Sustainability, Energy, & Resiliency Committee

Meeting Minutes - FINAL June 25, 2018 – 6:30PM City Hall Annex – 98 Washington Street Attendance: Jeff Barz-Snell, Chris Cantone, Jeff Cohen, John Hayes, Rick Nye, Lisa Rosenthal, Staff Contact: Jenna Ide Not in Attendance: Gail Kubik Public Attendance: Meryl, Sam (both from League of Women Voters) 1. Approved March and May minutes, with edits. 2. Review of discussion with Public Health, Safety and Environment Subcommittee. There is support for a revolving fund based on savings SERC provides the City annually. There is a demonstrated need for more communication among SERC and other relevant City committees. If there is any new construction, SERC should be part of the process to bring sustainability to the table. Discussion followed: Jeff B-S suggested we consider some ideas of “asks” for following up with the Public Health committee, i.e. we could submit MET tower proposal, including links to website, MassSave, etc. Jenna suggested 1) making 100% clean energy an ordinance and 2) all City of Salem projects have to get utility incentives. Jeff C: Can we propose language for the ordinance? Jenna will send everyone a summary of our main points. John Hayes will look into language relating to other city ordinances. Everyone suggested Jeff B-S set up a meeting with Kim Driscoll to discuss a few main points pertaining to SERC: a budget line item, where SERC is going, and ask for support for an ordinance. A question to consider is how SERC engages with City representatives regarding new projects and retrofits. 4. SERC Membership. SERC generally wants to encourage some new membership and discuss the possibility of expanding our committee to 9 members. Jenna will reach out to Phil Koch. Nick Lewis has expertise in wind and might consider re-joining the committee. For now, SERC can be open to several alternates to gauge interest in becoming a full member. 5. Potluck/event. The committee agreed to have event at Winter Island or Willows pavilion on Wednesday, August 15. Jeff Barz-Snell announced that he will resign from his position on the SERC committee as of the end of August, 2018. 6. Discussion of Sustainability Coordinator. Jenna is communicating with DOER regarding funding for the position and hopes to have the position in place by July or August. In addition to the Sustainability Coordinator, there is funding for two internship positions, possibly with Salem State students. John Hayes and Jenna will write up intern position descriptions. 7. New business.  Jeff B-S will share information with committee members via e-mail pertaining to the presentation to City Council last week.  There is a large space near the hospital on Jefferson Avenue, owned by the City. There is potential for over a megawatt of solar as a canopy over the parking, so a large solar development company could lease the property and pay the City for leasing the property. The City could then use the funds from lease-to-own and operate a 250 KW (or so) project on Salstonstall School, or another project.  MET tower proposal: Jeff B-S presented a sales quotation from NRG Systems, a company based in Hinesburg, VT, for a MET tower. With site engineering, site prep and maritime prepping, it will cost $100-110K, including the MET tower. Jeff wondered whether there were grants available for this purpose, such as through the Green Communities Act or Mass Clean Energy Center (CEC). Discussion followed: Chris asked, what is the ultimate goal of the project? Jeff B-S suggested the concept is to propose phased development. The ultimate project could generate 20-30 megawatts, which would provide a lot of power to the City. Chris suggested we call a city or town on South Shore to find out who the developers are that want to develop offshore power. We would ask, “Would you be willing to do this if we were to give land for free?” -- or some other indication of interest.  Jeff BS will reach out to CEC about grants and to EAPC, an engineering firm, to get a sense of full costs, and the Mayor to gauge interest. Chris proposes to approach Winter Island concept again.  Artists Row is getting air-sourced heat pumps, which will make it accessible for three seasons. 8. Lisa will add the 3 main points Wayne Castonguay, executive director of the Ipswich River Watershed Association, sent via e-mail to SERC’s 3/2018 minutes: 1. Suggesting/facilitating ways for us to engage the city and its citizenry in this issue in general and getting Wayne in front of the mayor and council to make a presentation. 2. Suggest a political strategy to engage the Beverly-Salem Water Department staff/commissioners in this issue. 3. How to make water resiliency & conservation issues a part of your committees work/interests. Meeting adjourned at 8:13pm. Minutes respectfully submitted by Lisa K. Rosenthal.