HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014/12/03 - ADMIN - Minutes - Environment & Sustainability Commission - RegularMINUTES
ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION: SUSTAINABLE SLP
ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA
December 3, 2014
Community Room, City Hall
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mark Eilers, Terry Gips, Rachel Harris, Tom Hillstrom, Cindy Larson
O’Neil, Alex Sundvall, Judy Voigt, Chris Anderson, Nancy Rose and Rene McGarvey
EXCUSED ABSENCE: Karen Kaphingst and Ryan Griffin
STAFF PRESENT: Phillip Elkin
1. The meeting was called to order at 6:32 p.m.
2. The minutes of the November 5, 2014 meeting were unanimously approved.
3. Guest Presenter -Xcel Energy Partners in Energy Program
The Energy Work Group met with representatives from Xcel energy and asked them to
present information about their Partners in Energy (PIE) program. This is a cooperative
program that Xcel has designed to assist the City in developing an energy plan which
includes strategies to understand energy use, conservation, renewables and environmental
issues.
To participate, the City would need to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU),
provide GIS information on the City’s boundaries, and identify participants to develop an
energy action plan. The Energy Work Group supports pursuing participation in this plan
and moving the MOU forward. After hearing the presentation, Commissioner Eilers
made a motion to join the PIE program. Commissioner Voigt seconded the motion, and
it was approved unanimously by the commission members in attendance.
4. 2015 Goals and Commission Vision Statement
Commissioner Harris introduced the topic by asking the group “Where do we focus our
efforts in 2015?” She also added that from her communication with the City Manager, it
was clear that the City Council wants ESC to bring Vision Conversation to the City soon.
A discussion on how to move forward with visioning conversation followed, with Phil
Elkin reviewing the results of the visioning survey sent to the group a week before the
meeting. The consensus of the discussion was to have Phil re-send the survey to the
work groups and for members to return the survey by December 10. Phil would then
consolidate the results and send it out to the Communications Work Group for them to
develop a draft vision statement. Once completed, this draft would be sent out to the
commission members for discussion and to vote on at the January meeting. Additionally,
work groups were asked to meet in the upcoming month and develop draft goals and
strategies for 2015 to be shared at the January meeting.
2015 Work Groups are GreenStep Cities, Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Policy,
Communications, Water, Land and Wildlife, and Education and Action.
5. It was announced that Commissioner Hillstrom’s term on the commission was expiring at
the end of the year, and that he would not be seeking re-appointment. Commissioner
Harris expressed her gratitude for his two-year contribution on behalf of the full
commission.
6. The meeting adjourned at 8:18