HomeMy WebLinkAboutSustComMinutes_2020_08_12Sustainability Council meeting Wednesday, August 12, 2020 by GoToMeeting
Present: Jennifer McLaughlin, Jacob Meshke, Robert McGrath, Betty L Beer, Robin
Butterbaugh, Shelly Brandenburger, Mike Lockrem, Paul Peterson, Stephanie Aure
Absent: Anna Barr
Visitor: Lawrence Novotney
A Motion to Approve the Agenda was unanimously passed.
The July, 2020, Minutes were approved unanimously. M/Betty L Beer S/Bob McGrath
There was no report from Open Forum
Jacob Meshke’s reports:
●Updates on charging station: we have had some limited use with the average charge
about $3.00, average charge length is 40 minutes. There are 4 Teslas in town and
several other electric cars, no information on cross over cars.
●Update on buffer yard regulations. The City has regulated the amount of space
between different uses, but developers can shorten the space between housing if they
use landscape, not just grass. There are sustainability implications in diversity of plants,
and different landscapes can minimize sound better than grass.
●Recycling: Plastic bag statistics. Education is important to reduce use of plastic bags.
12.4% of Millenium’s loads contain less than 5% of plastic bags. Brookings has less than
2 per cent plastic bags so we are ahead of the curve. The 2 percent in Brookings comes
from residential sources. This means education is working. We need to find more ways
to encourage residences to not use plastic bags.
●Budget: Next year, the City is projecting a 2 percent decrease in revenue from the sales
tax. The City has decreased expenses while maintaining the service level. Our budget is
now $4,000, down from $5,000. We haven’t spent our full allocation in past years.
●Electrify South Dakota: All states got funds from the Volkswagen suit settlement. Our
state is promoting electric trucks. There was lots of red tape for our getting the
charging station—we lease ours. The grants under Electrify South Dakota require that
we own the station and that we have a 50% match. Jacob recommends that we not go
forward with this grant opportunity at this time, and that we wait to see what phase 3
will provide.
●Bike share: Our Bike Share Program partner fell through.
Banners, tablecloths: Stephanie reported on Banners with grommets and tablecloths. Allegra
charges $48 for a banner 3 feet by 11 ½ feet. She recommends we look into table cloths too (6
feet = $182; 8 feet = $202). Jennifer suggested asking if the fabrics are sustainable. Betty
made a motion to go ahead with Allegra and not ask for more bids. Shelly seconded. Motion
passed. Stephanie will have a mock up for the next meeting.
Jennifer introduced a Plastic Bag Innovation Challenge contest with a deadline of Sept 14. The
timeline may be too soon for us.
Subcommittees:
●Radio ads. Jennifer suggested we time them with social media ads
●Marketing/Communication—no report
●Waste—no report
●Energy—Jacob will talk to campus. The City is undergoing a condition analysis with
respect to a LED conversion everywhere. No further information regarding BMU solar,
although it was reported that they are holding meetings and that there are future plans
for something in their capital plan.
●Local Foods—no report
●Bike/City—Jackie Lanning will report at the next meeting on the bike paths and on storm
water,
Future Agenda Items: It was suggested that we add an item to the permanent agenda entitled
“future agenda items”. It is hoped that additional agenda items will come in at least 2 weeks
prior to a meeting,
New Board Members: The executive committee will review prior applicants before the next
meeting, If none are appropriate, then a new call will be made.
Motion to adjourn M: Paul/ S: Shelly Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted, Betty L Beer, Secretary
Next meeting will be September 9, 2020 at 4:00