Meeting Minutes 20140813

Meeting Minutes 20140813
Town of Underhill
Energy Committee
13 August 2014

DRAFT MINUTES

CALL TO ORDER
Jerry Adams, Pete Bennett, Peter Duval, Bob Murphy, Steve Webster, Tom Moore, Chris Miller in attendance, the regular meeting was called to order at 6:49pm in the Town Hall Kitchen, with Chris in the chair and Peter D. recording minutes as secretary.

Agenda
******
Steve asked to add Solar Inventory to the agenda.

Harvest Market
**************
Chris described work already accomplished on the Harvest Market booth. The site is the same as in prior years. Whether we will be able to get power to the booth is an open question.

Bob read through some online minutes of the Jericho Energy Task Force and determined that they will not be able to participate in the booth this year.

Discussion ensued about possible activities at the booth and each committee member identified specific contributions and ideas:
Bike Generator with Lights
Nissan Leaf
Poster of Past Accomplishments by Year
Solar Inventory
Tower of Power
Tarm Wood Pellet Boiler Poster
GMP Heat Pump Display
Energy Co-op Heat Pump Demonstration

Heat pump discussion included notes that the current rebate is $1000, available only to all-electric heat customers, the future rebates are yet to be determined, and the high interest in cold-climate air-air heat pumps may lead to an "up-stream" (rebates go directly to supplier/wholesaler) reservation system.

Peter asked about providing information about the impact of heat pumps on summer time peak demand. Steve asked about promoting conservation first, and whether we have conservation-oriented literature.

Discussion about estimating household energy consumption with a questionnaire and rewarding participants with a lamp or lamp raffle.

Action items were assigned to each committee member:
Bob:
* Same material as last year
* GMP heat pump literature
* LED lamp raffle
Tom:
* Tents, chairs, tables
Jerry:
* Power cord
* Tarm brochures
Steve:
* Contact VEEP to see what they can offer for free
* Household energy consumption model
Chris:
* Contact JETF
* Contact Chuck about last year's posters
* Follow-up with Harvest Market about power
Pete B.:
* Heat pump literature
* Demonstration heat pump
Peter D.:
* Online schedule sign-up
* Big picture: Japan v. Vermont consumption? Jevons Paradox? Bookmark? Post office report? Energy open house tour?

7:34

Open Meeting Law
****************
Chris identified two issues that affect the committee, agenda notice, and meeting minutes. In both cases, the documents need to be publicly posted on the web, agendas at least 48 hours before a meeting, and draft minutes within 5 days after a meeting.

Pete B. identified a third issue, whether discussion can occur via email outside of the meeting. Peter D. said that the blog can capture all correspondence and provides public access to the documents that the committee receives. Chris said that the issue of whether, or how much discussion can occur remains unresolved, and asked Peter D. to discuss the issue with Brian Bigelow.

7:51

VHEC Grant Presentation
***********************
Chris said that the Selectboard requested substitute projects for the town garage light project.

There is preliminary work that we need to do before the post office project can proceed, build a new bulkhead door, and remove the big vent pipe, repair the floor, remove insulation, repair the roof, and extend the plumbing vent. Jerry suggested running the vent horizontally out the gable. Tom, Bob and Jerry plan to assess the project on Saturday, and undertake the work, Friday, 29 August.

Bob noted that the town hall heat pump will be elevated on a new foundation on August 21st, and suggested that a roof be constructed over the unit.

More discussion ensued on the town garage roof project and lighting project.

8:08

Renewable Energy Vendor Presentation
************************************
Bob said that SunCommon has contacted him again about making a presentation. Discussion about maintaining vendor neutrality, lead to setting a loose date of October for the program. Chris said that we will work on the program at the next meeting.

Solar Inventory
***************
Bob reviewed some details of the Solar Resolution, which set a goal of 50 photovoltaic or thermal systems, starting from 16 previously installed systems, for 34 new systems. Efficiency Vermont paid incentives on 31 projects from 01 July 2012 to 26 November 2013. SunCommon claims 29 systems in Underhill.

Steve will work on getting testimonials and photos of solar projects in Underhill.

8:22

Bob said that Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network (VECAN) and Central Vermont Community Action Council (CVCAC), which has changed its name to Capstone Community Action, are sponsoring a Button-Up Day, 1 November.

Pete B. asked that we discuss two agenda items at the next meeting, member recruiting and changing the meeting day to Monday or Tuesday.

Minutes
*******
MOTION
Pete B. moved, and Tom seconded, to accept the minutes of 09 July 2014 as presented. Passed Unanimously.

Adjournment
***********
Without objection, the meeting was adjourned at 8:30.

Respectfully Submitted,

Peter Duval, Secretary


Approved ______________________________________ date:__________________


_______________________
Chris Miller, Chair

Blog Authoring and Subscribing

Hello Energy Committee,

I have had Blogger send fresh Blog Author invitations to those of you
who are not already authors. There are two blogs:
* underhillenergycommittee.blogspot.com, which is for the public
initiatives of the Energy Committee, things that would be of interest to
most people, most of the time
* ueccorrespondence.blogspot.com, which is for everything else,
including minutes and email exchanges

There are two things to do:
1) If you have received the invitations from Blogger -- there may be 1
or 2 (you'll have to respond to both) -- please follow the instructions
in the invitation.
2) View each of the blogs in your web browser, and on the right pane of
the page, "Subscribe by email" to each of the blogs.

Now you'll automatically receive posts for blog as email, and be able to
send messages/posts to everyone on the committee.
Using these blogs for all of our communication will keep us well in
compliance with the spirit of the Open Meeting Law.
Remember, this communication is all instantaneous and public.

-Peter