Agendas and Minutes

Conservation and Climate Outreach Committee (View All)

Regular Monthly Meeting

Agenda
Wednesday, May 22, 2002

ASHLAND CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Minutes
May 22, 2002

 

CALL TO ORDER - Since there was not a quorum present, the meeting unofficially convened at 7:05 p.m. in the Council Chambers. In addition to Chairperson Susan Reid, members present included Charles Bennett, Joanne Krippaehne and Bruce Moats. Staff present was Sonja Akerman and Dan Murphy represented Ashland Sanitary & Recycling. Green Business Coordinator Ross Finney was also in attendance. Members unable to attend the meeting were Darcy Davis, Russ Chapman, Mort Smith, Paige Prewett and Jim Hartman.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES - The April 24, 2002 minutes will be approved at the June 26, 2002 meeting.

PUBLIC FORUM - There was no one present who wished to speak.

OLD BUSINESS:

Sustainable Housing/Earth Advantage - Reid reported that Dick Wanderscheid had received the Earth Advantage proposal from Portland General Electric (PGE); however, there was quite a lot included that Ashland did not need and it was very expensive. The City of Ashland is still moving forward on this. The proposal is being reworked and tailored more to what we need. Wanderscheid is certain we will eventually be successful.

Addition of Youth Liaison Member - Reid related the City Council postponed this until the June 4 Council meeting.

Northwest Climate Response Membership - Reid stated there is no need to do anything at this point.

Green Business - Finney said he had submitted a proposal to do additional recruiting work and realized that since there was no quorum, the Commission could not make a decision on whether or not to fund an additional $875 for 25 hours of work. He said the work he is proposing would be completed by the end of June. Krippaehne noted Chapman and Prewett were both at the marketing meeting where this was discussed with Finney and they were both in favor of the proposal. Finney explained he proposes to be looking at four to six new businesses in June. He would begin with phone calls to arrange a presentation and then coordinate a meeting for each in order to give the businesses a one-hour presentation to talk about what the program is all about. The idea is not to have them be certified participants by the end of June, but to have them say they are willing to work toward becoming a green business over the next three to four months. Energy Analyst Cathy Cartmill and Water Conservation Analyst Robbin Pearce will be able to do the energy and water audits for up to six businesses. Krippaehne, Moats, Bennett and Reid all agreed to allocate the $875 to Finney. Akerman will get a decision via e-mail from the members who were not able to attend the meeting. (It was a unanimous decision to allocate the $875 to Finney.)

Fourth of July Parade Entry - Krippaehne explained the members were going to try to recruit a group of kids to carry the clothesline, but as far as she knew, no one had been successful. Reid said that perhaps next year this could be a senior project for a high school student. Finney suggested giving away reuse items such as canvas bags with the Sustainable Ashland logo imprinted on it. A brief discussion ensued regarding a parade entry v. staffing a booth after the parade. The Commission felt there just wasn't enough time to get the kids together to have an entry this year.

ASHLAND SANITARY & RECYCLING UPDATE - Murphy reported the following: 1) The discount day at the transfer station will be on June 15. A $3.50 discount will be given to all the customers that day. In addition, $1.75 will be donated to the food bank for each customer that comes in. 2) The hazardous waste event was held the first weekend in May. There was less waste generated this year and more than 100 fewer customers than last year. When asked by Reid, Murphy said the greatest impact seems to have been the latex paint event. There were more customers this year than last at the free latex paint disposal day at the transfer station. That translates into a lot less cars that go to the hazardous waste event.

NEW BUSINESS:

Budget - The current balance is $1,218.05.

COMMISSION ITEMS NOT ON AGENDA:

Bennett reported he had done some research on displays. There are a variety of different styles available, which range from $200 to $1,000. He will order catalogs.

Reid asked if anyone had information on "aquawave" green energy, where turbines are floated in the ocean to generate electricity. Since she had just heard of this type of energy today, she didn't have much information. Bennett and Finney had both heard of this concept but they were not familiar with it. Reid said the Northwest Energy Coalition is trying to evaluate demonstration projects in the northwest. One is on an Indian Reservation not far from Bellingham, Washington, however it may be the site of a preserve. Krippaehne offered to do a web search. Reid said that as green energy becomes a mandate for some utilities, people are trying to work on renewable energy methods. She added, however, that no energy is completely benign. She wants the Commission to think about these alternative methods and keep abreast of what is happening. Krippaehne asked what the criteria for green power is and Reid said the Bonneville Environmental Foundation might have the criteria on the web.

Krippaehne stated she had had been attending meetings of and working with the Building Appeals Board while it has been considering recycling plans for demotion permits. She said she had attended a recent meeting when the Board was ready to stop the idea of required recycling. Krippaehne suggested that recycling not be dropped and offered, as a private citizen, to write a mandatory recycling program that would not be contingent on a case-by-case basis. She has now put together a draft based on the construction debris recycling brochure that the Conservation Commission recently worked on. Her plan lists items and a proposed threshold for the Board to think about. If a demolition project is generating more than a cubic yard of concrete, for example, Krippaehne’s plan outlines what has to be done with the material. The Board will be considering her proposal on June 12. Moats said there is always the dilemma about doing the right thing v. cost. Krippaehne said she is sure this will come up for public discussion and she will be working with the Board on this issue. She also cited two exemplary recycling projects in Medford that are doing a fantastic job. One is the new library site between Riverside and Central Avenue on 10th Street. The other one is on Riverside just north of Barnett. All debris being generated from the demolitions are in neat piles. They are both doing a very good job of keeping a clean job site.

Krippaehne read from Prewett's update. 1) Earth Day netted $800 and the Nature Center is exploring a use that they have in mind for the funds. 2) Relating to the conservation tips in the Tidings, Prewett talked with Ann Seltzer from the City. Everything that is city-related, goes through Seltzer, who is interested in coordinating the graphics and building synergies between tips the City has put in the paper and ones the Conservation Commission is interested in having printed. 3) Regarding the street sweeper contest, Prewett has received money from the Conservation Commission and has already presented the awards (gift certificates to Northwest Nature Center) to the three winners. 4) She recently held a worm composting class and didn't have many attendees so she is hoping for more in the upcoming classes.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Reid noted the next meeting will be on June 26, 2002.

ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, the meeting "unofficially" adjourned at 8:10 p.m.

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