TOWN OF MANSFIELD

Sustainability Committee

Minutes of the Meeting

July 22, 2009

Present:  Stoddard, Lennon, Paulhus, Hultgren, Walton

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m.

The June 23, 2009 minutes were reviewed with one correction. The Climate Showcase Communities grant is not part of the stimulus package. This correction will be made for approval at the next meeting.

Hultgren distributed the Clean Air Cool Planet small town carbon calculator user’s guide, which focuses on buildings and facilities, vehicles and streetlights. The Town is requesting a UConn work study student, either from the College of Engineering or Natural Resources, to help this fall with the gathering and tabulation of baseline data. This will be coordinated with the work that the maintenance department is already doing on building energy use.

The committee reviewed an outline of public works sustainability practices that the American Public Works Association advocates. The outline broadly includes fleet maintenance; vehicle fuel conservation; sustainable water, sewer and stormwater management; water reduction; alternative transportation modes; sustainable transportation infrastructure management and energy efficient/conserving buildings and facilities. Some of the specific actions the Town has already undertaken; others remain.

Walton reported that the Town submitted a Climate Showcase Communities grant to the EPA that was due earlier in the day. The grant requests $400,000 for an intermodal area within the first planned Storrs Center parking structure. The grant request features four electric car-shares powered by a rooftop solar carport and a LEED silver intermodal office and seating area. The Town should know the disposition of the grant in September.

Hultgren distributed a sheet organizing the action step from page 51 of the Strategic Plan into three groupings – energy; education and public outreach; governmental procedures, research and regulation. This will be discussed further at future meetings as the role of the sustainability committee is defined.

Walton stated the Clean Energy Team has been focused on educating residents about renewable energy options and promoting energy conservation. If the sustainability committee decides to focus on Town policy and governmental function, then the clean energy team could become the educational arm of the sustainability committee.

The next meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at 7:00, in conference room B.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,

Virginia Walton

Recycling/Refuse Coordinator

Cc: Lon R. Hultgren, Director of Public Works, Members, file, Town Manager, Town Clerk