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Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Climate Advisory Committee
Date: 2021-08-11
Building: Reading Town Hall
Address: 16 Lowell Street
Purpose: Bi -monthly meeting
Attendees: Members - Present:
Time: 7:00 PM
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Location: Conference Room
David Zeek, Chair; Ray Porter, Vice Chair/Secretary; Jeff Everson;
Member;Celeste Kracke, Member; Genady Pilyaysky, Member; Travis Estes,
Associate Member;
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Mike Monahan, Guest/Resident
Walt Talbot, GuestResident
Thomas Scindarian, Guest/Resident
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: David Zeek
Topics of Discussion:
Meeting was held via a Zoom Conference Call
Welcome to Members and Guests
Review minutes, vote on acceptance
No meeting minutes reviewed.
Thoughts from Mike Monahan, guest/resident
• Avoid banning silly string, and helium balloons at the coming fair
• Request about helium balloons was directed toward Rotary Club, host of fair
• The RCAC has not taken a position on this issue.
• Does not want to support for a local sustainability director who covers national and
state climate programs
• Sustainability director is intended to manage money from the state grants which can
be substantial.
• Perspective is that environmental programs should be limited, small government.
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Town of Reading - Meeting Minutes
Plans for a 9/22 public meeting on Energy Reduction.
• Forward to the RCAC was on outline of the meeting agenda with assigned tasks.
• Discuss sustainability metrics and question about energy use
• Reference other topics from sustainability plan. (community garden)
• Open meeting with a reason why a Sustainability Plan is needed
• Include financial sustainability.
• Advertisement through Facebook post and by flyers, need to coordinate w/ Julie.
Discussed sustainability metrics.
• Dave did try to get vehicle information through RMV, but could not get and vehicle type info.
• May try to work with State Rep for assistance in accessing RMV data.
• Comment on annual survey question for energy usage
• Count of heat pumps use going forward, from Town electric permit or RMLD rebates.
• Not all installed heat pumps seek rebates or stop using primary oil/gas heating systems.
Discussed plans for the Community Garden.
• Another meeting was held with planning team
• Town staff seems to push Mattera Cabin as the preferred site
• Looking at the Hunt Memorial Field
• Possible issue with standing water, need clarification from Parks Dept.
• Looking for further commitment on the level of Town support.
• Using Wakefield as a model for the number and size of plots.
• Initial Reading design may be 20 plots.
• DPW availability decreases during the fall (land clearing, tree removal)
• Look at managing water use, no till approach and carbon sequestration.
Releasing helium balloons
• Rotary Club will request that vendors not release helium balloons
• No further action to be taken at this time.
Postings
• Sept 25th - 90th Anniversary of Town Forest, Woodend School Field.
• Have a table for to interact with participants.(poll, survey, check list)
• Stickers for voting on climate priorities
• Highlight efforts around trees, value of trees (carbon sequestration)
Next meeting 8/25/2021 at 7:00 pm by Zoom
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