2006-06-14 Cities for Climate Protection Minutes

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JuneReading Advisory Committee on Cities for Climate Protection Program Committee Notes for June 14, 2006 Present were Stephanie Anderberg, Michele Benson, Ron Daddario, Gina Snyder, Ray Porter and Tracy Sopchak. The minutes for May 24 were accepted unanimously. The committee reviewed the successful pledge event with the Town Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, Town Assistant Manager, Town secretary, and newsman Paul Feeley. Ron was re-appointed to the committee. Michele provided a summary of the progress of our intern, Emily Kumpel. She has quickly learned the software, is collecting questions to pose to Tim from the software company, and has made contact with some town departments with Michele's assistance. Michele has spoken with KeySpan and since Kim Lundgren (ICELI) had previously contacted them, they have already started to develop a query to pull from their data for the towns in the CCP program. Memos have gone or will be sent to the DPW (Ted McIntyre) and School Department. The software collects separate data for municipal, commercial and residential. The municipal section has more detail than the other two sections, and the committee acknowledged that many towns focus first on the municipal side because that is where the town has direct control of energy use. Setting up the contacts now, we will need to collect this data every year. A suggestion was made that Emily could look for other towns that are ahead of us (or ask Kim) and get some background on what they've found as the highest energy uses and what they've done as a their first few steps. Ron provided a handout listing sign-ups for Reading Town Day, June 17 from 10 AM to 2 PM. We decided to meet at 9 AM to set up as recommended by the organizers. Table, tent cover, chairs, display, tote bags, etc. Some modifications were suggested and made to the pledge sheet based on the `pilot' with selectmen. Michele volunteered to make the changes. Tracy will update the web page, including acknowledging sponsors to date (Atlantic and RMLD). The potential to have Atlantic do an energy audit, and to display the bag and pledge was discussed (although we only have a limited number of the bags). The next RMLD board meeting is June 21 (7:30 PM) and there will be a presentation on green power. Michele talked with the General Manager and the board members will be asked to sign a pledge to assist the committee. Michele will get the information on the agenda and whether our committee members should be present. We will be prepared to provide tote bags to Board Members. Gina will check in about the North Reading town day (July 3) through the recycling group that emailed us, before the next meeting (which is June 28). The Walkable Communities outreach session, walk and brainstorm session is also June 28 starting at Town Hall at 2 PM (to 4:15). Many groups have been invited. Ron will plan to hand out some pledge forms to Town Meeting members at the continued special Town Meeting June 150'and Michele will make some (updates) copies to bring to the HS for handing out with the message to sign on via the website, or at Town day Ron was unanimously re-elected as committee chair with the decision that the term for chair would be six months, with the option for a second six month term. Members agreed that the chairmanship should be rotated as appears to be the case for other town committees, and so pledged that some one else would take over after December 311 since this is Ron's second six month term (AND he chaired the ad hoc committee last fall). Gina continues as secretary with the same terms. June 17 (Saturday) Town Day 10-2 (set up at 9 AM) June 21 RMLD Board meeting June 28 Walkable Communities, 2 PM -4:15 and our Committee meeting at 7 PM. July 3 North Reading Ipswich River Park July 12 Second Wed. in July for meeting.