plastic bags. She said no, it's HomeGoods rule and rule by other retailers at Great Northern Mall. She said this isn't home rule, but rather rule by the petroleum and plastics industry. She asked if North Olmsted's government has been captured by retailers and their lobbyists. She asked if the retailers represent the people who live in North Olmsted or if Council does. She asked Council not to vote to support single use plastic bags. She said the residents do not need nanny government to determine how residents transport their groceries. She said the residents are fully capable of figuring out other ways to get their purchases from the store to their home. She asked Council to vote no on the Ordinance. Constance Fedrickson Berea Ms. Fedrickson said retail business has fueled this Ordinance as it has in Brooklyn and Cleveland. She said retailers have stolen three of the 12 years scientists say we have to correct the problems of climate change. She said the retailers have been negotiating in bad faith and delaying the county for three years. Ms. Fedrickson said it is time to ignore their interests and to represent the citizens of the County who overwhelmingly support the ban. She said the Ordinance text as a whole page listing the businesses and says businesses will have to shift their practices. She said of course they will as will customers and that is the point of the ban. Ms. Fedrickson said after eight months of inaction all of a sudden this Council decided there was an emergency and needed an emergency ordinance claiming home rule. She said the reason for home rule is false because it does not threaten health, welfare and safety. She said the problem with the solution in the Ordinance is it is a continuation of business as usual. She said we have had a bin to collect plastic for over 20 years and only one percent is being recycled. She said if Council passes this, they will have to lift the recycling requirement as no one is taking plastics and North Olmsted will be a major polluter in the County. She asked Council not to pass it. Mike Foley Cleveland 5