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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-12-16 PacketMinutes of the Regular Meeting of the Energy and Environment Commission Edina City Hall Community Room Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 7:00 P.M. Members In Attendance and Roll Call: Steve Christianson, Jeannie Hanson, Dianne Plunkett Latham, M. Germana Paterlini, Bill Sierks, Michael Platteter, Hailey Lee, Julie Risser, Surya Iyer Absent: Paul Thompson Staff Present: Heather Worthington, Jane Timm 1. Welcome & Roll Call Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Iyer. 2. Discussion and Approval of Agenda. Commissioner Platteter made a motion to approve the meeting agenda. Commissioner Latham seconded. Motion carried. 3. Approval of the November 18, 2009 Meeting Minutes. Commissioner Sierks made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 18, 2009 meeting with an amendment to a motion by Thompson. Commissioner Latham seconded. Motion carried. 4. Community Comment Resident, Julie Mellum, 5700 York Ave S, addressed the commission about wood smoke as an outdoor pollutant. She asked that the EEC influence a change in the ordinance. She asked the EEC to recommend, by ordinance, that the fire department extinguish a recreational fire if complaints are registered. She also asked that the city consider changing the Health Code to say that wood smoke is a public health nuisance. Chair Iyer suggested the Air & Water Quality Working Group look at this topic. Presenter, Sara Zarrin, 7609 Stonewood Court, gave a PowerPoint presentation on Edina Go Green Group and their initiatives. There were other members of the Edina Go Green Group in attendance. Their first initiative is to reduce the use of disposable bags. The second initiative is to increase commercial recycling in the city. After the presentation they asked the EEC for their recommendation. Commissioner Latham asked them to come to the January 6, 2010, Recycling and Solid Waste Working Group meeting. It was also noted that the city code only addresses residential recycling, not commercial recycling. Commissioner Paterlini suggested they present the PowerPoint to Edina Chamber of Commerce. It was noted that the commercial recycling could be part of the Green Step program. 5. Staff Update Assistant City Manager, Heather Worthington gave the commission information on the new lighting in the City Hall parking garage. The project is small in terms of dollars but has a nice impact and a very short pay off. She explained how the city would like to do more projects like this. Ms Worthington explained to the commission that the Planning Commission was looking in to impervious surface regulations. She recommended that an EEC Working Group study this as for a policy recommendation. Chair Iyer asked Water Quality Chair Christianson to work with the Planning Commission on the impervious surface regulations. Ms Worthington reminded the commission of the Monday, February 1, 2010, mandatory meeting with the Edina City Council. Ms Worthington handed out the 2009 Attendance Report. There was a discussion about what meetings were considered mandatory meetings. It was decided the July 27, 2009 meeting was not mandatory. Ms Worthington will check on meetings of June 8 and June 16, 2009. Ms Worthington asked that the commission plan to spend most of the January 2010 meeting on the Green Step Cities project. Kristina Smitten will attend the January 2010 meeting. She suggested that the January meeting be devoted to Green Step Cities project. Chair Iyer asked that all chairs of the working groups send him a report of their groups before the February 1, 2010, meeting with City Council. After he receives all the reports he will compile a report to present to the City Council. There was a request by Ms Worthington and Chair Iyer to change the 2010 EEC meetings to the second Monday of each month. The consensus was to change the meeting dates. Jane Timm was instructed to change the dates, post on the website, and schedule a room for each meeting. Ms Worthington gave an update on engine conversion to liquefied natural gas grant. Intern Matt Lauer investigated this during the summer, but found that the dollars were in the 6 figures which is more than the trucks were worth. Mr. Madole sent a letter to Ms. Worthington asking the EEC recommend the mayor sign the letter endorsing the engine conversion. Commissioner Hanson made a motion to recommend that the mayor not sign the letter regarding compressed natural gas and liquid natural gas. Commissioner Sierks seconded. Motion carried. 6. Commission Business Commissioner Paterlini gave an update on a web conference with Hara. It is a reporting system for cities and corporation. It is a web tool. Commissioner Paterlini and Ms. Worthington asked for this conference because the ICLEI reports are not sufficient for tracking. The City of Palo Alto, CA, uses the product and their fee is $25,000 per year. It would require self reporting from each department. Commissioner Paterlini talked to the commissioners about a rough draft of a green purchasing policy. This would be a guideline for city employees for purchasing. Ms. Worthington explained there is no central purchasing in the City of Edina. Chair Iyer suggested that all commissioners send their ideas to Commissioner Paterlini so that she could prepare a final draft for the January 2010 meeting. Chair Iyer asked that all new working group volunteers be sent Board and Commission applications. It was directed that Secretary Timm send these out as soon as possible. The chairs of the working groups will contact the volunteers from their first choice on the spreadsheet in the packet. 7. Adjournment Commissioner Sierks made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Latham seconded. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. The next meeting will be the regularly scheduled meeting at 7:00 p.m. January 11, 2010 at Edina City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Jane M. Timm, Deputy City Clerk