Public Works Department
Environmental Services

Sustainable Broomfield Community Task Force

DRAFT Minutes Meeting #3

 June 24, 2009

In meeting three, the Task Force continued to work on a concise mission statement to go forward with developing a proposal to council.  Elise DeGeorge, with MWH Global, presented the findings from the internal sustainability assessment of the City and County of Broomfield. Kathryn Langdon presented on the Energy Efficiency Block Grant Broomfield will receive.  As a follow up to many questions in the Greenhouse Gas presentation by UCD, Dr. Anu Ramaswami clarified questions on data sources, renewable energy, waste and water.  Finally, the Task Force split up into three groups to discuss Broomfield’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement.

Task Force Members Present: Derek Okubo, Mayor Pat Quinn, Linda Fahrebruch, Kevin Jacobs, Nicholas Fazzini, Judy Enderle, Bryce Isaacson, Jini Bates, Jessica Erickson, Hal Lunka, Felix Flechas, Rick Ahrens, Geoffrey Urland, Marcia Heiser, Irene Lalich, Beverly Pneuman, Linda Reynolds, Mark Kuhl, Liz Law-Evans, David Hastings, Susan MacGregor, Jeffery McPherson, Jennifer Kerr, Lisa Moore, Klea Jones, Roger Kelley

Absent: Aaron Loertscher, Patrick Tennyson, Sam Taylor, Jeffery Kerrane, Jean Wilkie, Jeremy Fancher, Don Dunshee

Others in attendance:  Kevin Stanbridge, Kathy Schnoor, Elise DeGeorge, Anu Ramaswami, Abel Chavez, Bob Gaiser, Meghan Bernard, Shirley Garcia, Kathryn Langdon

6:00 – Approval of the May 27, 2009 minutes

6:35 – Overview of what to come.

6:10 – Discussion of the Vision Statement:

6:11 – Elise DeGeorge – MWH Global

Elise presented on MWH’s Sustainability Assessment and Recommendations for the City and County of Broomfield.  MWH helped the City and County develop a vision and assess different sectors of the organization, including organizational management, financial and economic, environmental, and social sectors.  In each of these sectors, strengths and opportunities were developed when looking at sustainability.  MWH was asked to focus on improvements in energy conservation in buildings that Broomfield could develop now.  Energy audits were done on high energy-intensive facilities to find areas to improve on efficiency.  The Task Force suggested MWH also look at landscaping using plants that consume less water, consumptive vs. non-consumptive water use, grading of properties to save water, LED lights instead of CFL lighting, evaporative cooling, and the economic feasibility of water treatment plant.

7:09 – Kathryn Langdon – Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program

Kathryn gave a presentation on the stimulus money Broomfield will receive to fund energy efficiency and conservation in the community.  The U.S. Department of Energy is awarding Broomfield $516,000 to spend quickly on energy efficiency programs that benefit the community directly.  The funds are proposed to be broken down as follows:  20% to Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) Residential Rebate Programs, 50% for municipal building retrofits, and 30% for Broomfield Sustainability Initiatives. 

7:25 – Dr. Anu Ramaswami – Update to Greenhouse Gas Data presentation

After the presentation on Broomfield’s Greenhouse Gas presentation in May, there were many questions on the data, which were clarified in this presentation.  Strong and weak sources of data were identified to clarify which data are specific to Broomfield and which are broader to the state of Colorado.  A discussion of Windsource and renewable energy credits helped to clarify who receives the renewable energy credits.  Finally, a diagram and table of Broomfield’s water consumption helped to demonstrate why Broomfield is different from the City of Denver.   

7:53 – Break

8:00 – Small Group Assignment

The Task Force was asked to split up into three groups to discuss the following questions:

-     Based on this information, your knowledge, and perceptions, what are the strengths of Broomfield that we can build from?  What are the opportunities that we have before us inside and outside Broomfield?
-     What are the potential dangers that we have to consider?
-     What are the threats within the region that could impact us?
-     Without any intervention and we find us down the road in 20 years, what is our potential future in Broomfield?
-          What are the 5 areas we should focus on? 

8:50 – Each group presented on the top 5 areas Broomfield should focus on.

Group 2: 
-          Education
-          Transportation
-          Renewable energy and energy efficiency
-          Financial stability
-          Water resource management and use

Group 3: 
-          Renewable / alternative energies / energy conservation
-          Natural resources
-          Education / community involvement
-          Economic development
-          Transportation
-          Healthy Broomfield

Group 1: 
-          More diverse tax base
-          Education / engage community
-          Conservation
-          Transportation and car policy
-          Local jobs for local residents

8:54 – Introduction to the Policy Opinions Survey

The meeting was adjourned at  ___9:00__.

Minutes Prepared by __Meghan Bernard__

Approved by _(consideration of Approval 7/13/09_

                        Chair