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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCS CEC 2024-08-20Climate Smart/Clean Energy Community Task Force Agenda for the Meeting at 5:00 pm Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024 Via Zoom Task Force Members Attending: Alice Green, John Kiefer. Marie McRae, Jack Wright, Evan Kurtz, Hunter Barlow, Joe Wilson Liaison to Town Board: Christina Dravis Planning Department: Gina Cassidy Invited Guests: Jerry Shcng (Cornell Cooperative Extension CSC Coordinator), Chris Skawski (Cornell Cooperative Extension CEC Coordinator) 5:04 Call to Order/ Introductions Approval of July Minutes/ Additions to the agenda Motion to approve July 2024 Minutes made by Marie, seconded by Hunter. Motion carried unanimously. Clean Energy Community Actions Review 1. Alice just received notification of approval of our Bronze Certification for CEC. This has put the Town at 7,000 points, which officially qualifies the Town for the $175,000 grant. 2. We qualify for another $10,000 for a successful Clean Heating and Cooling Campaign – signing up 10 people/businesses for heat pumps. There are fewer restrictions on grants of this amount than larger grants. 3. We will not have time to combine these grants into one project because the $10,000 grant project is due on September 14, the use of the $175,000 grant remains to be decided, and, even if this was decided now, we could not hire an energy auditor for the entire project in time. A. Discussion of $10,000 Grant 1. Alice suggests using the $10,000 grant for an EV charging station and any remainder to electric landscaping equipment. Alice is forwarding Nick Amadeo’s (CEC intern) research on electric lawn equipment to the task force members. 2. Alice moved that the TF create a Resolution that “the Town spend the $10,000 on an EV charging station, level 2, two-pronged installation at the DPW complex with the balance, if any, to be spent on electrifying some landscaping equipment.” Seconded by Jack. Motion carried unanimously. 3. Alice and Gina will submit the paperwork for this grant to NYSERDA. B. Discussion of $175,000 Grant 1. Alice requested that Chris update the Task Force on the process for deciding on the use of the $175,000 grant. 2. Chris explained that the latest thoughts on this were to spend the money on energy studies for the four fire stations and the highway garage/barn. He described FlexTech as a NYSERDA program that has engineering firms on retainer to perform such studies. Alice, Chris, and Gina met with a representative of FlexTech about what was available. The resilience portion of such studies was not something FlexTech normally does. Because of this, because there are so many buildings involved, and because they are not all town-owned, the FlexTech representative recommended that the Town hire an engineer to provide a scope of work and a budget schedule to present to FlexTech before engaging an energy auditor. 3. TF members expressed concern about having to hire an engineer to be a go- between and about the relationship between FlexTech and NYSERDA, and the amount of time it takes to create, send out, and close on an RFP. 4. Chris talked about the reimbursement process and RFPs or RFQs. 5. Evan would like to see a written deadline for all parts of this project. Chris will create this. 6. Gina wants to know if we can look for an engineering firm without going through FlexTech. Chris says that since we get a 50% match, it would be a lot more expensive. 7. Alice reminded us that we already have a list of 10 firms provided by Chris, and John has already created an RFP for an energy upgrade study for the DPW office building that we might use as a template. 8. Chris distinguished between RFP and RFQ. An RFQ is a call to find out who is capable and interested in a project without holding the Town to any specific timeline or spending. Evan added that an RFI is an advance notice of expected funding for a project and that an RFP will come out at a later date. 9. Jack would like to see a contingency plan for, say, 30 days, in case an RFP process takes too long. 10. John recommends calling firms like Taitem ourselves to see if they are interested. 11. Alice expressed concern with a reimbursement process involving four fire stations. 12. Alice proposes as a fall-back project as a highway barn energy study and energy upgrades implemented with the remaining funds. 13. Evan requested square footage of the highway office and the highway barn. The highway office is 3,600 square feet and the highway barn is about 35,000 square feet. 14. Christina said that the Town of Dryden contributes $1.4 million to the four fire stations combined. This is a majority (at least 90%) of their budgets. 15. Alice mentioned that if the fire stations became more energy efficient as a result of the studies, that might lower the taxpayer burden. 16. Christina said a lower tax burden is not likely. 17. Marie and Gina remarked that this supposes that the money will be found for the upgrades, the upgrades made, and the fire stations agree to become heating and cooling centers. We have no agreements with the fire stations to this effect. 18. Evan says that we have the choice to have the fire station studies for eventual upgrades or to put all the money toward the highway barn. 19. Jack is in favor of putting the entire grant towards the highway barn. 20. Alice wants to know if we need a competitive bid on a consultant. No one knows this. Gina will find out. 21. Gina questions why we need an engineer to help us produce a bespoke report. Isn’t there a standard that would be useful? Otherwise, what is the point of an energy study that tells us something so general as to be useless. We don’t need to pay for a study to tell us to turn off the lights. 22. John spoke with Rick Young (Hwy Superintendent) and pointed out that we don’t know if the structural integrity of the highway barn merits putting in the energy upgrades. What if the barn is close to the end of its useful life? We should get a structural audit for the building. Chris believes an ASHRAE Level II or III would include this. 23. John believes a structural audit would not be covered by an energy audit. Alice says that she doesn’t think structural upgrades would be covered by this grant. 24. Evan says that energy upgrades might well be worth it if it has a positive effect, as the building may last another 20-30 years. 25. Alice and Chris will get together to find out what’s included in an ASHRAE Level III audit. 26. Christina wants to know what other communities have done. Chris will find some examples. 27. Alice mentioned that an EV purchase is also a possibility. Alice asked to schedule another meeting to continue discussion of the $175,000 grant and get to the other items on the agenda. Attendees agreed on Thursday 8/29 at 5:00 pm. Meeting adjourned 6:34 pm ACTION ITEMS: A. Chris will provide a project timeline for building energy audits; B. Gina will find out about competitive bidding from Finance Officer Amanda Anderson; C. Alice and Gina will submit the $10,000 grant paperwork; D. Alice and Chris will get together to find out what’s included in an ASHRAE Level III audit; E. Chris will find some examples of what other munis have done with large grants.