HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-10-14 PacketMinutes of the Regular Meeting of the
Energy and Environment Commission
Edina City Hall Community Room
Thursday, October 14, 2010, 7 P.M.
Members In Attendance and Roll Call: Dianne Plunkett Latham, Michael Platteter, Bill Sierks, Julie Risser,
Paul Thompson, Susan Tucker, Bob Gubrud, M. Germana Paterlini, Surya Iyer
Absent: Karwehn Kata, Alma Pronove
Staff Present: Jane Timm
Welcome
Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Latham.
1. Approval of Agenda and Topic Time Allocation
The agenda was approved as written.
2. Approval of September 22, minutes
The September 22, 2010 minutes were unanimously approved.
3. Community Comment - None
4. Hara Software Demonstration
By way of Webinar and conference call the Hara Software (an energy management service) program was
presented by Geoff Mohr and Jason Smith. The interactive webinar lasted approximately one hour.
5. Chair Report
Chair Latham informed the commissioners of the resignation of Working Group members Flora Delaney and
Jim Jones.
Chair Latham gave an update on the 3 Rivers Region Trail. Chair Latham asked Commissioner Platteter to
represent the EEC at the City Council meeting December 7, 2010.
Chair Latham asked the commissioners to review the Policy on Seminar Tuition Reimbursement. There was
a discussion on non-voting students attending seminars.
Commissioner Paterlini made a motion to approve the Policy on Seminar Tuition Reimbursement.
Commissioner Risser seconded. After discussion the chair called the question and a roll call was
taken.
Ayes: Paterlini, Latham
Nays: Iyer, Platteter, Risser, Gubrud, Sierks, Thompson, Tucker. Motion failed.
Commissioner Sierks asked that “voting” be taken out of the policy.
Commissioner Iyer made a motion to approve the Policy on Seminar Tuition Reimbursement after
excluding the word “voting”. Commissioner Paterlini seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
6. GreenStep
There was a discussion on making the required steps a priority over the six optional steps. Discussion
was also held on the bottle neck in the Air & Water Quality Working Group until such time as separate
working groups can be formed for Air and Water.
Commissioner Gubrud made a motion that the nine required steps be a higher priority than the
six optional steps and that as between the optional water and air steps, water be given higher
priority over air. Commissioner Paterlini seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
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Chair Latham reminded the commissioners that the GreenStep Cities Report and the recommendation to
join would be on a city council agenda in the near future. She asked that all commissioners attend if
possible.
7. Budget
Commissioner Paterlini gave a brief overview of the budget. There was a discussion about separating
commission’s budget and from the GreenStep budget. Commissioner Paterlini said she would continue
to work on the two separate budgets.
8. Alternative Energy Working Group
Commissioner Paterlini gave an update on a meeting she attended at the Chamber of Commerce
meeting. A business man attending the meeting gave Commissioner Paterlini a quote regarding
changing out all of the lights in one of the 50th and France Ramps. The payback would be approximately
one year.
10. Air & Water Quality Working Group Report
No Report. See attached 8-17-10 minutes.
11. Recycling and Solid Waste Working Group
No Report. See attached 9-2-10 Minutes.
12. Residential Energy Project
Commissioner Platteter gave an update on the Home Energy Squad plan through Edina Schools. There
was a discussion about implementing the pilot at one school. Commissioner Platteter said that they were
going to be at Creek Valley Elementary School’s Open House from 5 pm -6 pm on October 19, 2010 and
perhaps that would be a beginning point.
Commissioner Platteter made a motion to approve $500 to draft a school marketing penetration
plan at Creek Valley Elementary School. Commissioner Thompson seconded. Motion carried
unanimously.
13. Turf Management Task Force
Commissioner Paterlini gave an update of the meeting. They went over the policy, but it is not being
followed completely. At the first meeting held on 9-23-10 Vince Cockriel was given the task of redlining
the current policy to show the deviation from the approved policy. This will be presented at the 10-25-10
Turf Management Task Force meeting.
14. Education Outreach Working Group Report
Commissioner Thompson gave an update about his meeting with the independent community group,
Edina Go Green (EGG) regarding EEC’s use of the name “Edina Go Green”. The result of the meeting
was the agreement for EEC to use the EEC’s remaining printed materials and refrigerator magnets and
then after exhausting these materials, the EEC would change its branding name from “Edina Go Green”
to another more distinctive name.
Commissioner Thompson made a motion to use edinagogreen.org until the materials are
exhausted and at that time the EEC will use a new URL to be determined by the EEC.
Commissioner Gubrud seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
15. Future Meetings
Commissioner Gubrud made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Thompson seconded. Motion
carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m. The next meeting will be the regularly scheduled meeting
at 7:00 p.m. November 18, 2010 at Edina City Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Jane M. Timm, Deputy City Clerk