Arlington Energy Committee
Minutes
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
7:00 to 8:30pm
IN PERSON AT THE TOWN HALL and ONLINE
In attendance: Stephanie Moffett-Hynds, Karen Lee, Jenny Murtaugh, Mary Ann Carlson, Mardi Crane, Mary Anne Holmes
Absent: Alex Ernst; Nick Zaiac, Energy Coordinator/Town Administrator
Guest present: Joan Nash, Land Use Administrator of the Town
- CALL TO ORDER: called to order at 7:05
- MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: Mary Ann Carlson moved to approve, Mardi Crane seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
- OLD BUSINESS
Stepping down, stepping up: Huge thanks to outgoing member Garret Siegel for his years of diligent service and happy welcome to new committee member Mary Anne Holmes!
Carbon Analysis Spreadsheet: Stephanie met with Alex to compare the numbers from their research. They are each working on individual spreadsheets to be included on master analysis. General discussion of progress on Arlington Carbon Questions. Mary Ann C. offered to be the liaison to the Rec Park golf committee to discuss carbon sequestration improvements. Stephanie discussed additional opportunities offered by the Municipal Energy Resiliency Program (MERP). She expressed the need for the AEC to complete the spreadsheet as quickly as possible in order to make timely recommendations to the selectboard about energy improvements that are already in the planning stages. General discussion continued about the near future of the spreadsheet with timeline projections. Everyone is to have all of their data collected and sent to Karen no later than August 15, and sooner, if possible. The committee hopes that the person hired to do the spreadsheet work will get it done in short order. Karen made a motion to ask the Town Administrator to put the Arlington Energy Committee on the selectboard’s meeting agenda in October so that the AEC can present the spreadsheet. Mary Ann C. seconded. General discussion. Passed unanimously. Mary Anne H. offered to help with any grants because she worked at NIH on grants and has experience. Steph can also help with grants.
Reminder: Nick will be giving the RFP for graphic help to the selectboard at their next meeting.
MERP: Capacity Grant Subcommittee (Karen, Steph, Mary Ann C.)
Report from subcommittee on upcoming Energy Resiliency event sponsored by $4000 grant. Mary Ann Carlson reported on ideas about the event, how to get attendance, location, etc. The committee is still looking into locations, thinking that the gathering will be sometime in late October. Mary Ann C. and Steph will attend the meeting of Arlington area nonprofits on July 11 to find out what else is being planned for the rest of the year and to see if there are any organizations whom the AEC should invite to be a part of the event.
Field Trip to Town Forest: postponed due to weather
Jenny will contact Nick to reschedule.
- NEW BUSINESS
Stephanie: Strafford Green Procurement Policy. Other towns are moving forward with it. Laura Cavin Bailey (VCRD) has offered to put Steph in touch with the Strafford folks. Laura thinks they might have a template other towns could use. Jeff Dexter of the Sunderland Energy Committee told her that they intend to present this procurement policy to their selectboard. Carl Bucholt of Manchester’s EC would like to look into doing the same. This looks like an obvious thing for the Arlington EC to do, a natural extension of the carbon spreadsheet effort. Steph will look into this and report back.
- OTHER
Stephanie: The Northshire WindowDressers Community Build sign up site is up and running. Measurers have been out to people’s homes measuring windows for inserts. Reminder: the build will be Sept. 29 – Oct. 4 at the Legion.
Motion to Adjourn: Mary Ann C, Mary Anne seconded. Unanimously approved. Meeting adjourned 8:30.
NEXT MEETING: August 2, 7-8:30, Town Hall and online.