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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSCEC 2025-02-18Climate Smart/Clean Energy Community Task Force  (CSTF) Minutes for the Meeting at 5:00 pm Tuesday January 18, 2025 Via Zoom     Task Force Members Attending: Alice Green, Marie McRae, Jack Wright, Christina Dravis, Joe Wilson (joined about 8 minutes after meeting began) Liaison to Town Board: Christina Dravis Planning Department: Gina Cassidy  Invited Guest: Jerry Sheng (Cornell Cooperative Extension) 5:10Call to Order Gina activated as alternate for Ray Burger for quorum purposes Clean Energy Community Actions Review  $175K Grant Gina reported that many of the email addresses on the NYS Vehicle Marketplace bounced and not many bids were received for the Equinox and the E-Transit cargo van, but at least we have some to compare to Maguire’s offer. Alice mentioned that Rick Young has already purchased the third vehicle: the Silverado from Maguire. Jerry reported that the Clean Energy Communities Program has not been updated. $70K Grant Alice reported that the energy upgrades on the DPW Office Building are now complete, and it is now a weather-tight, net zero, all-electric building. This can be submitted for credit with the Climate Smart Communities program. $10K Grant Rick Young is in the process of selecting an EV charging station. Item for Town Newsletter Alice asked permission to use the TF’s photo, taken at the January meeting, in the Town’s newsletter. She is writing an article that explains that the CSTF has earned 316K in Clean Energy Communities grants and 20K in the LED Streetlight project grant, which makes our energy grant total 336K for the Town. Joe Wilson joined the meeting at this point. Unanimous approval of January 21, 2025 Minutes. Climate Smart Communities Actions Review An updated version of this program was issued in December 2024. Alice sent a link and a summary sheet to CSTF members about incentives and point counts that are involved in our work on this program. Alice showed a worksheet she entitled “Steps to Silver” about how the group can get enough points to earn Silver Certification. It seems that we have now enough material for 268 points. We must earn a total of 300 points for Silver Certification.If we achieve Silver Certification, we may be able to use this to gain extra points for climate-related grants on a Common Funding Application (CFA).Jerry pointed out thatthe narrative created for CSC can be used on even unrelated CFA applications. PE2 Municipal GHG Emissions Inventory Jerry let the group know that we’ve received 26 responses on the commuting survey from Town employees as work towards our GHG emissions inventory. Jack pointed out that there are big shifts in municipal energy use happening, and we are transitioning out of fossil fuel energy use, so the Town’s next GHG emissions inventory will look quite different. PE4 Clean Energy Installation Owned by a Municipality We can document solarpv system production by monitor printouts. PE4 Municipal Building Demonstration for Net Zero We can post educational material in Town Hall - Alice will finalize this material. PE4 Heat Pumps TH heat pumps already documented, but we can add documentation about DPW Office heat pumps for 5 points. PE5 Repair Café Jerry reported that Cornell Cooperative Extension will be hosting an Earth Day event on April 19, at which the Soil Cafe will be hosting a clothing repair café, and the Town can co-sponsor. Alice said that at the CSTF March meeting, we can organize some volunteers to help & do PR for the event. PE6 EV Charging Station Alice noted that the Town will soon have a new charging station that we can claim for 2 points. PE9 Climate Change Education and Engagement Alice thinks that last year’s extreme weather education session may qualify. PE7 Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency Plan (CCARP) Alice said that we had thought this would be something we could do, but such a plan is quite time-consuming to finish, and we should have enough points without it. PE7.8 Conserve Natural Areas Alice mentioned that it would be a natural for the Conservation Board to help with this PE using their work on the 2017 Natural Resources Conservation Plan. Gina gave a slide presentation on this action. The group discussed whether the value of the parcels would be monetary or in different measures. Gina originally thought this meant monetary values, but others, including Jerry thought it was ecosystem value and the group agreed to interpret it in a non-monetary fashion. Christina said it would be possible to get the Town Board to pass a Resolution in March following a public hearing to amend the Plan to add values connected to the specifically named parcels. Gina agreed to contact Anne about asking the Conservation Board to work on this. Alice wondered if the part of this PE that mentions setting up a “conservation finance mechanism to fund local land conservation” could be satisfied by our involvement with the Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) because it is a finance mechanism. Gina will ask Ray about whether the Town has coordinated with FLLT to purchase farmland off Route 13 in the Yellow Barn area. Branching off from the CSC PE Discussion Joe would like to see more publicity on our successful work (grants obtained, net zero DPW office) on the Town website, in the newsletter, and Facebook page (if there is one) and on any other social media outlets. It’s necessary to more widely publicize our energy work to counter nonstop public disinformation about green energy. Marie agrees that this is extremely important. Christina suggested that we could create a media release for Bambi Avery (Town Clerk) to distribute. Alice has a photo and has begun a draft that could get published in Tompkins Weekly and perhaps the Ithaca Timesand the Cortland Standard. She says a great visual would show the DPW office building, one of the EVs, and the charging station. Community Connections Event Alice reported that Evan found out about a March 29, 11:00-1:00 Village and Town showcase at the DrydenFire Department (Neptune Hose Co.)The Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs are assisting. Marie volunteered to get together some material for a table. It isn’t certain whether the whole Town would have just one table or whether we could have grouped tables with Dryden Fiber, Rail Trail, etc. The TF thinks this is a good event for us to participate in. Tree Planting Grant Proposal Jerry reports that he and Chris Skawski (also of CCE) would like to apply for a DEC CoRe grant on Dryden’s behalf.No cost share is required of the Town. This is for tree-planting and invasives management on publicly accessible land, but the number of trees is not known. The minimum grant is $150,000.The application due date is March 12, 2025. Some areas that have been suggested for this planting are Rail Trail ROWs and/or the land behind Town Hall. Jerry will need a letter of support or endorsement from the CSTF and permission from the TB to work on Town land. He would also need to recruit and train volunteers to do the work.Jerry will coordinate TB involvement with Christina. Jerry can present at the TB meeting. Alice mentioned that the Rail Trail plan calls for planting for vegetative screening along right of way section between to the driveway and parking lot of the Heidelberg Materials concrete factor(formerly Hansen Aggregates) and NYSEG property, but there is no money set aside for this. This seems like a perfect match.Jerry will speak with Jean Grace, Ithaca City Forester on Friday about creating a plan of action. Updates on other Town and Inter-municipal Efforts Dryden HSReport - No representative at today’ meeting. Town Board Report – Christina In reference to last meeting’s suggestion that brief videos be created to explain different aspects of Town government, Cassie (Byrnes, Confidential Secretary to the Supervisor) is enthusiastic about this idea and would be able to post these on the Town website. Town of Dryden Senior Court Clerk Deb Gallagher is retiring in March. Nicole Knapp will be moving up to Deb’s position and a new Court Clerk has been hired. There will be a public meeting in March on a new hemp processing facility to be located on Lower Creek Road. Conservation Board Report – - Norepresentative at today’ meeting. Affordable Workforce Housing Task Force and Planning Board – Gina AWH has been discussing the zoning audit and formulating a response. This response includes supporting more by-right two and multi-family housing to prevent sprawl. Meeting adjourned 6:30 pm    NEXT STEPS/ACTION ITEMS:   Alice is planning an article for the Town newsletter that explains that the CSTF has earned 316K in Clean Energy Communities grants and 20K in the LED Streetlight project grant, which makes our energy grant total 336K for the Town. This can be sent to wider media distribution. Gina will ask Anne Clark about recruiting the Conservation Board to help with CSC PE7.8. Christina will present an amendment to the Natural Resource Conservation Plan for TB approval after the CB creates it (also in fulfillment of CSC PE 7.8). Gina will ask Ray about whether the Town has coordinated with FLLT to purchase farmland off Route 13 in the Yellow Barn area (this is also regarding points for CSC PE7.8) Marie will gather materials to present at the March 29 at the [Neptune?] Fire Department Dryden Showcase. some material for a table. ? will create a letter of support or endorsement from the CSTF for the CoRe grant Christina will request written permission from the TB for the CoRe grant work to be done on Town land. Jerry will present a pitch to the TB about the CoRe grant. Jerry will speak with Jean Grace, Ithaca City Forester on Friday about creating a plan of action for the CoRe grant. Alice will follow up on requesting permission for the CSTF videos that feature our HS members to be posted online. APPROVALS: January 21,2024 Meeting Minutes.