03-18-2009 ECC MINMEETING OF THE ELK RIVER
ENERGY CITY COMMISSION
HELD AT ELK RIVER CITY HALL
ELK RIVER, MN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2009
Members Present: Vance Zehringer, Todd Berreman, Jeff Vassar Denny Chuba, Susie Overholser,
and Ron Touchette
Members Absent: Martin Gagliardi, Stephen Rohlf, Bruce Sayler, John Setala, Scott Hagen and
Mayor Stephanie Klinzing
Staff Present: Rebecca Haug, Environmental Administrator
Nicola (Nicki) Blake-Bradley, Environmental Technician
Others Present: Deborah Huebner, Community Development Assistant
The regular meeting of the Energy City Commission was called to order by Chair Zehringer at 1:38
p.m. Due to a lack of quorum, no decisions will be made at this meeting.
1. Consider March 18, 2009 ECC Agenda
Two additions were made to the agenda by Environmental Administrator Haug. Star Tribune
article update and Metro CERT conference were added under Other.
2. Consider February 18, 2009 ECC Minutes
Chair Zehringer had numerous changes to make to the minutes. He read the changes to the
commission and gave written comments to Environmental Technician Blake-Bradley. The
changes to the minutes will be made and discussed at the next meeting.
3. Oath of Office
Community Development Assistant Huebner was available to administer the oath of office to
Commissioners Berreman, Chuba, and Vassar. Commissioners Gagliardi, Hagen, and Rohlf will
be sworn in at the next meeting.
4. "Project Conserve" Update
The second round of meetings has been held. The participants have given their ideas for future
topics. Several participants stated they'd be willing to be on a panel group discussion for the
Energy Expo. June 4 h and 6t" will be the next set of meetings, with topics focused toward
educating the children, geothermal, and transportation. It's going really well. More questions are
coming in regarding indoor air quality, waste reduction, and how to get "good contractors". Audits
showed things that need to be done by contractors.
Commissioner Touchette entered at 1:48 p.m.
There will be two more sessions and then a package will be put together for public meetings or
videos. The participants have been given billing histories for water and electricity (if they're ERMU
customers). Chair Zehringer and Commissioner Berreman will discuss gas usage for the last 36
months.
Project Conserve is getting a lot of good press. Citizen's Energy Plan want the ECC to be "on
board" with them. The Isaac Walton League has asked Chair Zehringer to speak at a meeting. An
article will possibly be in the Star Tribune (Chair Zehringer and Environmental Administrator Haug
have been interviewed).
5. 2009 Energy Expo
Environmental Administrator Haug informed the Commission that planning is moving along well.
Chair Zehringer passed around the biography information for the keynote speaker, Joe Shuster.
The keynote was excited to hear of Spectrum High School's involvement and is coming to speak
with the school as well. Sherburne County gave the City a grant for up to $5,000 and several
other exhibitors or sponsors have come on board so the budget is looking good.
The gymnasium will be separated so that public presentations will be in half the gym and
exhibitors in the other half. Children's programming across the hall means all presentations are
fairly centralized and food will be available in the lunchroom.
Spectrum High School will do a presentation on a service learning project rather than the Energy
Innovations Contest, but will still have Energy Ennys. Scripts are needed for the demonstration
site bus tours. Commissioners Setala and Chuba volunteered to be tour guides for the day.
Chair Zehringer intends to discuss the Energy Expo with possible exhibitors at the Business Expo.
He stated that there is currently an absence of HVAC (Heating and Air) consultants.
Commissioner Touchette suggested inserts in the paper and will get information to Environmental
Administrator Haug. He added that Office Max sometimes prints flyers for free (as a sponsor). A
flyer was put together for the Business Expo, which will be distributed at the booths of
commissioners there.
Commissioners without a booth are asked to be at the Expo by 9:00 and to check in with the
Registration table. Bus tours have been pushed back to 11:00 rather than 10:00.
6. Energy City Commission Ordinance Amendment
Environmental Administrator Haug asked that this item be tabled until after the Energy Expo. The
Energy Expo and Project Conserve are taking more time than expected. She feels the
amendment is important enough to give it the extra thought it deserves (which isn't possible at this
time).
7. Foreclosure Situation
Discussion concerning the water freezing issues continued. The City now has an ordinance giving
the water utility the right to shut off water and get into the house if they can't shut the water off
from the outside. Winterizing costs will be assessed to taxes.
8. Cancel April ECC Meeting
Chair Zehringer agreed that the April ECC meeting could be cancelled due to planning for the
Energy Expo.
9. Other
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The Star Tribune interviewed Environmental Administrator Haug and Chair Zehringer
regarding Project Conserve on Monday. Chair Zehringer would like to get Project Conserve
and the Expo on WCCO. The City Council has stated they'd like to see more programs
regarding Energy City. There was an article about Project Conserve in the Economic
Development newsletter and all paper and business cards will start having the Energy City
logo on them.
Administrator Haug and Mayor Klinzing have been asked to speak at the Metro CERTs (Clean
Energy Resource Team) conference on April 15th in Apple Valley. A comment was made that
Chuba Co. is doing a house down there.
Commissioner Chuba asked whether there are any wind turbine ordinances in Elk River. He
spoke with someone at the Home Show regarding new wind technology (with a horizontal pin
wheel which can generate 1.5 KW without a tower). Chair Zehringer stated his opinion that a
homeowner wouldn't get a system like that paid for, and people should be cautioned about
checking the systems out first. Commissioner Chuba stated he is considering the technology
for several reasons.
10. Schedule Next ECC Meeting (March 18) and Identify Agenda Items
The next regularly scheduled meeting for the energy city commission will be on May 20, 2009
at 1:30 p.m. in the Uppertown Conference Room. Topics for the meeting include Oath of
Office, ordinance amendments, energy policy committee speakers, Project Conserve, and the
Energy Expo recap. The next Expo subcommittee meeting will be held on March 10th at 10:30
a.m.
11. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 2:40 p.m.
Minutes p~pared by icgia Blake-Bradley.
i~ ~
Tina Allard
City CI rk
Vance Zehri er
Energy Ci Commis 'on Chair
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