City of Lawrence

Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB)

September 14, 2011 minutes

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Sarah Hill-Nelson, Matt Lehrman, Chad Luce, Dale Nimz, Megan Poindexter, Andrea Repinsky, Simran Sethi, Ian Spomer

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:

Beth Johnson, Daniel Poull

 

STAFF PRESENT:

Tammy Bennett, Megan Gilliland, Eileen Horn, Kathy Richardson

 

PUBLIC PRESENT:

Ken Baldwin

 

 

Call Meeting to Order (Matt Lehrman, Chair person)

Take roll call to determine quorum of members.

 

Approval of Meeting Minutes

 

Motion and second to approve the August 10, 2011 minutes (Hill-Nelson/Sethi).

Vote: Motion was passed unanimously.

 

Update on Progress of the Climate Protection Plan

 

SAB reviewed the final draft of their presentation on the progress of the Climate Protection Plan. Matt Lehrman, Sarah Hill-Nelson, Daniel Poull, Chad Luce, and Megan Poindexter volunteered to be presenters. Tammy Bennett suggested presenting to the City Commission on the same day as the Complete Streets presentation. The presentation date will be determined by the City Manager.

 

The board agreed to make this presentation an annual report.

 

Motion and second to approve the presentation on the progress of the Climate Protection Plan (Hill-Nelson/Poindexter). Vote: Motion was passed unanimously.

 

Discussion on Possibility of Creating a City of Lawrence Sustainability Advisory Board Facebook Page

 

Megan Gilliland, city’s Communication Manager, attended the SAB meeting to address this agenda item. She informed SAB of the city’s Social Media Policy which states that advisory board members and elected officials should not post on city social media sites where policy, or the creation of policy, could be discussed for reasons relating to possible violations to the Kansas Open Meetings Act. She encouraged SAB to provide staff with content such as sustainability tips for the LawrenceRecycles Facebook page.

 

Board members discussed adding more SAB content (i.e. letters/memos to the City Commission and City Manager, presentations) on the city’s website and on www.facebook.com/LawrenceRecycles.

 

Waste Reduction and Recycling Report

 

Kathy Richardson emailed the Waste Reduction and Recycling Division report and thanked all SAB volunteers who helped with the Lawrence Energy Conservation Fair and Sustainable Homes Tour on September 10th.

 

Sustainability Coordinator Report

 

Eileen Horn informed SAB of the following:

-       Take Charge Challenge: As of August 31st, both Baldwin City and Lawrence are winning their respective regions. With two weeks remaining, it's an all-out push for the $100K prize.  Please help on Thursday, Sept. 22nd on a final "Change 5" campaign via Facebook and Twitter.

-       The Fire/Med Smackdown has saved 31,600 kWh and $1,200 in just three short months. We are hoping to replicate a similar challenge amongst the three city Recreation Centers.

-       The City is in the process of updating the city's greenhouse gas emissions for 2005 baseline and a 2010 update. Eileen is working with Chad Luce and the City Manager's office intern.

-       The Obama administration decided not to lower the ozone limits, although lowering was recommended by EPA. The Air Quality Advisory Committee (of the city, county, KU, health dept, etc.) is working on a briefing for all Commissioners, preparing them for the potential budgetary and operational impacts that reduced ozone limits might bring. The ozone-reducing measures recommended by that Advisory Committee sync nicely with the GHG-reducing recommendations of the climate protection plan, and the fuel-reducing recommendations of the peak oil task force.

-       The Food Policy Council is working with the city to survey city-owned land that might be leased to local growers for urban agriculture and community gardens. They are hosting a forum with producers and have met with neighborhood associations to formulate the program.

-       The Livewell Lawrence Coalition is continuing to support the Complete Streets policy advocacy effort. A Complete Streets policy is on the City Manager's desk and, after revision, will be received by the City and Planning Commissions this fall.

-       The city, in partnership with Salina, Wichita, and Kansas City applied for, and has received good feedback from the DOE as part of their Electric Vehicle Readiness grant opportunity. Details are still emerging, but it looks like our application was successful, and that a planning process for electric vehicle policies and infrastructure will begin soon.

-       We have not yet gotten word back from EPA on the Farmland Industries proposal we submitted - to do a feasibility analysis for solar/wind at that site.

-       The Midwest Litter Fest is Saturday, Sept. 24th. Please organize a SAB team or encourage other organizations you know to participate.

-       Eileen was appointed to the T2040 Advisory Committee. If SAB members would like, she'll bring updates on the progress and elicit feedback from SAB on transportation planning priorities.

-       The county's Sustainability Team has been very active, planning workshops and contest for staff. The county has also created a "Sustainability Fund" to fund energy efficiency-related improvements to county buildings.

 

Miscellaneous Announcements and/or Public Comments

 

None.

 

Meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.

 

Next meeting: October 12th, 2011 at 5:30 p.m.

 

Attachments:

Progress of the Climate Protection Plan Presentation

Waste Reduction and Recycling Division Report