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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSCEC 2025-07-15 1 Climate Smart/Clean Energy Community Task Force (CSTF) Minutes for the Meeting at 5:00 pm Tuesday July 15, 2025 Via Zoom Task Force Members Attending: Alice Green, Marie McRae, Jack Wright, Joe Wilson, Hunter Barlow, Sawyer Dickinson, Evan Kurtz, Anne Clark, Gina Cassidy Liaison to Conservation Board: Anne Clark Planning Department: Gina Cassidy Invited Guests: Hannah Emmelhainz - Dryden HS Sustainability Club – potential CSTF member Other Attendees: Suzanne McMannis - resident of Dryden Sydney Lee - Cortland Standard Reporter 5:03 Call to Order Due to the presence of new attendees, there was a round of introductions. Approval of Meeting Minutes: June 17, 2025 Approval Moved: Joe; Approval Seconded: Marie; Approved Unanimously Climate Smart Communities Actions Review 1. Repair Café (RC) A. Evan met with Diane Cohen, Director of Finger Lakes Reuse. Diane told him that Reuse will not be of assistance with Dryden’s RC, but she recommended that we connect with the Fixers Collective (FC), which is a loose, unofficial organization, a dedicated group of people who help fix things people bring to them each week. B. Bruce Johnson, the FC organizer, invited Evan to come talk with him in person any Saturday during FC hours. Evan suggested that the FC and our RC help people with basic electronic device functions. Both Bruce and CSTF members are enthusiastic about doing this. Evan and Marie will arrange a time to visit the FC together on a Saturday soon. C. Gina had paid for access to official RC licensing and materials but did not receive anything. She has disputed the charge with her credit card company and encouraged Marie not to wait for the outcome to move forward with the RC project. D. For the benefit of visitors on the call, Marie gave an overview of what RC is. E. Jack spoke with a TST BOCES construction trades teacher about students helping out with the RC. The teachers could not make this part of any class because it will be 2 outside of school hours. (Anne mentioned that individual students could volunteer their own time outside of school.) The teacher, in turn, asked Jack if there was some larger repair project that could be done at the school. For example, Evan donated a car to them and the Rotary Club had a barbeque pit repaired by the students. Jack said that we could keep this in mind for a future RC that might take place during school hours. F. We can’t have people selling food at the event, but Marie has a volunteer soliciting food donations. G. Gina will check with the Town’s Finance Director whether RC attendees can donate money to either the Town or the CSTF at the event. H. Jack suggested we partner with Bike/Walk Tompkins for the RC. Alice has connections with the organization and will try to recruit a bike fixer for the event. 2. Silver CSC Certification A. Jack reported that the DEC has publicly announced the Town of Dryden’s CSC Silver Certification status. For the benefit of visitors, Alice summarized this accomplishment. B. Alice has written a press release and sent it to local papers. Sydney Lee indicated that we should expect an article about this in the Cortland Standard tomorrow. C. The CSTF acknowledged Alice for her leadership and her sustained, persistent, and in-depth work in achieving this exceptional recognition and thanked her. D. Alice acknowledged the cooperation of the Town’s DPW and the assistance of Cornell Cooperative Extension Coordinators in helping us achieve this recognition. Clean Energy Communities Update 1. EV Charger Jack reports that he forwarded more quotes for the charger to Rick Young (DPW Supervisor). Alice will ask Rick for an update in a week or two if Jack doesn’t get any answer about a choice of EV Chargers. 2. E-Cargo Van A. Gina reports that the vendor has put the ETA date as the end of August. There was some discussion about tax credits, but this is not relevant to our purchase of the 3 vehicle. Also, the vendor cannot change the price because of any market changes, as we have a contract for purchase for a set amount. B. Amanda Anderson, Town Finance Director, will close out the $175K grant once this third and final vehicle is delivered. Mission Statement and Bylaws A. Jack reiterated that the TF’s goal for our (in-person) August meeting would be to have by-laws and a mission statement drafted. B. Anne and Evan have been working on gathering material to present as possible by- laws and mission statements or fragments thereof. They presented a document with their notes so far on this work, which emphasized resilience and mitigation with specific goals, policies, procedures, and committee composition. C. Joe has asked that as soon as Anne and Evan refine these ideas a bit, they send the document out to CSTF members (at least two weeks before the next meeting). D. Gina is in favor of having both a mission – an ongoing reason for the committee’s existence – and goals - short and long-term actions which can be accomplished. E. Alice mentioned that the CSTF’s first municipal GHG emissions inventory was used as part of the Town’s 2022 Climate Action Plan (CAP) within the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. She suggests that we look to this CAP for goals. Standard Conditions of Approval A. Gina explained that these are a list of requirements that accompany all approvals for projects that come before the Planning Board. It prevents omission of important conditions for any specific approvals. B. Gina and the Planning Department are recommending that sidewalks be an added standard condition of approval for commercial projects. Joe said that in his experience, the PB has exempted many projects from installing sidewalks, particularly because the Town’s Design Guidelines are not mandates but suggestions. Gina pointed out that Town of Dryden Code §270-11.13 Application Content has a phrase that says that “…sidewalks must be constructed across all driveways.” She questions whether this mandates sidewalks. Joe said that it seems clear that it does, but that in his experience, that requirement is not generally followed by the PB. C. Anne would like to see requirements in Code for more environmentally sound applications to things such as pervious instead of impervious surfaces, and lighting 4 that doesn’t kill insects unnecessarily. In any case where there’s a more environmentally sound alternative within a project, that should be employed. This could be codified as continually updating best practices. D. Evan would like to suggest that the Code prescribe an EV charger per certain amount of parking spaces. E. Alice would like to see deconstruction and material reuse as an item in Standard Conditions of Approval. F. Jack will draft a bulleted list of ideas for changes to Code and Standard Conditions of Approval. G. Joe would like to know what the ZAG will be working on in any particular month and how the CSTF’s suggestions could topically fit into their agenda. H. Gina reminded the group that Marie is our representative to ZAG, and she can be the go-between for ideas/suggestions/updates between that group and CSTF. I. Jack will ask for ZAG agendas so that we will know if there’s anything going on that we’d like to comment on. Updates on other Town and Inter-municipal Efforts Dryden HS Report Sawyer: 1) This is Sawyer and Hunter’s final meeting as members of CSTF. Sawyer is heading to SUNY ESF in Syracuse, and Hunter is heading to SUNY Plattsburgh. The committee thanked them for their service and perspective. Hunter and Sawyer thanked the committee for being welcoming to HS students. Town Board Report This report was inadvertently omitted from the proceedings. It will be added to next month’s minutes. Conservation Board Report Anne: 1) CB will invite Gary Tabor to give a public talk on landscape conservation and wildlife corridors. What would wildlife corridors mean on a small scale in Dryden? What kinds of 5 projects can people in the Town be part of? Anne will keep us updated the details of the upcoming talk if Gary Tabor accepts. 2) The CB has a new member who is trying to increase PR about the CB’s efforts. 3) The CB is very interested in their overlapping mission and interests with CSTF. Affordable and Workforce Housing Committee Gina: AWH has applied for an infrastructure grant from Tompkins County (HASIG). (See last month’s minutes.) There are two grants and three municipal applicants. The grant subcommittee meets tomorrow for first round of approvals, then it gets sent to the TC legislature next month for a final decision. Martha Robinson (from AWH) has pointed out to the County that there is leftover grant funding from previous years, so that all three projects could potentially be funded. Planning Department Gina: Two projects that had applications before the PB are on hold. 1400 Dryden Road is stalled because applicant is required to have a new fire hydrant installed; and 2150 Dryden Road is stalled because applicant is required to upgrade their road. Both of these are very expensive propositions, so it isn’t clear whether the projects will move forward. Next meeting will be 5:00 pm August 19 in person at Town Hall. Meeting adjourned 6:35 pm NEXT STEPS/ACTION ITEMS: 1) Evan and Marie will arrange a time to visit the FC together on a Saturday soon. 2) Gina will check with the Town’s Finance Director whether RC attendees can donate money to either the Town or the CSTF at the event. 3) Alice will try to recruit a bike fixer from Bike/Walk Tompkins for the RC. 4) Alice will ask Rick Young, DPW Supervisor, for an update in a week or two if Jack doesn’t get any answer about a choice of EV Chargers. 6 5) As as soon as Anne and Evan refine their ideas about a new mission and by-laws for CSTF (or whatever we decide will be the new name), they will send the document out to CSTF members. This will be at least two weeks before the next meeting. 6) Jack will draft a bulleted list of ideas for changes to Code and Standard Conditions of Approval. 7) Anne will keep us updated the details of the landscape conservation and wildlife corridor talk if Gary Tabor accepts CB’s invitation. APPROVALS: 1) June 17, 2025 Meeting Minutes