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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSCMinutes_2014_12_05Sustainability Council December 5, 2014 (amended) A meeting of the Sustainability Council was held at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, December 5, 2014 at Brookings City & County Government Center with the following members present: Norma Nusz Chandler, Bob McGrath, Ben Kleinjan, Alvaro Garcia, Holly Tilton Byrne, Trisha Jackson, Stephanie Aure and Betty Beer. Absent: Paul Peterson, Jane Hegland and Mike Lockrem. Others present included: Meghan Thoreau, Doris Roden from Downtown Brookings Inc., Shari Thornes and Laurie Carruthers. Chair Nusz Chandler called the meeting to order at 3:02 p.m. A motion was made by McGrath, seconded by Garcia to approve the agenda. All present voted yes; motion carried. A motion was made by Jackson, seconded by Beer, to approve October 31, 2014 minutes. All present voted yes; motion carried. Schedule next meeting. January 21, 2015 at 3:00 pm. Appoint County Liaison. A motion was made by McGrath, seconded by Beer to approve Meghan Thoreau, County Development Deputy Director, as the County Liaison. All present voted yes; motion carried. Nomination Committee Report and Elections. McGrath reported that the subcommittee recommended Trisha Jackson for the Chair position and Ben Kleinjan for the Vice-Chair position. McGrath thanked Nusz Chandler for her two years as Chair and commended her for leading the Brookings Benchmarks project for the Council. Jackson thanked Kleinjan for being the voice of the Sustainability Council and asked if he would maintain this position. Kleinjan agreed. A motion was made by McGrath, seconded by Tilton Byrne to approve the slate of nominations. All present voted yes; motion carried. Discuss 2015 Goals & Objectives. Tilton Byrne commented that the future strategic planning would outline the parameters for the goals and objectives. The Council discussed and finalized the 2015 goals and objectives as: • Holding a Strategic Planning Meeting to “define goals, purpose and where do we go from here.” • Continuing to work on the Brookings Benchmark Indicators Project as outlined in the Action Plan and to conduct a yearly conversation regarding the plan of action. • Promoting the Public Education Campaign by publishing new advertisements every few months. • Combine mutual efforts with the SDSU Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability Committee, Habitat for Humanity, and Dakota Rural Action to educate the public and promote Earth Day events. • Encourage bike riding through Brookings by working with City Departments and other interested groups. • Continue the feasibility study of electric vehicle charging stations. • Encourage sustainable building practices for public buildings and the private sector. • Pursue grant opportunities for sustainable efforts. • Continue to be a resource for the City Council and City Manager regarding proposed policies and recommendations. Thoreau suggested the Council prepare a one-page synopsis of the action plan and distribute it to interested parties. Planning Commission Comprehensive Plan Revisions. Thornes advised the topics of the Planning Commission Comprehensive Plan Revisions and suggested the Sustainability Council get involved as they have studied many of the topics through the Brookings Benchmarks report. It was suggested that the chair contact the Planning Commission chair to see if the Sustainability Council could assist. Nusz Chandler and Aure will attend the December 11th meeting. Updates/Final Reports: Summer Student Intern Program Report. Beer advised that she just became aware of a city policy regarding no idling. She suggested reaching out to other private entities and BATA. Jackson reported that the Brookings School District has installed a program in their school buses that can detect motion and idling. The Director of Transportation for the School District has indicated that with the School District’s approval, this data can be shared. The Council discussed and thought many companies likely have a policy. It was also pointed out that the intern would be here from June – August, a timeframe where there is no idling. Thoreau asked if more than one proposal could be submitted. Nusz Chandler asked the Council two questions: Do we need an intern? What will the intern do? The Council advised that an intern could assist with the action items from the Brookings Benchmarks project the Council could not accomplish on their own. Nusz Chandler commented that poverty is a top priority from the Brookings, not fleet fuel consumption. Kleinjan responded that emissions are still a top priority. The Council wants to see an intern be successful at the end of the project. Tilton Byrne suggested the intern play a research role. If necessary, this could possibly tie into a graduate student project. Kleinjan advised the intern could focus on poverty and use a graduate student if needed afterward. Tilton Byrne suggested the intern project should be on poverty, not fleet fuel. Jackson requested an anti-idling brochure be produced for distribution statewide. Census data, BEDC, school lunch programs and Patty Bacon could be possible resources. The intern could collect the information over the summer with the focus on, “what is poverty in Brookings and the misperception.” The poverty subcommittee will meet prior to the next meeting and provide a report. Aure agreed to assist the poverty subcommittee. Poverty Research Subcommittee. The subcommittee members have submitted many requests to SDSU researchers for information, but have not had luck with the return of information. Brookings Benchmarks Indicator Project Action Plan. Thornes advised that the City Council would be discussing the action plan at the Goal Setting Sessions in January. Bicycle Friendly Community. Possible members of the Brookings Bicycle Advisory Committee are being contacted and will meet in the beginning of 2015. Doris Roden from Downtown Brookings, Inc. advised the committee of a recent incident with a bike fix-it station in downtown Brookings. She was wondering if the Council would support fix-it stations around town, examples include SDSU campus and the Hillcrest Aquatic Center. A motion was made by Kleinjan, seconded by Jackson, to move the Sustainability Council adopt a resolution supporting bike fix-it stations next to bike racks pursuing a Brookings bicycle friendly community. All present voted yes; motion carried. Earth Day 2015. Habitat ReStore is conducting an event, but the date has not been finalized. SDSU ESSC is conducting their main street event in the Union the week of April 20-24 with guest speakers featured on Wednesday, April 22nd. Announcements/Correspondence/Communications/Calendar • Tilton Byrne advised net metering is on the City Council’s December 9th agenda. The article referenced in the agenda packet is not in favor of net metering. She advised South Dakota is one of only 4 states that do not allow net metering and encouraged members to attend the meeting. • Membership: Members’ terms were staggered with one, two and three terms when the Council was created on September 15, 2011. Terms for Lockrem, Hegland and McGrath expire on 12/31/14. All are eligible for a full three year term. • Future topics: Bike racks for BATA buses, bike patrol, East Brookings industry traffic concerns, Plain Green 2015, legislative issues. Adjourn. A motion was made by McGrath, seconded by Tilton Byrne, to adjourn. All present voted yes; motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 4:33 p.m. Submitted by Laurie Carruthers.