HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-10-14 Climate Advisory Committee MinutesOF
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=i Meeting Minutes
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` Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Climate Advisory Committee
Date: 2015 -10 -14
Building: Reading Town Hall
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose: Bi- monthly meeting
Attendees: Members - Present:
Time: 7:00 PM
RECLIVLD
TOWN CLERK
READING, MASS.
SEC -9 A 151 i
Location: Conference Room
Joan Boegel, member; Ron D'Addario, member and chair; Gina Snyder,
associate member; Ray Porter, member; David Williams, associate member;
David Zeek, member; Laurie Ann Sylvia, member.
Members - Not Present:
Michele Benson, associate member
Others Present:
Jeffrey Everson, guest
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Joan Boegel
® Topics of Discussion:
• Review and Approval of recent meeting minutes. The minutes of September
23rd meeting (prepared by Gina Snyder) were reviewed and approved as amended.
Community Shared Solar
o Gina and Joan reported that the next CSS meeting with Tom 011ila at RMLD
will be held on Monday, October 19.
• Tom 011ila sent the CSS working group members a draft Request for
Proposal document for our review prior to the October 19th meeting.
• Ron asked whether Reading residents will be able to buy into the CSS
even though the first solar panels will be in Wilmington. The answer is
yes; however, because the the CSS program will replace "Green
Choice ", current "Green Choice" customers will have first preference to
participate in CSS.
• Jeffrey Everson mentioned that the Mass DOER enlisted Cadmus to
prepare a report regarding CSS model frameworks. Joan stated that
RMLD and the Committee had reviewed that report last year and were
familiar with the different models.
• Gas Leaks
o Ron reported on the Gas Leak meeting he attended in Quincy. National Grid,
a BU professor, and someone from City of Cambridge presented.
• Cambridge works with gas company to replace gas lines and pave
® roads and the same time.
• National Grid stated that the law would give them direction. With the
current situation, gas companies are conflicted between financial
Interest and fixing gas leaks.
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Town of Reading - Meeting Minutes
• Ron spoke with a state senator, James Eldridge, a sponsor of the gas
leaks bill who was in attendance. Ron asked whether it makes a
difference for towns to pass resolutions In support. He replied
"absolutely yes." He highly recommends this practice and said it helps
the legislature pass laws.
• Ron suggested that we need to make a date to meet with
Selectmen. He will contact the Assistant Town Manager to
schedule that.
• Gina said that Selectmen were clear they don't want to set a
precedent of passing resolutions on state legislation. We might
consider asking Selectmen to support a letter of support from
the Reading Climate Advisory Committee.
• David Zeek stated that the city of Boston passed a resolution
supporting the legislation, bringing the number of cities and
towns that have done so to seven (7).
• The TUE (Telecom, Utilities and Energy) committee of the state
legislature will meet specifically regarding gas leaks legislation
on November 17, so we want to have discussion with BoS
before that date.
• Senior Citizen Initiative.
o Gina reported on recent meeting with Jane Burns, Jean Delios and John Feudo
regarding this proposed program. Ron had also attended.
• They see this program as valuable but are concerned about workload
for lane, who is a part-time employee.
• Council on Aging is also concerned about the Income -based element of
grant program. They do not want to deal with money.
• There are also concerns about liability and making sure that BoS is
® informed.
• They suggested that Climate Advisory Committee should give LED light
bulbs to seniors and hold a discussion about the possibility of the
program.
• Next step. Ron and Gina will attend Council on Aging meeting on
Monday, October 19. We will talk to RMLD about doing a lunch -time
outreach event at the Senior Center, probably in December.
350.org event
• Ron reported that about 50 people from all over attended the 350.Org
workshop at St. Agnes in Reading on Saturday, September 26. This is an
initiative that Ron is doing, not part of our committee.
• There Is a planning meeting scheduled for week of 10/19 to plan a community
outreach event to publicize the upcoming Paris Climate Convention, possibly
handing out Information at local Thanksgiving high school football games. Ron
will contact Town Manager to ask what the group can do on or near school
grounds.
• Papal Encyclical on Environment
o Ron is scheduled to lead discussion of papal encyclical regarding Climate
Change at the Library on December S. Library has agreed to buy the books.
o St. Agnes Book Club will hold a discussion of the encyclical on November
21st, 10 a.m. at Parish Center.
• Business Paper Recycling
o The bin Is getting lots of use. JRM is now picking up twice weekly, Tuesday
and Thursday.
o Ron visited the new CVS Store Manager and informed him about the paper
recycling bin.
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Town of Reading - Meeting Minutes
. Preparation for Meeting with BoS
• Laurie Ann will put together presentation and hand -out sheet for Selectmen.
• Ron asked Committee members to send Laurie Ann any photographs that
could be used for the presentation, e.g. Earth Day, Recycle Bin.
• Meeting Schedule
o Due to November holidays - Veteran's Day (Wed, November 11) and
Thanksgiving - we will hold only one meeting during November, on
Wednesday, November 18.
• New Member
• Jeffrey Everson expressed Interest in joining the committee.
• Ron encouraged him to see the Town Clerk for an application for associate
membership.
• We will add Jeffrey's email address (Jeff @jheversonconsulting.com) to
Committee email list.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
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