December 01, 2004– 7:00 p.m.
Community Development Building <
Ashland

CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson, Alex Amarotico, called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Community Development Building.

ROLL CALL
Attendees: Charles Bennett, Carol Carlson, Russ Chapman, Jim Hartman, Joanne Krippaehne, Bruce Moats, and Paige Prewett. Ross Finney was absent.

City Council Liaison: Alex Amarotico
Staff Liaison: Dick Wanderscheid, Larry Giardina
Student Liaison: none present

APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Chairperson, Alex Amarotico asked for an approval of the October 27, 2004 minutes.

Commissioner Chapman clarified under Ashland Sanitary & Recycling Update Mr. Hubbard reported 1 ˝ tons of recycling collected, not trash collected, and also Ashland recycles approx. 300 tons not 250. Also noted was that SP retains 68% to sustain their suppliers, not the mill.

Commissioner Krippaehne moved to approve the minutes as amended and Commissioner Chapman seconded the motion.

Voice vote: all Ayes. The motion passed with a unanimous vote.

The minutes of the Conservation Commission Meeting of October 27, 2004 were approved.

PUBLIC FORUM

Mr. Eric Dittmer from Southern Oregon University, introduced the 3 Cap Stone students from SOU along with the current representative from the Ashland Congregational United Church of Christ to the Commission.

Olivia Dollete/Stacy Schmidt/Rachael McAlvage/SOU Campus presented to the Commission a verbal report on the Cities for Climate Protection Cap Stone Project findings. This team represented the second team in this project and felt they have brought the project halfway through the 5 Milestones listed below:

1) Conduct a local emissions inventory and forecast of greenhouse gas emissions
2) Adopt an emissions reduction target
3) Draft an action plan to achieve the target
4) Implement the action plan
5) Evaluate the report on progress

The students explained green house gas emissions and suggested areas in the City that were contributors, although they felt the area of transportation was skewed and will need a better system of data collection.

Industrial 9.8% Commercial 36.1% Residential 42.6% Transportation 11.5%

There presentation included projections and recommendations for existing programs, energy efficiency and expansion of energy programs.

Attached is a written summary that was presented to the Commission with a written report to follow at the end of the winter school term.

Mr. Wanderscheid congratulated the team on a great job and thanked the group for their work accelerating the accomplishments of this project.

Mr. Dittmer introduced the next liaison student in this continuing project, Sonya Brester, who will look at the Rogue Valley Transportation study. He introduced Tristan Ragsdate, Tristan.ragsdate@gwail.com, who explained about an electric energy fair, and scheduled for January 8th at SOU. Hoping to inform people about home heating savings and energy conservation, the fair is scheduled from 9-4:40.

ASHLAND SANITARY & RECYCLING UPDATE:

Commissioner Chapman reported about the success of the annual leaf recycling held in November, and the public support of this program.

OLD BUSINESS

Conservation Goals and Council Goals

The Commission discussed different goals to present to the City Council and decided upon the following three:

Continue the City’s current commitment of purchasing green power from Bonneville Power Administration and also explore expanding the size of this purchase in the future.

Increase the overall energy efficiency in the City’s vehicle fleet, and also explore the expanded use of alternative fuels in the fleet.

In order to ensure the utmost resource efficiency in new City facilities, require all new facilities be constructed to comply with LEED or Earth Advantage equivalent standards.

NEW BUSINESS

None presented.

SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

1. Historic Conservation
None presented
2. Education/Events
None presented
3. Green Business
None presented

COMMISSION ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA

None presented.

ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 9:15 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Mary McClary, Assistant to
Electric Department