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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-05-20 Packet Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Energy and Environment Commission Edina City Hall Community Room Wednesday, May 20, 2008, 7:00 P.M. Members In Attendance and Roll Call: Dianne Plunkett Latham, Raymond O’Connell, M. Germana Paterlini, Bill Sierks, John Owens, Surya Iyer, Julie Risser, Paul Thompson Staff Present: Jane Timm Heather Worthington 1. Welcome & Roll Call 2. Discussion and Approval of Agenda Commissioner Owens made a motion to approve the meeting agenda with an amendment to move the Committee Update portion of all meetings to after the Public Comment portion of the meetings. Commissioner Risser seconded. Motion carried. 3. Approval of April 22, 2008, Meeting Minutes Commissioner O’Connell made a motion to approve the Minutes of April 22, 2008. Commissioner Risser seconded. Motion carried. 4. Public Comment No Public Comment 5. Work Group Updates Climate Change Work Group Commissioner Paterlini gave a Powerpoint Presentation on the ICLEI Conference that she attended along with Assistant City Manager, Heather Worthington. A recommendation was made that the mayors of Minnesota ICLEI cities send a letter to Xcel Energy and ask they waive the fees for obtaining energy data. A recommendation was made for the City to participate in a Carbon Disclosure Project. Ms. Worthington let the Commission know a gentleman from the United Kingdom would be contacting her regarding the project. A recommendation was made to design an Energy and Environment Strategic Plan. A recommendation was made to adopt a sustainable city plan separate from the City of Edina’s Comprehensive Plan. A recommendation was made to engage Chamber of Commerce, restaurants, and trade associations to reduce carbon. A recommendation was made that members of the Commission meet with the City of Northfield’s Energy and Environment members. Commissioner Sierks made a motion to advance the following recommendations to the Climate Change Work Group: Carbon Disclosure Project, Energy & Environment Strategic Plan, adopt a sustainable city plan, to engage Chamber of Commerce, restaurants and trade associations to reduce carbon. Commissioner Thompson seconded. Motion carried. Action items included, draft a letter to Xcel Energy, and set up a meeting with Northfield’s Energy and Environment members. Recycling and Solid Waste Work Group Commissioner Latham gave an update on the Recycling & Solid Waste meeting. She stated the new draft RFP reflected the removal of Source Separated Organic and Single Sort collection scenarios. She gave an update of the process after approval of the RFP. After approval, there would be a selection committee, a consultant would be hired to complete the RFP, the RFP would go to the City Manager and City Attorney and after bids were submitted the selection members and any EEC Commissions would tour the vendor facilities. After a discussion of the RFP, Page 11, Number 7, percentage of reduction of emissions over a 3 year period, it was recommended that the Recycling and Solid Waste Work Group along with the consultant decide the percentage of reduction. Commissioner O’Connell made a motion to forward the RFP to the City Manager and City Attorney with the attached edits. Commissioner Sierks seconded the motion. Motion carried. Commissioner Sierks left the meeting. Education and Outreach Work Group Commissioner Risser gave an update on the May 4, 2008, Energy Fair and presented some of the suggestions given by persons in attendance. Commissioner Risser gave an update on the upcoming May 31, 2008, Energy Workshop. She stressed the importance of event communications to the public through press releases, flyers, and Sun Current articles. Assistant City Manager, Heather Worthington, commended the Education and Outreach Work Group on the incredible amount of work that had been done in the short period of time. 6. Commission Business Commission Thompson made a suggestion that there be only one Public Packet and no extra agendas prepared for each meeting. He wanted to have paperless meetings. All Commissioners were in agreement. Chair Iyer requested the Work Group Chairs send their 2009 budget requests to him before the June 2008 meeting. The Commission discussed the Energy and Environment’s Annual Report. Commissioners decided that since it was the commissions first year, it was necessary to do a July report. The chairpersons of each Work Group were requested to send their reports to Chair Iyer and he would compile the report. The report would be approved at the July 2008 meeting. Chair Iyer stated that he would be in favor of the format of the Santa Cruz Report that was included in their meeting packet. All Commissioners agreed that the City of Edina’s report would follow the format of the Santa Cruz report. Commissioner O’Connell made a motion to draft a one year Annual Report. Commissioner Thompson seconded the motion. Motion carried. The Commission discussed the City of Edina’s policy/ordinance on chemicals on lawns. They asked Ms. Worthington to give the City of Edina and Edina School District’s policy on spraying chemicals on their properties. She stated she would get the information to the Commission. The Commission discussed how to handle public comments at the meetings. Consensus was that any public comment issue would go to the appropriate Work Group or City of Edina Staff. Per their recommendation, the commission will respond and take further action, if appropriate. The Commission discussed the importance of a new Commissioner having expertise in run-off water, surface water, and/or waste system water. Ms. Worthington stated she would talk to the City Manager and Mayor about the Commission’s request. She would also get information to the Commission about Watershed Districts. 7. Staff Report Ms. Worthington talked about a new state law on water conservation. She gave the Commission a brief update on the upcoming State Levy Limits and that the Commission would have to be creative and perhaps pursue grants, bonds, and loans. 8. Adjournment Commissioner O’Connell made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Paterlini seconded. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. The next meeting will be the regularly scheduled meeting at 7:00 p.m. June 18, 2008 in the Community Room. Respectfully submitted, Jane M. Timm, Secretary