AVON CLEAN ENERGY COMMISSION
AVON ROOM - BUILDING #1 TOWN HALL
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY JUNE 3, 2009
I. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM by Chairman Olivier Gressier in the Avon Room, Building 1, Town Hall. Members present: Chairman Olivier Gressier, Bernard Zahren, Brett Eisenlohr, Robert Martin, Linda Meyers and Marty Kaplan. Member absent: James DiPace. Advisory members present: none. Advisory members absent: John Craig, Diane Zhao and Giorgina Paiella. Also in attendance was staff member and Town Clerk Ann Dearstyne.
II. APPROVAL OF THE PRECEDING MEETING MINUTES - May 6, 2009
Chairman Gressier motioned, Mr. Eisenlohr seconded and all members present agreed to accept the May 6, 2009 minutes as written.
III. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
Town resident and Roaring Brook Green Team member Mary Beth Hart was welcomed to the meeting. She spoke of a successful recycling effort at the school and was also interested in an energy audit of the school to see how energy efficiency efforts would impact usage and cost. Ms. Dearstyne told of an audit that had been done at the schools a few years ago and that Ms. Hart could check with Gary Franzi at the Board of Education. Ms. Hart would hope to alleviate the variance of temperature in the school, where in winters windows have to be opened, or air conditioning is running in the cool springtime. Her Green Team was also instrumental is getting the custodial staff to use more environmentally friendly cleaning products and handle mold problems holistically. They are also working to educate the children to
be environmentally friendly and sensitive. There is also an effort to stop excessive idling by parents dropping off their children at the school. Ms. Hart would like to see efforts made by the Town to increase sidewalks and bicycle paths.
Chairman Gressier explained the purpose of the meeting and that is to discuss the best use(s) for the clean energy block grant awarded by the state of $75,000.00, whether it would be used for buildings or transportation or public education. He also told of the monies left the state has from the federal grant of approximately $950,000.00 that is to be available to the towns for regional efforts. He mentioned that he spoke to David Paul at the schools and that he has lots of ideas.
IV. COMMUNICATION FROM COMMISSION MEMBERS
Ms. Dearstyne presented some information given to her by the Town Attorney regarding e-mail protocol. It affects e-mail that comes into the town and that which goes out. If you receive commission related e-mails at home, you are to forward them to the town for storage. Ms. Dearstyne will keep the commission posted as to where to forward them. Ms. Meyers reiterated that commission based information was subject to public view and that once you got it you had to keep it or forward it and not destroy it, whether written or e-mailed.
Chairman Gressier asked the members to present any new information from their subcommittees. Mr. Kaplan brought information from the DEP regarding anti-idling signs (free) that could be distributed throughout the schools. Ms. Dearstyne reminded him that the information should go to the Board of Education for their review. Mr. Kaplan also relayed that Farmington Woods was now part of the 20 by 2010. His Green Team is looking at heating systems, insulation - blown in vs. batting - up to R48, and heat pumps etc. He is having a charette sponsored by the University of Hartford in Farmington Woods, June 17th, in the Clubhouse at 7PM and it will be open to the public. Mr. Gressier suggested he publish the event in Avon Life or the community news section on the town's website.
Mr. Zahren reminded Mr. Gressier to write a cover letter for the policy statement letter signed by the Town Council. He did some research on some informal groups who are working to ensure funding for clean energy. The two utilities are both involved so they need to see the commission's support. He said there are billions and billions of dollars in the pipeline for clean energy and we need to keep our eye on that ball. Mr. Gressier added that government involvement in Germany has gotten many to use solar power and that it could work here even without optimal sunny conditions.
Mr. Eisenlohr had nothing new to report about finance.
V. OLD BUSINESS: 1. Discuss ideas for Avon Day, 2. Review project recommendations for Conservation Block Grant, 3. Jonathan Craig - discuss the Stimulus Fund Conference, 4. Martin Kaplan - report on the Canton Hydro Advisory Board Meeting
Ms. Meyers asked if the schools could have a contest to make a banner for the booth for Avon Day. Ms. Hart was concerned that schools would not be in session long enough to work on the project as Avon Day would be held in September when the children go back to school.
Chairman Gressier told of the meeting he attended with Assistant Town Manager Blythe Robinson, Brett Eisenlohr and Ann Dearstyne. Mr. Eisenlohr said the $75,000.00 grant was fairly guaranteed. Chairman Gressier explained the different grants available. He said there was about $1 million dollars available from the state for regional projects. The Federal stimulus monies are still unknown.
Chairman Gressier was interested in hearing potential ideas for the grant monies. Mr. Kaplan told of regional project involving Canton, Farmington and Avon. It would involve taking the effluent that is going into the river from the Farmington waste water plant, fitting the 36" pipe with a small kinetic turbo generator and using the energy perhaps to run the plant. Mr. Gressier reminded that we'd be competing against proven technologies. Mr. Kaplan said there was a feasibility study, then equipment development. Ms. Hart offered to speak to fellow engineers at the DEP to see what information is available. She added that anytime you can take a waste product and use it is a "win-win."
Mr. Gressier reminded the members of the timeline involved in getting the grant funds. He would like to give the Town Council enough time to review the recommendations made by the committee members. August 1st, 2009, the Office of Policy and Management will announce grant programs and issue applications to the towns. September 15th, 2009 will be the deadline to receive those applications for both the $75,000 grant and the approximately $950,000.00 regional grant. Mr. Zahren suggested concentrating on the $75,000 grant because that was a given, whereby the regional grant would attract many applications, and that perhaps the town would secure fewer dollars for more work. He lamented that the Town did not have a comprehensive strategy for energy conservation and suggested using the $75,000.00 grant to
hire a consultant to accomplish this. Mr. Martin agreed that before one builds a house one needs to start with a good foundation. He suggested contacting and/or inviting Bob Palmer of West Hartford to a meeting to present his perspective on the work he's done for that town on clean energy.
Ms. Meyers expressed her concerns over the member's project suggestions being too technical or limiting for the community, that the projects are too complicated for them. She felt the committee should concentrate on behavior that citizens could engage in to be more environmentally aware and educate the young people who will carry on. Monies spent on bike paths or walkways would go further. The goal should be to reach the most people for the fewest dollars. Perhaps bank managers could be contacted to set policy to make it mandatory to shut off engines at bank windows.
Mr. Craig was absent from the meeting so he did not present a report on the Stimulus Fund Conference.
Mr. Kaplan reported on the Canton Hydro Advisory Board meeting. Despite the lack of payback, the cost, threats of a lawsuit, the disputes over flow, the question of toxicity being present in the silt behind the dams, Mr. Barlow would still like to continue with the project for cultural reasons. Avon and Burlington are ad hoc members and cannot vote. The Canton Town Engineer has determined that the existing equipment needs to be replaced and not used as is. If Mr. Barlow is able to renew the license, he must be ready to start construction by January 2011. There is still a lot of debate going on.
Chairman Gressier wants to see what the committee can learn from a meeting with West Hartford. He would like a one to two page suggestion, describing the project - the costs/benefits, ready to give to the Town for the August meeting to let them decide whether to use them to apply for the available grants.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
None.
VII. DO ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS MEETING
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
Chairman Gressier motioned, Mr. Zahren seconded and all agreed to adjourn the meeting at 9:15 PM.
Respectfully submitted:
Chairman Olivier Gressier
Attest: Susan Gatcomb, Clerk
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