Lyme Energy Committee Minutes
October 18, 2004
Lyme Center Academy Building
7:00 PM
Present: Frank Bowles, John Stadler, Pete Bleyler, Claudia Kern, Matt Brown, Carola Lea
Guests: Kathy Sherrieb, Eric and Carl Larson (Eric came to the meeting as part of a project on Democracy for a Hanover High social studies course)
Minutes approved
NEW BUSINESS
Lyme Center lighting:
Kathy Sherrieb spoke as a stand- in for Adair who has been concerned about excessive outdoor lighting in Lyme Center.
Kathy reported that there are 11 streetlights in Lyme Center (from Acorn Hill Rd, to the beginning of the village. That includes sometimes 2 lights on one pole). In an informal survey of Lyme Center residents, people asked were in favor of reducing the lighting, or were neutral.
Discussion centered on the following:
the lights' inefficient design.
Kathy had discovered a helpful website: International Dark Sky Assoc.
Questions regarding who made the original decision about placement of the lights; who owns them; who pays the light bill??? Pete will do some research and come up with answers
What is the role of LEC on this issue? In part it is a nuisance issue and in part it is a legitimate energy conservation issue. We agreed that we could lend out support to the efforts of the Lyme Center group as they related to energy use and conservation.
It was recommended that Kathy's committee follow up on the Thetford experiment with reducing lighting by talking with Bob Walker
Pete Bleyler will check with Selectboard about ownership, etc.
Frank Bowles offered his expertise on lighting technology to assist the Lyme Center group.
Budget
Due 10/22
Last year we budgeted $500
Various activities were discussed for next year. One compelling one was Frank's suggestion of renting a thermal energy camera from Foam Tech for use in completing an energy audit of existing town buildings. Mike Hinsley has already spoken to Matt about the possibility of LEC helping upgrade the firehouse.
We decided on a budget for next year of $600.
•$200 for unspecified mailing expenses
•$200 for energy audit of town buildings
• $100 for misc expense
Claudia will submit.
Pete said that he thought it would be quite acceptable to the Selectmen if we had $100 in the budget to cover the kinds of miscellaneous expenses that were paid for by members of the committee this year.
If we have money left in this year's budget we want to reimburse Denis and Frank for additional wind monitoring project costs.
OLD BUSINESS
Town Garage Update
Matt read an excellent draft fundraising letter and will send it out for editing by committee.
The fundraising goal stated in his letter was $2,500.
The supplier of wood pellets for the town garage boiler had indicate the possibility of making a donation at the Nichol’s open house in March. Claudia will follow up on that by adding a cover letter to Matt's letter and cc-ing it to Nichols.
Various town mailing details
The town will supply the mailing labels
LEC will meet at Carola's on Sun Oct. 31 (Halloween) at 3:30.*
Town Energy Survey
Discussion led from the purpose of the survey to privacy issues to concern that the survey might be polarizing, divisive and intrusive. There was a consensus that LEC should focus in '05 on an energy audit of Town Buildings and put the individual house audit on hold.
Meeting adjourned about 8:30.
Respectfully submitted,
Carola Lea
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