2014-03-12 Climate Advisory Committee Minutes

Home Browse Search

Fq O � i c s�s0lNCOR�O� Town of Reading Meeting Minutes Board - Committee - Commission - Council: Climate Advisory Committee Date: 2014 -03 -12 Building: Reading Town Hall Address: 16 Lowell Street Purpose: Bi- monthly meeting Attendees: Members - Present: Time: 7:00 PM 'iZECE,iVEt� ,OWN CLERK .1LING. M „SS. a14 APR 10 A 11: 49 Location: Lower Level Conference Room Joan Boegel, member; Laurie Ann Sylvia, member; Gina Snyder, associate; and Ron D'Addario, member Members - Not Present: Michele Benson, associate; and Ray Porter, member Others Present: Mike Scola, B.J. Finnell Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Ron D'Addario Topics of Discussion: • The minutes for February 26, 2014 were amended and approved. Mike invited B.J. Finnell, External Affairs and Community Outreach person for Keolis Commuter Services to our meeting; Keolis has won the contract to take over the management of the commuter rail trains on July 1, 2014 for a minimum of 8 years with two 2 -year extensions possible. They will not have control over the stations. [In many cases, the MBTA is a tenant of the station.] B.J. said that Keolis would be interested in sustainability events at the stations, but it would be through the MBTA. He suggested that we see the sustainability page on MBTA website and contact the MBTA sustainability manager. M to further investigate the issue of sustainability and to make the Readinq Depot an example of sustainability for the other stations to emulate. for her edits prior to sending it to the sustainability manager. Gina mentioned the main street corridor study. The study included the concept of multimodality along the train corridor, e.g., a bike lane running the length of the MBTA right of way along the commuter rail tracks from Reading to Wakefield and Melrose. She noted that it would be a great pilot to have a bike trail through those three communities; however, it may be difficult to traverse all the bridges on the way to Boston. Joan mentioned advertising at the depot. Can we disseminate public service announcements by scrolling information on energy savings and emission reductions due to the use of the train rather than the auto. She also mentioned a dashboard for energy emissions that could also be displayed. Mike mentioned that we could contact the state alternative energy coordinator, with whom he recently spoke, to see what we might accomplish at the depot and whether Page 1 1