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MASTER PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE
WORKING SESSION NOTES
January 17, 2014 - 2:00 PM
Conference Room B, 3rd Floor, Town Hall
Voting Members Present: Charlie Corley, Chris Yates, Justin Provencher, Brian Choquette, Sam Wong
Ex Officio Members Present: Tom Moses, Dave Stephens, Michael Burks, Linda Ghiloni
Others Present: Jennifer Burke, Kerin Shea, Michelle Ciccolo, Janice Long & Holly Burdrewicz (Senior Center), Eva Ryden (HCAN)
Members Not Present: Terrence Joyce, Lorraine Nelson, Jim Quinn, Arthur Redding, Lynn Valcourt, Tony Marques, John Blood, Don Garcia, Sam Wong, Julie Torres, Len Belli, Rodney Frias
Update
We have received 4 chapter revisions back from VHB – Housing, Economic Development, Open Space/Recreation, & Natural/Historic/Cultural Preservation. We are waiting on the Transportation chapter. Michelle Ciccolo & Kerin Shea met with Rob Nagi of VHB on January 9. The revised chapter should be available any day now. All 4 chapters are up online & available for public comment. There have been a few articles in the paper about the draft chapter roll-out. No comments have come in so far. Comments are due February 14.
Review of DRAFT Energy Chapter
This chapter was scheduled for review on October 25, 2013, but due to time constraints from a lengthy Transportation chapter discussion, it was rescheduled. HLP had previously sent its comments to VHB for incorporation & some of those notes may appear here again. There were other steering committee comments to include in this chapter.
Introduction –
- Describe what a green community is & why we can’t be one.
- Describe what we do instead, i.e. HLP incentive programs, municipal buildings are eligible, etc.
HLP –
- See HLP comments on 2nd sentence RE: revenue generation
- What is the baseline of our carbon footprint?
- List what green energy sources we utilize. *HLP/KS to send.
- Define CFL
Green Technologies –
- Last bullet – remove the word “wind”
- The Senior Center has a building automation energy management system. See Leading by Example (LBE) Award application for details. *KS to send.
- In November 2012, the DPW prompted the Town to opt into MassEnergyInsight, a web-based energy monitoring tool. *KS to send info.
- Add a goal to work with the waste water for the demand period. Get audit. *VHB should follow up with HLP with any questions on this issue.
- Audit the waste water treatment facility & the High School cafeteria. Control of demand management.
Municipal Energy Reduction & Renewables –
- 1st sentence mentions “leading by example” – we won the LBE award! As a result, Hudson also was selected to present the Library Window Energy Efficiency project at an ARRA Best Practices Exchange conference.
- Other areas in town are green technologies – i.e. water reclamation Splash park. See LBE application.
- In 2010, the Library won an ARRA funded Energy Efficiency & Conservation Bock Grant (EECBG) to upgrade 100+ window units & install solar shades. See LBE application.
- Town has recycling & waste management efforts in place. *KS to send.
- Warrant article approved at May 2013 Town Meeting for municipal energy audits. HLP will pay 50% of audit up to $_(?)_. *KS to send.
- Two warrant articles scheduled for May 2014 Town Meeting (pending approval) to install renewable energy facilities (solar fields) – one to be located on the Gates Pond water treatment facility property/capped former landfill in Berlin (land owned by Town of Hudson), and the second located on the Chestnut Well area land.
- Bottom of page 10-6, regarding the treatment of the wells. There has been much goings-on in this area. Town Meeting action was taken in November 2013, wells were off-line, water was purchased through MWRA, etc. *VHB should reach out to DPW to update the language around this issue.
- 3rd bullet page 10-7 – the Senior Center, along with the Fire Dept, integrated energy efficient & green building design elements. See LBE award application.
- Town has recycling policy in place for capital projects. *KS to send.
- Open bullet RE: School green building design– the new Quinn Middle School is LEED Silver.
- What is analysis on payback for LED streetlights? *VHB should get data from HLP.
Commercial & Residential Energy Reduction –
- Verify housing stats in 1st paragraph. We have discussed the inconsistent stats that appear in various chapters, specifically around % of homes of a certain age.
Energy Recommendations –
- 5th bullet – reword to “Integrate additional municipal buildings into MassEnergyInsight to further benchmark & track municipal energy use.”
- 7th bullet – remove “at the waste water treatment facility.”
- 1st bullet on p. 10-10 – what are Smart Grid Enhancements? Define.
- Add new bullet – “New municipal buildings should endeavor to be LEED silver.”
- Add new bullet – “Municipal renovations should endeavor to do a cost benefit analysis of making energy efficiency upgrades whenever possible.”
Review of DRAFT Public Health/Social Services Chapter
It was determined that there were too many gaps in this chapter to review fully. Tom Moses noted that no hard data appeared until page 10. Sam Wong has many comments. He will send to Kerin Shea to forward to VHB. Janice Long, COA Director, & COA social worker Holly Burdrewicz noted that there was only 1 paragraph on the Senior Center. All of the data from the Veteran’s Services forum presentation was included in the chapter, but none from the COA presentation. Kerin Shea will forward to VHB the presentation & handouts from the COA presentation of the Public Health/Social Services public forum.
After we have received these revisions, we will reschedule the MPSC meeting & review in the usual page-by-page manner.
Other Business
Please get any additional comments on these chapters back to Jen or Kerin by January 20. We will forward along to VHB for inclusion. Our next meeting is scheduled for Monday February 10. We will be going over the Land Use & Public Buildings/Facilities chapters. We will get those chapters out to you by January 31.
No members had any other questions or concerns at this time.
Minutes
There was no quorum to approve the minutes of March 14, 2013 & May 16, 2013.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 3:27 PM.
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