HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAC Minutes 08-07-2024
CONSERVATION ADVISORY COUNCIL
August 7, 2024
6:30 In Person
Lansing Town Hall Board Room
MINUTES
1. Call Meeting to Order
Present: Ed Dubovi, Lisa Scanlon, Robyn Bailey, John Fleming
Absent: Todd Walters, Brian Boerman
2. Presentation on Climate Smart Communities was canceled due to transportation issue.
There was a general discussion of the program and what would be needed to move forward if the
Town Board saw value in the becoming more active in the program. The CSC has a list of climate smart
endeavors which are given various “points”. To receive cred it, documentation must be submitted to
verify that the action was taken. For future efforts, plans can be made to collect the documentation as
the projects progress. For past projects these documents would have to be procured from archives
which might place a burden on town staff.
3. Preliminary discussions on Climate Contingency planning
As climate change is having greater impacts on communities, there are some units that are
developing plans to deal with health and service disruptions caused by the “500 year “flood and now
more frequent tornados and severe winds. Attempts will be made to obtain plans that have been
developed to see how they might be implemented in the Town.
4. NPA presentation
Siobhan Hull for Cornell Cooperative Extension outlined the Non-Pipeline Alternative program that
offers certain Lansing residents significant rebates on switching from natural gas to traditional heat
pumps or geothermal heat pumps. The program has one more year to run and there still is significant
funding available. One can contact Siobhan at Siobhan Hull smh372@cornell.edu.
5. Draft resolution concerning Norfolk Southern property
A draft resolution had been forward to CAC members for comment. The resolution was developed
in response to the identification of this property as a high priority conservation item by the Open Space
Conservation Plan. Given the apparent complexity of the NS rail right-of-way, it was deemed essential
that efforts be made to establish ownership issues and to notify Norfolk Southern of the interest of the
Town in this property. CAC members had no issue with the resolution.
6. Discussion on the need for 2 new regular members and a student member