Minutes – 3/3/2008
Dummerston Energy Committee (DEC) – March 3, 2008
Attending: Bill Conley, Cary Gaunt, Diana Lischer-Goodband, Mark Stello, Suzanne Weinberg, Alex Wilson
Absent: Chris Derby
Guests: None
The agenda of the meeting was discussed
Because Mark, Bill, and Suzanne are going to school this evening to set up for our Town Meeting table, meeting to be shortened
Add discussion about pricing of nightlights
Minutes from February meeting
Moved to approve by Cary, seconded by Diana
Approved unanimously
Comment made that in the future, we should include the contact person for issues
Jerelyn Wilson has offered to take minutes, unless another volunteer found
Discussion of how much depth should to go into on minutes
Should we include only action items, or more depth and context?
Cary suggested listing just action items
Alex suggested that minutes are more useful if they include context
Consensus decision to try out providing more depth, then cut back if doing so seems appropriate
DEC on Dummerston.org website
Diana to post minutes after they have been approved
Decision to post the matrix of projects DEC is working on
Vermont statute for town commissions suggests that minutes should be posted online within five days
Decision made to wait until minutes approved at next meeting before posting
Other responsibilities
Alex to take on the responsibility of keeping the key and opening up for meetings
Mark will take that on if Alex is out of town
Alex will ask Jerelyn if she can maintain the binder with finalized minutes, etc.
Warning DEC meetings
Cary to take responsibility for contacting Pam each month to warn meeting
Meetings are also listed on the Dummerston.org website
Preparation for town meeting
Pricing of nightlights
Cost to us is a little over $2, including tax
Decision to price them at $3, which will generate a little profit for DEC to start fund for communitity education and communication
An account is being set up
Staffing
Suzanne and Mark to be there at 9 am to finish setting up
Mark to stay at table most of day – to handle light bulb sales
Alex to give statement about committee under new business—probably under school portion of meeting
Others – Bill mostly in the afternoon, Cary, Alex, Suzanne as needed
Ruth is stapling survey and will deliver at 9:30
Project updates
Town plan update – Diana to champion
To figure out what we will need to do over next couple meetings
Coordinate with Steve and Planning Commission
Outdoor lighting
Mark talked to Lee Chamberlin at Town Garage -
Alex to try to talk to Lee about specific needs
Biodiesel – Mark
Lee is all for it, but some concerns
At a CSE/WEG (Windham Energy Group) meeting, Mark and reps of other town energy committees discussed a regional bulk purch program for biodiesel
Tiered building permit fees
Alex reported on discussions at the Efficiency Vermont Building Energy Conference in Burlington
It was suggested that we tie the tiered permit pricing to HERS (Home Energy Rating System) ratings instead of Vermont Energy Star ratings
Possible thresholds of 50, 65, 85 on the HERS 0–100 scale
It was suggested that there be some sort of special incentive or reward for HERS ratings that are even better–say below 25. (HERS 0 is a net-zero-energy.)
Southern Loop – Cary
March 10th is first deadline for intervention
E-mail any ideas to Cary
She has pulled out of being an intervener herself
Unclear whether any towns will be interveners
Communications plan for DEC
Views of Dummerston – Suzanne offered to write something for next issue
She will find out when deadline is
She will circulate draft
Lending library – to pursue at next meeting
Lecture series
Suzanne talked with Susan Dunnington, who runs the Lydia Taft Library
West Dummerston library space can hold 25-30 people
Can move to community room if more space is needed
Tuesday night program monthly
Alex to call Susan and try to arrange for first in series
Meeting adjourned at 7 pm so that several members could get to school to set up for Town Meeting
Respectfully submitted,
Alex Wilson
