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11-21-2012 ECC MIN • MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER ENERGY CITIY COMMISSION HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL WEDNESDAY, November 21, 2012 Members Present: Chair Setala,Commissioners Dennis Chuba,Bruce Sayler,Ryan Setterholm, Tim Steinbeck,Matt Westgaard,Tim Rybak,Scott Hagen,Steve Rohlf and Vance Zehringer Members Absent: None Staff Present: Environmental Administrator Rebecca Haug,Assistant Director of Economic Development Clay Wilfahrt,Environmental Assistant Rachel King,ERMU Representative Tom Sagsetter 1. Call Meeting To Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Energy City Commission was called to order at 8:30 a.m. by Chair Setala. 2. Consider November 21.2012.Energy City Commission Agenda MOVED BY COMMISSIONER SETTERHOLM AND SECONDED BY • COMMISSIONER STEINBECK TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. 3. Minutes MOVED BY COMMISSIONER STEINBECK AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SAYLER TO APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER 19,2012 MINUTES WITH THE CHANGE OF COMMISSIONER SETTERHOLM ADJOURNING THE MEETTING OF THE ELK RIVER ENERGY CITY COMMISSION AT 10:30 AM INSTEAD OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL. MOTION CARRIED. 4.1 Recap of Energy Action Month Staff King explained the events and outreach that took place during Energy Action Month in October. Staff gave three Energy City tours during the month of October and scheduled four others for the month of November with Spectrum High School,Calvin Christian Academy,Anoka-Hennepin S'1'EP,and a Boy Scout Troop from the Albertville area. Commissioners and Staff also participated in the Elk River Landfill Gas-to-Electric Anniversary Event on October 10. On October 12,Staff organized a visit from MN Energy Challenge to Twin Lakes Elementary to present on energy conservation and has been working with Spectrum High School's green team to complete energy conservation and recycling tasks. Staff King also presented data from the Energy City Facebook page that revealed an increase in page views during the month of October in comparison to previous months. Commissioner Steinbeck inquired about the results of the Energy Action Month Poster Contest. Staff King explained that they did not receive any entries and that it might have been due to the Fire Department also holding a poster contest during the same time. • • Commissioner Zehringer commented that he enjoyed the Landfill Anniversary Event and questioned attendance at the event and future expansion possibilities.ERMU Representative Sagstetter explained that there were 46 people in attendance at the Event and that the gas curves are projected to support 4 additional 800 KW generators until 2038. Sagstetter stated that it seemed the Landfill was waiting for their permit to be approved before they could amend their air permit. 4.2 Project Conserve Phase IV Update ERMU Representative Sagstetter explained that Phase IV of Project Conserve will focus more on low-income residents in a one-on-one educational setting instead of larger quarterly meetings. ERMU mailed a letter and application to their list of income-eligible homes.They received seven applications back and three additional applications from other interested residents. Sagstetter also mentioned that in the future they would like to partner with an organization like Tri-Cap to help with energy saving initiatives for low-income residents. Commissioner Zehringer asked why there was such a decline in participation with this phase and questioned Commissioner Setterholm about participation in CenterPoint programs. ERMU Representative Sagstetter replied that he believed the majority of the residents that wanted to make change have been reached and that he would like to work in the future with non-profits in the area. Commissioner Setterholm said that mild winter weather has made a large impact on participation in CenterPoint programs. • 4.3 Energy City Business Education Event Staff informed the Commission that the October 24 Business Education Event on Fats,Oils and Grease Recycling was cancelled due to lack of RSVPs.This is the second event in two months to be cancelled for this reason. Staff asked for suggestions from the Commission on future actions with such events. It was suggested by Chair Setala that the Commission create videos on topics that businesses are interested in and post them on the website. Setala recommended using local businesses as examples and case studies in the videos. Other commissioners thought the videos were a good idea and would like to see Staff creates these instead of hold in person meetings. 4.4 Energy City Subcommittee Discussion Staff Haug presented a memorandum that explained the subcommittees that were envisioned during a meeting on September 26 between Staff and Chair Setala.The suggested subcommittees included a demonstration criteria subcommittee,an energy design subcommittee,an education subcommittee and a visionary subcommittee. Staff asked the commission their opinions on the suggested subcommittees and to sign up for the subcommittee they would like to participate on. Commissioner Setterholm suggested the subcommittee instead be demonstration sites, website, outreach and leadership. Setterholm stressed how a separate website subcommittee would help post information on the website to keep it updated and current. Staff King explained that the City will be getting a new website after the New Year and that • administrative access to post content will be limited to certain Staff. Staff suggested that the • originally proposed subcommittees will each provide a website content update to staff during Energy City Commission Meetings each month. Commissioner Sayler also suggested that one Commissioner of each subcommittee form a website group. Commissioners agreed to sign up for the proposed subcommittees and Staff will email each subcommittee to schedule a meeting in December. Subcommittees were signed up for as follows: Demonstration Criteria-Scott Hagen and Tim Rybak,Energy Design Subcommittee-Tom Sagstetter and Denny Chuba,Education Subcommittee-Vance Zehringer,Tim Steinbeck and Ryan Setterholm,Visionary Subcommittee-Matt Westgaard, Bruce Sayler,John Setala,Stephen Rohlf. 4.5 Guest Speaker-Laura Cina Minnesota Renewable Energy Society(MRES) Laura Cina presented to the Commission about solar energy and the Tiny Solar House that is now located at the Chuba Company Office in Elk River. Cina explained the potential for solar in Minnesota and what types of systems residents can purchase for their homes. She then described the Tiny Solar House Project and its future with in Elk River until the Spring. The Tiny Solar House was originally developed for the Minnesota State Fair with the help of donations from many Minnesota companies including the Chuba Company. Minnesota Renewable Energy Society now owns the house and would like to partner with Energy City to have the house be a temporary demonstration site.The house will be stationed in the Chuba Company parking lot for the winter and will have educational signs to describe the various products and technology. Commissioner Zehringer suggested bringing the house to • various schools in the area to reach more students. Staff will work with MRES to create an education handout for tours,send out a press release and target schools for tours. 5. Other Staff Wilfahrt passed out samples of the new Energy City Toolkit and Business Recycling brochures. Staff Wilfahrt explained that they will be given out during expos,events and BRE visits. 6. Schedule Next ECC Meeting and Identify Agenda Items The next meeting will be held December 19,2012 at the Elk River City Hall in the Upper Town Conference Room at 8:30 a.m. Items for the agenda include: • Approval of the November 21, 2012 Minutes • Subcommittee Updates • Rachel Going Away • Website 7. Adjournment There being no further business,Chair Setterholm adjourned the meeting of the Elk River Energy City Commission at 10:08 a.m. Minutes Prepared by Rachel King. • i • 4 ohn Setala,C air Tina Allard,City Clerk • •