Agendas and Minutes

Conservation and Climate Outreach Committee (View All)

Conservation Commission meeting January 23, 2013

Agenda
Wednesday, January 23, 2013

 

CONSERVATION COMMISSION MINUTES

6:00pm-8:00pm –January 23, 2013
Community Development Building
51 Winburn Way, Ashland, OR  97520
--- To be approved at the February 27, 2013 Commission Meeting
 
CALL TO ORDER
Chairperson Beam called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.
Attendees:
Thomas Beam, Risa Buck, Roxane Beigel-Coryell, Jim Hartman, Cat Gould, Marni Koopman, Jim McGinnis, David Runkel, and Mark Weir.
 
City Council Liaison: Carol Voisin
Staff Representative: Lee Tuneberg, Adam Hanks, and Mary McClary
 
 
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Acting Chairperson Weir asked for approval of the minutes for December 19, 2012.
 
Commissioner Weir moved to approve the minutes for December 19, 2012, seconded by Commissioner Buck.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
Commissioner Weir moved to approve the Water Sub-committee minutes, seconded by Commissioner Gould.
 Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
                                                                                                                                                                        
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The next Conservation Commission meeting would be held February 27, 2013. 
The next Master Recyclers meeting would be held on Wednesday, January 30, 2013. Interested parties can also receive more information on the Master Recyclers’ web page, http://www.jcrecycle.org/
 
Upcoming sub-committee meetings:
Water   February 11, 2013, 5:45pm, Ashland Public Library
 
 
Chairperson Beam moved Quarterly Liaison reports by Ashland District representative, Jim Hartman to the next item.
 
 
PUBLIC FORUM
Russ Chapman, from the Earth Day planning committee, asked the Commission to support the Earth Day event as they have done in the past with a monetary donation of $1,000.00.  The Commission discussed how funds for the project were utilized and how the project was funded as a whole. Commissioner Buck reminded the Commission the annual Conservation Awards were presented at the Earth Day event.  The Commissioners decided to discuss the contribution during the budget discussions.  The Earth Day event’s theme this year, Taking the Next Step, will be held at Science Works on April 20, 2013.  Their purpose would be to focus attention to personal lifestyles and business practices. 
 
Hanna Sole spoke to the Commission regarding a project from the Southern Oregon Climate Action Network Community Climate Change Event, on February 17, 2013 at the Medford public library. She invited the Commission to have a table at the event and also asked for suggestions and advice on how they could reach out to more members of the community. They planned to have speakers, discuss actions plans, personal participation, and collect tiles to create a large salmon image that would be placed in front of the Medford Library.  The event was coordinated with the National Day of Climate Action event also held on February 17, 2013.
 
Chairperson Beam closed Public Forum.
 
 
QUARTERLY LIAISON REPORTS
Jim Hartman introduced Gary Sick, the facilities director for the whole school district, whose mission is to make everything run as effectively as possible utilizing conservation methods thereby reducing costs.   He has recently focused on the reduction of lighting in large buildings when no one was present by utilizing motion sensors and an added benefit was reducing vandalism opportunities.  He has primarily focused on how to reduce energy, gas, and water which has been decreasing each year.  They use electronics in order to excel in efficiency and reduce paper costs.  Commissioner McGinnis spoke about companies that use software to help locate excess usage of resources and then take a percentage of savings for their work.  Gary believes conservation measures are an on-going process, “never a day when you are done.”
 
Counselor Voisin voiced concern about using irrigation water, and Gary remarked he was researching the ability to use “dirty water” for irrigation to maintain the current appearance of the schools and also minimize the water usage.  Presently, the only school using dirty water was the Ashland Middle School, the rest were all domestic.
 
Commissioner Gould commended his method of hand weeding as opposed to pesticides. She asked if there was any school policy to allow grass to die in the summer months and his explained he was trying to maintain the current standards and conditions by using different blends of grasses.  He remarked their trucks followed a no idling policy and were turned off when not in use.  Commissioner Koopman asked about utilizing solar water heating and he explained they have a small solar system at the Belleview School.
 
Chairperson Beam thanked him for his great presentation and taking the time to come to the Commission meeting.
 
CITY ADMINISTRATOR
 Chairperson Beam introduced Dave Kanner, City Administrator for the City of Ashland, to the Commission.
The Commissioners introduced themselves to Dave and spoke to whom they represented.  Dave offered to answer and questions/concerns of the Commission.  He spoke to them about his sincere support of Conservation by restructuring an employee job to include management of the Conservation Division, a liaison to the Commission and also moving that position into his Administration team. 
 
Their discussions included:
  • Sustainability plans
  • Conservation manager position
  • Executing action items
  • City goals, long term and short term
  • Commission support of city goals
  • Plans for Capital projects insuring efficient energy/water use
  • Leed Standards
  • Automobile infrastructure, multi-mobile
  • Department of Energy 20% reduction goal over next 10 years
  • Funding
  • Transportation
  • AFN capabilities
  • Energy savings performance contracts (ESPC)
  • Actual analysis of energy savings
  • Smart Grid
 
Chairperson Beam moved item 2012-1013 Goals to last part of the meeting.
 
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
  2012-13 Commission Master Calendar Review
               
Items of discussion:
                Compost classes (aske to be on next month’s agenda)
                Wastewater RFP
                Concrete Project behind Parks and Rec RFP
                Change March meeting to 3rd week, instead of 4th due to spring break
               
 
Conservation Awards Planning for 2013
Commissioner Runkel summarized the subcommittee minutes including increasing the representation from all schools, the awards, replacing pictures to an award plaque with added names each year, and all without a possible increase to the budget for the project. Chairperson Beam talked about possible sponsors for awards and increased participation would increase community  awareness.  Award planning to be placed on next meeting’s agenda and include recommended applicants.
 
                Commissioner Koopman motioned the Commission approve the recommendations of the Award Subcommittee for
 the presentation of 6 awards this year and that $600.00 be allocated from the Commissions Budget to cover the
 cost of the awards program. Commissioner Weir seconded the motion.
 
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
STAFF REPORT
Set aside. 


Commissioner Weir asked for an organization chart for the Conservation Division.  Adam explained his new job title, Management Analyst, included the general responsibilities of managing the Conservation Division, operation of the sustainability plan and also overseeing the city’s component for economic development.

Lee Tuneberg announced with the restructure of Adam’s job, he would no longer attend the
Commission meetings, but  would continue to be a resource for the Commission.  The Commission
thanked Lee for his diligence and continued support of helping shape the Commission, his support
as a Conservation manager and his continual support of their mission and goals.
 
NEW BUSINESS
Waste Prevention/Reduction Opportunities
Commissioner Buck spoke to the Commission regarding telephone books and similar books delivered around the city to residents without requests and the litter/waste this continually creates.  She stated the city had an ordinance that prevents unsolicited materials, but was not enforced.  Adam explained about code compliance and how best to communicate their concern to the city.
 
Commissioner Weir made a motion asking city staff to pursue code compliance of materials that gets dropped on door steps, thrown on lawns, or any scattering rubbish. Commissioner Gould seconded the motion.
 
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
                Adam will report back to the Commission within 90 days.
 
COUNCIL LIAISON REPORT
Councilor Voisin was disappointed the recent citizen survey did not mention anything about Conservation. She also announced the Council goal setting will be on February 2nd from 9-3pm, and the public was welcome.
 
NEW BUSINESS
Commission 2013 Goals
            The Commission made a list of possible goals:
  • Anti-Idling within the school zones
  • Storm Drain monitoring
  • Car wash practices/recommendations
  • Climate Change regional effort
  • Sustainability
  • Overall transportation & emissions in Jackson County
  • Solar Energy
  • Weatherization Program
  • Water prevention striving toward zero
  • Zero waste
  • City support energy savings/conservation
  • 4th of July
  • Earth Day
  • Tier 2 Power issues
  • Green Business
 
Adam and Chairperson Beam would work on the list of goals and bring them to the Commission at the next meeting for approval.
 
Climate Change
Commissioner McGinnis spoke to the Commission about how the City of Ashland only addresses climate change in one specific area in the city master plan.  There are state and local activities currently preparing for climate change.   Materials for review for valuable information include: The Rogue Basin’s report of 2008 regarding climate change, State of Oregon Climate Action Change Adaptation Framework in 2010, and EPA’s Climate Ready Water Utilities Plan.  Jim presented a PowerPoint presentation complied by the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) in reference for Federal and States.
 
Commissioner Gould moved to extend the Commission meeting up until 8:15pm. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Weir.
Voice Vote: All Ayes.  The motion passed with a unanimous vote.
 
Commissioner McGinnis would like to see the Commission continually become aware of what activities different entities were performing within the State and National level, and promote the city’s involvement toward reduction goals by 2040.
 
 Commissioner Weir was interested in the Commission making recommendations for the city’s RFPs to include Climate Change adaptation strategies.  Adam explained these recommendations could become elements in the processes and policies within the annual capital improvement plans process. Gary Sick added he would like to see all RFPs include American made products and services, reducing the carbon footprint. Commissioner Buck would like to see the infrastructure integrated so it would have an effect throughout each process. Councilor Voisin also explained RFPs are awarded based on criteria, and criteria can be weighted as the department deems necessary, so it could include these suggestions.
 
OTHER BUSINESS FROM COMMISSIONERS NOT ON AGENDA
Set aside
 
 
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:12.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Respectfully submitted by:
Mary McClary
Administrative Assistant for Electric, IT and
The Telecommunication Department.
 
 
 
 
 
 
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Community Development office at 541-488-5305 (TTY phone number is 1-800-735-2900).  Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title1).
 

 

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