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Home My WebLink About2008-08-20 PacketMinutes of the Regular Meeting of the Energy and Environment Commission Edina City Hall Community Room Wednesday, August 20, 2008, 7:00 P.M. Members In Attendance and Roll Call: Raymond O'Connell, M. Germana Paterlini, Bill Sierks, John Owens, Surya Iyer, Julie Risser, Dianne Plunkett Latham, Paul Thompson Absent: Hailey Lee Staff Present: Heather Worthington, Jane Timm 1. Welcome & Roll Call 2. Discussion and Approval of Agenda after discussion and removal of item #11. EEC Draft Report, from the agenda. Commissioner Thompson made a motion to approve the meeting agenda with amendments. Commissioner Risser seconded. Motion carried. 3. Approval of July 16, 2008, Meeting Minutes Commissioner Sierks made a motion to approve the Minutes of July 16, 2008 with amendments. Commissioner Latham seconded. Motion carried. 4. Public Comment Resident Mary Brown, 4370 Brookside Ct #108. Ms. Brown is a member of the Green Team from her 4 unit condominium complex. They are working on recycling, water consumption, and landscape sustainability. She was at the meeting to find out what the Commission did in the community. Chair Iyer gave her an overview of the Commission and introduced her to the Google Group. She also wanted referrals for speakers from the Commission. 5. Work Group Updates Climate Change Work Grou No report. Recvc1ina and Solid Waste Work Grou Commissioner Latham gave an update on the recycling contract. Consultant Dan Krivit recommended a one year extension through 2009, for residential recycling collection with Allied Waste. The Request For Proposal (RFP) for the residential recycling collection will be issued at the end of 2008; a new contract would begin 2010, Consultant Krivit also Suggested that the work group meet with each hauler about the RFP. Commissioner Latham told the other commissioners the Waste Management tour that was schedule in September had been cancelled due to lack of persons attending. Education and Outreach Work Group CornrnissionerThompson gave an overview of the July 4th parade. The Work Group decided to register early next year so they will have a better spot, and to involve more participants. Commissioner Risser talked about the October 6, 2008 class on Energy Audits to be held from 7-9 p.m. in the Community Center. The 4th Of July flyer will be updated and used to advertise the October 6, 2008 class. She asked if a video production crew could film it and play it on channel 16. Ms. Worthington said she would check with the City of Edina's Communication Department and Would have a press release prepared. Commissioner Thompson had a handout from the Sierra Club about a September 17-23, 2008, ICC (International Code Council) meeting. Commissioner Thompson also shared upcoming events • "Playing for the Planet" Sunday, August 24, 2008. He asked commissioners to attend. • International Walk and Bike to School Day, October, 8, 2008. He also passed around a Greening Our Schools flyer. 6. Commission Business Commissioner Paterlini gave an update on the Carbon Disclosure Project. Commissioner Paterlini gave on update on Climate Communities. There is an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant that the commission could apply for. There was a discussion about an EEC Commissioner joining the Climate Communities. Commissioner Owens showed interest. Commissioner Sierks made a motion recommending Commissioner Owens, O'Connell, and Ms. Worthington work together to write a letter of support for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant under the direction of Commissioner Paterlini. Commissioner Risser seconded. Motion carried. Commissioner Paterlini will work with Ms. Worthington to get missing data from the utility companies. Commissioner Paterlini needs garbage collection data to be forwarded to the Climate Change Work Group. It was discussed that the data could be collected on the annual Refuse Hauler License application in the future. After a discussion by the Commission, it was decided that Climate•Change Work Group would follow up with Xcel Energy on Windsource. Commissioner Risser talked about a Wetlands Policy in the City of Edina. Although there is a DNR policy that covers wetland encroachment it can be overridden because we do not have a wetland policy. Commissioner Lee will contact neighboring cities about their wetland policies. The Commission discussed starting a Water Quality Work Group. Some discussion included: • Watershed Districts and their involvement with encroachment. • Wetlands as a beneficial carbon sink • A request for an additional commissioner • Starting a new Work Group, and then getting additional commissioners. Commissioner Sierks made a motion to support Commissioner Risser and Lee to begin forming a Wetland Protection Policy. Commissioner Owens seconded. Motion carried. Commissioner Sierks gave an update on the Energy and Environment Commission engaging with the Edina Chamber of Commerce regarding environment issues. He would have more information at the September meeting. Commissioner Sierks gave an update on the Regional Council of Mayors on sustainability. There are 35 mayors working on an Energy Star Building in each city, Commissioner Sierks gave a report on a Clean Energy Resource Team (CERT) 3 year grants. Applications are now being accepted by the State of Minnesota. Commissioner Sierks reported on making the Edina Homecoming game "green", by emphasizing recycling at the game. The Sustainability and the Natural Step Framework Seminar will be moved to the September 2008 agenda. 7. Staff Report Ms. Worthington gave an update on the council approved new Public Works facility. Ms. Worthington gave an update on the MPCA grant. Commissioner Latham gave and update on the Hwy 100 tree planting project. Funding for the project is through a grant from MnDot which Park Board member Joe Hulbert applied for and received. 8. Adjournment Commissioner O'Connell made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Sierks seconded. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m. The next n-)eeting will be the regularly scheduled meeting at 7:00 p.m. September 17, 2008 in the Community Room, Respectfully submitted, Jane M. Timm, Secretary EDINA PUBLIC MEETING PROCEDURES During '`Public Ilearin.;s" the Chair will ask for public comment after City staff members make their presentations. If you wish to speak on the topic, you are welcome to do so as long as your comments are relevant to the discussion. To ensure fairness to all speakers and to allow the efficient conduct of a public hearing, speakers must observe the following guidelines: • Individuals must limit their presentations to three minutes or less. The Chair will modify presentation times, as deemed necessary. • Try not to repeat remarks or points of view made by prior speakers and limit comments to the matter under consideration. • In order to maintain a comfortable environment for all those in attendance, the use of signs, clapping, cheering or booing or any other form of verbal or nonverbal communication is not allowed. During "Public Comments," the Chair will ask to hear from those in attendance who would like to speak about something not on tonight's agenda. Individuals must limit their presentations to three minutes and cannot speak to all issue for which a public hearing was previously held and closed within the last thirty days or a matter scheduled for a future hearing on a specific date. Individuals should not expect the Chair or Commission to respond to their comments. Instead, the Commission might direct the matter to staff for consideration at a future meeting. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION AGENDA FOI2 MEETING September 17,2008,7:00 PM – 9:00 PM 1) Welcome, Call to Order, and Roll Call (2 min) ✓ 2) Discussion and Approval of Agenda and Agenda times (3 min) v3) Discussion and Approval of August Meeting Minutes (5 min) ✓4) Public Comment (10 min) 5) Committee Updates and Discussion 1. CCWG Update (15 min) 2. EOWG Update (15 min) 3. RSWG Update (l5 min) 6) Commission Business (� , — 1. Carbon Disclosure Project – Progress Report (10 min)��UIJ�.. L_-'2. Comp Plan: Clrtl)ter l0 – Adoption (10 min) 2008 EEC Report- Adoption (10 min) �! 70`t' Street Proposals – Environment / Energy impact discussion and �/ preference (if any) (15 min) 7) Staff Report (10 min) 8) Adjourn The City of' Edina %ants all residents to he comfortable being part of the public process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing amplification, an interpreter, large -print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Draft Guidelines for Commissioners attending Conferences / Seminars on behalf of the EE Commission - If a commissioner attends a meeting using commission funds, he/she acts a representative of the Commission and, indirectly, of the City. Therefore the commissioner should refrain from acting on his/her own behalf, promoting other organizations, or events not sponsored by the Commission. - The Commissioner should not make promises or decisions on behalf of the Commission. The attending commissioner should report back to the other commissioners with a written report (document, power point or other media) - The attending cornniissioner should identify key networking contacts and present strategies for pursuing initiatives originating from the conference/meeting