HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-12-03 Climate Advisory Committee Minutesorx�o
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Town of Reading
Meeting inutes
g p N CLERK
iaaox.c :.DING, MASS.
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Climate Advisory Committee 115 JAN 28
Date: 2014 -12 -03 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Reading Town Hall Location: Conference Room
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose: Bi- monthly meeting
Attendees: Members - Present:
Joan Boegel, member; David Williams, Chair and member; Ray Porter,
member; Laurie Ann Sylvia, member, Gina Snyder, associate member
Members - Not Present:
Ron D'Addario, member; Michele Benson, associate member
Others Present:
n/a
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Joan Boegel
Topics of Discussion:
• Review and approve minutes of recent meeting. The committee voted to approve
minutes of the 11/12/2014 meeting as written by Joan Boegel with two minor
revisions.
• Reading Public Library project. No new information.
• Business cardboard recycling. The surveys were finalized, Laurie Ann printed
them with Reading Climate Advisory Committee logo, and Ron picked them up at
RMLD. Gina will email Ron to ask whether he has survey results yet.
• Opportunities for Solar Energy and Energy Efficiency in Town Buildings. No new
information.
• Vehicle eV charging stations. Dave called the contact at Department of Energy
Resources, but has not connected with her yet. Laurie Ann reported that RMLD is
still in process of installing an eV charging station at a business in Wilmington.
Adopt an Island. Ray reported that his wife, who has interest and expertise in
landscaping and has been involved with New England Wildflower Society, is willing to
advise the committee with this project. Dave will contact Jane Fiore to verify that
DPW will deliver compost and wood chips /mulch to Adopt -an- Island sites. Interested
committee members agreed to meet at the site on High Street and Vine, bordering
the railroad tracks, on Sunday, December 7 at 1 p.m. The committee voted to adopt
this island if DPW delivers compost and mulch.
• Energy Efficiency financing for low income seniors. Gina and a member of the
Reading Council on Aging spoke with the person from Winchester Council on Aging
who started their program. The Winchester bank helped fund it. This program
assists qualified senior citizens by assisting them in getting free energy audits and
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Town of Reading - Meeting Minutes
offers grants of up to $800 per home to implement energy conservation /efficiency
measures. These grants are in addition to any applicable utility rebates. Funding
(total pool of $20,000) came from two Winchester groups - Cool Winchester and
Sustainable Winchester - and was matched by a Winchester bank. Volunteer
mentors are available to observe the energy audits and help the senior citizen home-
owners understand the findings and recommendations. Gina asked whether our
committee members would be willing to serve as volunteer mentors if the program is
implemented in Reading. All committee members present agreed that they would.
Gina suggested to Reading Council on Aging member that RMLD might be able to
manage the funds as a possibility (not known yet). The Winchester program leader
has some Ideas for obtaining larger grants.
Earth Day 2015. At previous meetings, the committee had agreed to run an Earth
Day event focused on Alternative Energy Choices at RMLD on Saturday, April 11,
2015. Ray brought information from our 2009 Earth Day event with layout of display
tables at RMLD and contact information for the vendors who participated. It appears
that there is room for 12 display tables In the RMLD cafeteria. Ray will email these
documents to Laurie Ann. We may want to contact some of the vendors who
participated in 2009, but there are many new vendors in the Solar and alternative
energy business now. The committee discussed ideas for vendors that could be
invited. We should begin contacting vendors in January. Laurie Ann will go to RMLD
Manager with our plan and request use of the building for April 11. We can also ask
RMLD to help with publicity. Ray noted that, though our committee focus is on
Reading, the event would be open to and could be advertised to residents of all four
RMLD towns. Laurie Ann will also investigate advertising the Earth Day event
through the Town of Reading.
• Dave noted that he will be away - in Florida - from late January until April 1. He
will need other committee members to chair meetings in his absence.
• Green Sense. Gina asked for ideas for Green Sense articles. She would appreciate
help from other committee members to contribute "hopper articles" that are not
time - sensitive.
The meeting adjourned early at 8 p.m.
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