CLEAN ENERGY TASK FORCE MINUTES
MARCH 16, 2009
REGULAR MEETING
The meeting was requested to be called to order at 6:35 p.m. by Chairman Boeshans in Room 103 of Simsbury Town Hall. Commissioner Van Kleef moved to open the meeting which was seconded by Commissioner Weisbrich. The meeting was thus agreed to start with the following members present: Al Weisbrich, Patrick Boeshans, Susan Van Kleef and Jim Ray.
1. APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 18, 2009
The minutes from the last meeting were reviewed by all and Chairman Boeshans requested a motion to approve the regular meeting minutes of February 18, 2009. Commissioner Van Kleef made the motion to approve the minutes. Commissioner Ray seconded the motion. The minutes were agreed by all to be approved as written.
2. PUBLIC AUDIENCE
Chairman Boeshans opened up the floor for public audience. No comments were entered into the record and the public audience was closed.
3. REVIEW OF ACTIONABLE ITEMS
Commissioner Ray updated the task force on the actionable items spreadsheet, which he compiled from previous meeting minutes. The spreadsheet was used as the basis to review each open action with information to update the status, add a follow-on activity or agree that the action was now completed. The spreadsheet will be updated and sent out prior to the next meeting with these agreed updates. For the purposes of the minutes, the more significant agreements are identified herein.
Chairman Boeshans indicated he had seen John Hampton in the past week and had an indication from him that Simsbury’s purchases of energy credits had progressed. Chairman Boeshans will follow up with John Hampton and get the details of the current status. Chairman Boeshans brought everyone up to date on the two Simsbury Community TV programs he had participated in, one with Mary Glassman and one with Linda Schofield. Both provided a means to get the word out about what Simsbury is doing about clean energy. Both are still currently being shown as repeats on the SCTV stations for the rest of the month. Chairman Boeshans indicated that he had done an update of the ‘Talking Points’ paper and had made copies for distribution at the library display and would get further copies for the Task
Force members.
The Task Force had used the time for the last scheduled meeting on March 2nd to set up the display at the library. Members of the Simsbury High School Environmental Club also participated in helping to set it up. Commissioner Van Kleef and Commissioner Weisbrich had gone back to the library display later to add some further items and Chairman Boeshans has added further handouts. The high school has indicated an interest in using the display or a modification at the school following its use at the library. Commissioner Van Kleef is going to check with the library to determine the date that it will need to be removed.
Commissioner Van Kleef also updated the group as to the continuing development of a webpage for the Task Force on the Town website. This is progressing well with good cooperation with Rick Bazzano to get it completed. In the discussion related to the community organizations and follow up with Linda Schofield it was determined that a short blurb would be appropriate that could be used for newsletters. Commissioner Van Kleef will draft a version based on the principle that Simsbury citizens have a choice in their selection of their source of energy along with the cost examples from the two suppliers. It was also determined that the updated sign up form that the Clean Energy Fund was to provide the Task Force for use was just not happening. As such, the Task Force agreed to go ahead with the current form but use
the back side to add Simsbury specific information as well as further explanation like that being done for the newsletters. Likewise, the promised news release from the Clean Energy Fund also had not been received such that Chairman Boeshans has drafted one using the Clean Energy Fund template and will coordinate it for release by the Town.
Commissioner Ray provided and discussed the latest update of the Power Point presentation, which he created for task force members to utilize when presenting to local clubs and organizations. Chairman Boeshans had provided some additional graphics and slide template support. It was determined that this is now ready for use and Commissioner Ray will set a date for presentation with the Simsbury Rotary Club. As needed changes are identified they will be done to keep it up to date.
John Hampton had indicated that a Volunteer Expo was to be held on March 25th at Eno Hall and the Task Force could participate, but no one had been able to find out anything about it. Commissioner Ray will contact the Town to get specifics. Also with Earth Day coming up in April, no one knew of any planned events that the Task Force could be involved. Commissioner Weisbrich will call around to see if he can find out any plans that are being formulated.
4. IDENTIFICATION OF NEW ACTIONABLE ITEMS
During the discussion of the open action items, the committee felt that it needed an update as to the activities it is doing in regard to energy conservation. Chairman Boeshans took an action to contact Tom Roy and invite come to a future CETF committee and provide an updated status.
5. OPEN FORUM
No additional topics for discussion were identified.
6. NEXT MEETING/FUTURE MEETINGS CALENDER
The following future meeting dates were confirmed: March 30, 2009, April 13, 2009, May 13, 2009, May 27, 2009, and June 10, 2009. It was noted that all of these meetings will be held in Room 103 on the first floor of Town Hall (at the end of the hall) except for the May 27th meeting which is scheduled to be in the Board of Education Conference Room on the second floor of Town Hall.
7. ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Weisbrich motioned to adjourn the meeting at approximately 8:10 p.m. The motion was seconded by Chairman Boeshans and unanimously approved.
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