Mayor Steve Martin attends Wilderness Club meeting

In a Wilderness Club meeting, Feb. 16, 2018, 33 students and two teachers discussed leaving their legacy–and operating a successful environmental campaign– with Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin.

Members of both Wilderness club and Progressive Club have started a campaign to ban styrofoam in Paso Robles and sought the mayor’s advice in accomplishing that goal.

Martin called on students and teachers to reach out to their city council and attend council meetings in order to gain the most ground on their proposal.

“The opportunity for public opinion is immense,” said Martin, who was elected in 2014.

As the meeting progressed, teachers and students alike asked questions regarding the Paso Robles democratic process. He briefed them on the rules and regulations behind holding a spot on the council and how far his reach toward a ban could go. Still, the mayor was quick to offer his support.

“It seems to be something that needs to be phased out in our community,” Martin said.

The club plans to attend the Mar. 20 meeting and propose their ban. If the council decides to put the ban into place, two meeting will be held where the public can offer their opinion. If the ban makes it through these stages, it will take 30 days for it to become a law, according to Martin.

This is not the first time that the ban has been proposed to the board; it was voted down in the July 18, 2017 meeting by the council, according to meeting minutes.

In light of these past events, the mayor urges to the students to contact their council members and remind them that “this is important to our legacy.”