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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-01-13 PacketMinutes of the Regular Meeting of the Energy and Environment Commission Edina City Hall Community Room Thursday, January 13, 2011, 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, Alma Pronove Absent: Karwehn Kata, Staff Present: Solvei Wilmot 1. Welcome Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Chair Latham. 2. Approval of Agenda and Topic Time Allocation The agenda was approved with the removal of item No. 9 regarding Xcel Energy Assessment. 3. Approval of November 18, minutes The November 18, 2010 minutes were unanimously approved. 4. Community Comment Chair Latham welcomed students from Edina Valley View Middle School’s government class. 5. Comments From City Manager Scott Neal was unable to attend the meeting. Chair Latham will request that City Manager Neal present a PowerPoint presentation of the McKinstry Report from Eden Prairie when he is able to attend. 6. Hara Software and Carbon Disclosure Project No Report. 7. Chair Report Chair Latham reported attending the City Council meeting to testify about the Three Rivers Regional Trail. Commissioner Platteter also testified. Chair Latham reported that the City Council was interviewing for the open positions on Boards and Commissions. There were 9 applicants for the EEC. There was a discussion about splitting the Air and Water Quality Working Group. Commissioner Risser made a motion to split the Air and Water Quality Working Group into two separate working groups. Commissioner Paterlini seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Latham made a motion to appoint Commissioner Risser to chair the Air Quality Working Group. Commissioner Paterlini seconded. Motion carried unanimously. There was a solar panel funding discussion. They discussed the grant funding and fund matching by the City of Edina. There would be a presentation regarding the solar panel at the January 18, 2011 City Council meeting. Commissioner Gubrud made a motion to approve the resolution for the Solar Photovoltaic System for the City Hall building. There was a discussion to add language to the council presentation. Commissioner Sierks seconded. Motion carried. Page |2 8. GreenStep Cities Chair Latham gave an update on GreenStep Cities presentation to the Edina City Council, January 18, 2011. At the end of the GreenStep Cities presentation Chair Latham will go over the solar panel grant. 9. Xcel Energy Assessment-Municipal Buildings This was taken off the agenda. 10. Budget No Report. 11. Turf Management Task Force No Report. 12. Alternative Energy Working Group No Report. 13. Air and Water Quality Working Group Commissioner Tucker stated that they have suspended the meetings until after GreenSteps is approved. She reminded the commission of the NEMO Workshop, February 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the new Public Works building. 14. Recycling and Solid Waste Working Group Chair Latham went over the proposed changes to Refuse Hauler ordinance, Chapter 13. Members discussed clarifying the increased bond and insurance limits. In addition, members discussed clarifying the focus of the weight report. It was agreed it was for residential hauling weights. Commissioner Iyer made a motion to recommend the ordinance amendments to Chapter 13. Commissioner Tucker seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Latham gave an update on the Art Recycling Contatiners (ARC) for 50th and France. The 50th and France Association voted not to participate in the ARC. The City of Edina would be purchasing the containers and placing them at 50th and France. Chair Latham gave an update on the MPCA meeting that she and Ms. Wilmot attended. 15. Residential Energy Project Commissioner Platteter gave an update on the project. Commissioner Platteter told the commission about the meeting with Centerpoint and Xcel Energy, January 18, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Their plan is to meet with local churches next. 16. Education and Outreach Working Group Commissioner Thompson talked about his meeting at Southdale Library regarding his trip to the 16th UN Climate Change Conference in December 2010. There was a discussion about getting articles in the Sun Current. The Chair of the commission must submit requests for article publications to the City of Edina Communication Director upon the articles approval by commissioners. 17. EEC website There was a discussion about establishing a Task Force to review the EEC website. It will be comprised of Commissioners Risser, Latham, Gubrud, Paterlini and working group member, John Howard. They would meet, present their results at the February meeting, and recommend changes to the City of Edina Communication Director. 18. Future Meetings Page |3 The upcoming 2011 meeting dates were reviewed and were agreed upon. There was a reminder for the commissioner’s to mark their calendars for the Board and Commission dinner, March 21, 2011, at the Hughes Pavilion. The February election for Chair and Vice Chair was discussed. Applicants for Chair or Vice Chair may send information to Chair Latham. There was a discussion about Katie Jones from the Green Institute updating the B3 data. Commissioner Sierks made a motion to contact City Manager Neal and request Kathie Jones, working with Americorps update the B3 data. Commissioner Thompson seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Green Awards were tabled. 19. Adjournment Commissioner Risser made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Gubrud seconded. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m. The next meeting will be the regularly scheduled meeting at 7:00 p.m. February 10, 2011 at Edina City Hall. Respectfully submitted, Jane M. Timm, Deputy City Clerk