Sustainable Stockton Meeting Minutes

 Thursday, September 4, 2008, at 7:00 pm, Stockton Municipal Building (Meeting #12)  

Attendees:  Sue Anderson, Kim Becken, Cindy Davis, Jeanne Dodge, Donna Literski, Mary Maller, Bob Randin, Tara Stormoen.  Bob attended as Tara’s guest.  Welcome Bob. 

Agenda Items: 

1.     Meeting Minutes.  Minutes of Meeting #11 were approved as written. 

2.     Discussion of Goals. 

·       In an earlier meeting it was recommended that our fourth goal be broadened to include what is meant by “sustainable criteria.”  What was proposed and discussed at this meeting were the four sustainable criteria referenced in the book, The Natural Steps for Communities.  This is the same criteria several Wisconsin eco-municipalities have included as a guide.  The following was proposed and approved (Mary/Kim, all in favor).  These will be adopted as our current goals and included as such on our web site.

Goals
1.  To facilitate the education of our community on sustainability.2.  To facilitate and support sustainable practices.
3.  To create a long-range vision for sustainability in our Town.4.  To annually re-evaluate our mission statement, description, structure, goals, etc. to ensure they follow sustainability criteria. (As referenced in The Natural Steps for Communities)   * Reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
   * Reduce dependence on chemical usage that can accumulate in nature.
   * Reduce dependence on activities that harm life-sustaining eco-systems.
   * Meet present and future human needs fairly and efficiently (social justice and
     economic equality).

3.  Book Discussion & Documentary Series.
  ·       Mary continues to work on coordinating our upcoming viewing of several documentary films that address sustainable practices.  MREA has agreed to host the viewings at their facilities.  Thank you MREA.  We plan to show four films in the months of November, January, February, and March.  A short introduction will precede viewing with discussion to follow.  The goal is to get folks thinking about current issues and why we would want to have a community group working on sustainability.

·       The dates of November 13, January 15, February 12 and March 12 were selected for viewings. 

·       Mary will contact ICE regarding their public communication for such events; we may wish to follow the same format.

·       Sue will add the viewing dates to the Central Wisconsin Sustainability group’s web calendar of events.

·       Mary will circulate films to several committee members for prescreening ahead of viewings.  If you wish to be included in the prescreening group, please contact Mary Maller, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Prescreening will be completed by early October.  Kim suggested looking at web reviews and partial screening of films if we run into time constraints.
 ·       In January, Mary would like to begin a book discussion group.  This topic will be discussed further at future meetings. 

4.  Web Site
  ·       As we worked on the web site, liability issues arose in the interactive areas of the web site; car-pooling, forum and goods and services ads.  At this time we have elected to drop the interactive car-pooling section and will refer folks to the government Rideshare site.   We will maintain the interactive forum and goods and services directory.  Sharon Reichert has compiled an extensive disclaimer for our web site.  This disclaimer was circulated at the September meeting.  One of the university students who originally worked on the web site will be contracted to include the check-off disclaimer and have the site “go live.”  Estimated cost to do this is no more than $50.  To use the interactive portions of the site, folks will have to register and check off on the disclaimer as part of the registration process.

·       The web site will be available to anyone to view.  Registration and disclaimer check-off will only be required for the interactive use of the site.
 ·       We hope to “go live” in September with notification in the Town newsletter to follow.

5.     Goods and Services Directory ·       Hannah Hurst has taken our Goods and Services Directory, added some info about Sustainable Stockton and put them together into a wonderful tri-fold brochure.  Some revisions still need to be made at this time.  Donna and Sue to work with Hannah on this.

·       Distribution of the directory brochure was discussed at the meeting. We may be able to send out a copy with an upcoming Stockton newsletter.  Jeanne mentioned the possibility with the January letter when dog license information is sent.  At this time we don’t have the funds to print the number of copies needed for distribution to all Stockton residents.  

·       Initially, we will work to get copies available at the Town Municipal building and some business sites.  We will publicize in the Town newsletter (Sue).  We hope to get “in kind” donations for additional copies and will offer to send an electronic copy to folks upon request.  Providing a printable version on the web site was also suggested.

6.  WEEB Grant. 

·       Kim continues to work with UWSP, WPS, Stevens Point and Marathon Townships on the light bulb grant and dissemination of information and bulbs.  The next scheduled meeting is September 18.  Some info to date:

---5,000 bulbs will be purchased as part of the grant.  Kim will find out how many bulbs will be allocated to Stockton.
---The main goal of the grant is for education.  Kim will find out more on media blitzes, education materials, and Focus on Energy information available to us.
---We will have to track those who receive free bulbs as part of the grant requirements.

·       We still plan to hand out free bulbs and educational materials on Election Day.  At our October meeting we will gather available education materials (Cindy/Kim) and work on the distribution specifics.

·       We have requested to be on the agenda for the September 15 Town Meeting to update the group on Sustainable Stockton and request use of the parking lot/facility to distribute bulbs/informational materials.  (Sue/Kim/Donna)

·       Sue will prepare a newsletter blurb for the Town newsletter.

·       Kim will contact folks who pledged monies to the original grant for collections.

·       Kim will check if Alliant Energy was approached to donate bulbs by the grant committee. 

 7.  Light Bulb Project

·       Cindy reported on her study conducted by a Stockton family and their use of CFL bulbs. The family agreed to track light usage hours of three major use areas for a total of four months, two with incandescent bulbs and two with CFLs. The family changed all of their lights over to fluorescents (except in the work shop) for the second two-month period.   When comparing energy costs over this four month period it was calculated to cost the family $0.24/hour during the first two months and $0.18/hour during the second two months of the trial – an impressive savings of $0.06/hour.  This equated to an approximate $77 savings in their electrical bill for two months or $460 per year.
 ·       Thanks Cindy for your work (including obtaining donated CFLs for the trial).  Thanks Tara for developing the spreadsheet for the family to use to track usage hours.  Thanks to the family for your participation/input.

·       These were very positive results.  We may want to include in our web site project description or publicize at a future date.  Bob suggested going on-line to see if other households have reported similar findings.

·       If this project goes forward, Sue suggested that families donate some of their savings dollars toward the purchase of CFLs for other families to trial (pay forward).

 8.     Open Discussion ·       Tara let us know of the Resource Conservation and Development group’s intent to put out an eco- brochure near the time of the annual Prairie Chicken Festival weekend.  Sustainable Stockton may wish to be highlighted in the brochure.  If so, Tara can supply more detail.

·       Cindy Davis’s daughter, a UW Madison student, was Project Coordinator instrumental in establishing the use of recycling containers at the University stadium games.  Kudos!

·       Mary informed us of the upcoming MREA sponsored Solar Tour the weekend of October 3^rd and 4^th.  Look for details on the MREA web site.

·       Sue reminded us of the upcoming Harvest Festival sponsored by the MREA on September 20^th.  It will include bike rally, house and food prep for winter workshops, dinner and music.  $20 to attend, $30 if you want to be included in the bike rally.  See the MREA web site to sign up.

9.  Next Meeting

·       The next meeting will be Thursday, October 2nd, at 7:00 pm at the Stockton Municipal Building.  Agenda for that meeting will be sent at a later date.   Respectfully Submitted, Donna Literski