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Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 20, 2011
7:00 pm
120 Washington St.
Salem, Ma
In Attendance: Cindy Keegan (Chair), Jeff Barz-Snell (Vice Chair), Adam Segal, Rick Nye, Jeff Brandt, John Hayes, Nick Lewis
Members not in attendance: Rob DeRosier, Jenna Ide
City Staff: Paul Marquis
Public: Peter Carlton, Kevan Keegan
Administrative
- Meeting called to order at 7:07 PM
- September 2011 meeting minutes approved with no changes.
General business
- Energy Efficiency Programs:
- Green Community & other funded projects- Paul Marquis reminded us that per the Green Community designation and plan we had agreed to reduce usage by 20% in 5 years, and that the baseline year was 2008, so from 2008 to 1/1/2013 and that this must be done first by efficiency reductions and 2nd by renewable energy when all efficiency opportunities have been taken. Changes in allocation and project design were submitted to allow for a simpler “EEKO” team home energy program- where we would offer 1000 CFL bulb swap and conduct some very basic 2 hr audits with basic efficiency remediation efforts, along with educational workshops and 2-4 barn-raising type efficiency efforts. Projects must be complete and money spent by 12/31/2011 unless extension requested and granted. The projects
either completed or underway are changing the traffic lights all to LEDs, Decorative style Streetlights (that the city owns) changing to LEDs, and relighting the Police, Fire, Library and DPW. Overall energy use culture within the municipal organization still to be addressed (lights off, computers off etc.)
- Energy Use in the City – Paul Marquis reported that all the information for usage had been compiled including fuel and vehicle usage information. Data to be put into format for future dissemination. It was also discussed that part of the vision for the Energy Manager position was that this type of data be well publicized but to also be used at frequent department meetings to get ownership and ideas for improvement directly from the departments responsible.
- Grants- Paul Marquis provided an update on the grant the city received for 8 car charging stations for electric vehicles that will be installed, 4 in each garage.
- Public education opportunities on Wind
- Trip to Hull Update- Those who attended the trip provided a brief synopsis of the trip, including the number of attendees (approximately 100), that Hull 2 was running, but that unfortunately Hull 1 stopped just as we approached and started just as we left. That it was well worth the trip to allow folks to see first hand what turbines were like. And that while we felt some folks may not have changed their minds that were already opposed, certainly those that were more on the fence or simply gathering information seemed genuinely thankful for the trip and to have some of their fears allayed.
- Balloon test – Scheduled for Saturday 10/22/11 from 1pm- 3pm with set up starting around 10:30am. There will be one balloon at tip of blade, and one at tip of hub. Paul Marquis requested other RETF members to attend for the setup, since he would be there late. Jeff Barz-Snell and Jenna Ide each agreed to be there for a portion of the time for coverage to answer questions that may arise.
- Info dissemination – Cindy Keegan suggested that once the Salem Spins advertising came down from the big bellies that something should be designed on education on the wind project to be put up on the big bellies.
- Letter to City Councilors – Cindy Keegan brought up the idea and it was agreed that she would write a letter on behalf of the RETF to reach out to the councilors and for them to bring questions they may have to us.
- Public Meetings- the Mayor was awaiting a proposed neighborhood meeting for the Willows/Winter Island to be arranged by Bob McCarthy as the next public meeting- date TBD still. SAFE and Historic Derby Street Neighborhood Assoc. holding a Candidates Forum for Councilors at Large regarding environmental issues where this project will be a topic.
- Lessons Learned/Stakeholder engagement: Nick Lewis suggested that we invite Barbara Hill to attend a future meeting. Cindy Keegan to draft summary of project/education to date/ opponent concerns for here review prior to the meeting.
- Subcommitees – Assigning tasks and leaders
- Previously discussed wind subject leaders were proposed as follows:
- Sound- Jeff Brandt
- Permits/Legal- Jenna Ide
- Manufacturer’s Siting Requirements – Jeff Barz-Snell
- Status of locally proposed Wind Projects – John Hayes
- Comparison to other wind sites – John Hayes. John Hayes provided a draft he had begun for collecting and comparing data from local projects. Nick offered him assistance in getting information on the Mark Richey turbine in Newburyport.
Financials – ours and how active ones are performing – Rick Nye
New siting or other regulations that could affect the proposed project – TBD
Wind Turbine failures – Nick Lewis
- Agenda items not discussed: None.
- Additional items discussed: Peter Carlton asked questions regarding if we had looked at pumping station motors for energy efficiency (Paul Marquis answered that the ESCO reviewed that and determined it to be not viable). Peter Carlton asked what the energy rate for Salem was (Paul Marquis reported that it was approx 16 cents per KWhr and that the city’s contract was thru 2015 for energy). He shared that the Cape Cod Commission is recommending that setbacks be 10X rotor diameter and that in Germany the setbacks are 2000 meters. [For clarification this recommendation cited for the Cape Cod Commission is in draft form and is only the worst case scenario if a sound study was not performed or could not satisfactorily demonstrate that levels would not adversely impact closer receptors. http://www.capecodcommission.org/index.php?id=254&maincatid=29 See Draft Technical Bulletin 12-6-11 link on the referenced page. No citation was provided for the Germany setback stated]
Votes Taken: None.
Documents discussed or offered as exhibits
- Draft Wind Project Comparison chart- presented by John Hayes.
Action items arising from discussion on 10-20-11:
- Cindy Keegan to draft summary of project/education to date/ opponent concerns for here review prior to the meeting.
- Cindy Keegan to write a letter on behalf of the RETF to reach out to the councilors on wind project.
Meeting Minutes recorded by Cindy Keegan.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm
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