Sustainability at Lake Superior College

Meeting Minutes 4/8/2014

1:00 – 2:00

Small Administrative Conference Room

Attendance

Governing Council Members present: Deanne Roquet, Kristi Heintz, Mike Francisco, Heather Grillo, Aaron McIntire, Heather Rantula, Wade Gordon

General Members present:  Bruce Wallis

Guest Present: Deanna Keller (PTK), Alyssa Heim

Announcements

The Intercultural Center is sponsoring its annual Sugar Bushing trip on April 24^th, group leaves LSC at 2:00 pm and will return at about 6:00.

Work Group and Student Employee Reports

Policy and Procedure: employee reminders, education, and training needs (printing, recycling, supplies, computers, small appliance)

                *Rachel, Carol, Kristi, Chad

No updates

Master Facilities Plan

                *Dick, Cliff, Glenn, Kristi, Theresa

No updates.

Sustainability Reporting/Benchmarking: GGI, ACUPCC, MnSCU Sustainability Reporting, Superior Compact, B3, publicizing info

                *Kristi, Aaron, Deanne, Bruce

No updates.

Sustainability Kiosk: energy dashboard/demo, sustainability signage

                *Duane, Rachel, Student Senate Rep

Steve Fudally and Kristi talked a bit about options.  Steve thinks it can be done in-house, he will arrange a meeting with Wade and Kristi soon.

Landscape Planning: annual flower planting, rainwater harvesting, no-mow areas, rooftop gardening

                Theresa, Mike, Aaron, Kristi, maintenance rep

The group met with Gary Chick on April 2^nd so discuss the LSC Landscaping Map and plans.  They identified some additional problem areas and made a plan for the spring and summer. 

Kristi has been in contact with Paula Castleman, and the DNR/DFD will allow a burn on the H-hillside, but it will need to happen on very short notice when conditions are just right.  Kristi will continue to work with Paula and will talk with Gary Adams as well.  We are looking for suggestions on planting the hillside this summer.  Kristi will reach out to Jeff West to do a site visit for ditch sedges as well as hillside suggestions. 

Kristi is working with maintenance to keep the muddy annual garden in front of the S-building as bearable as possible.  Stakes and rope will need to be placed around the perimeter to keep mud off sidewalks and out of buildings.  Motion to purchase items later in the meeting.

Sustainability in Curriculum

                *Theresa, Duane, Aaron, Kristi, Deanne, Glenn

The curriculum committee met on March 20^th, along with Jenni Swenson, Theo from the grants office and 2 PTK members.  The PTK members were set on putting together a greenhouse proposal, but Aaron met with Al yesterday and the outlook for a greenhouse on campus looks bleak.   More discussion on this topic at the May meeting.

Other SE Updates

Aaron is continuing to work on the café benchmarking project.  Kristi suggested PTK, shift their attention to helping Aaron with this project and expand it to utilizize the Real Food Challenge and the Real Food Challenge Calculator.  Additionally, Institute for a Sustainable Future put together this: ISF Lake Superior Local Food Purchasing Toolkit.  Both tools could be helpful to give our benchmarking project momentum.  Bruce was supportive of expanding our “local” purchasing beyond the compact area.  Kristi, Aaron, and Bruce will meet about this.

New Business

The Earth Day planning committee met on March 3^rd to continue discussions for Earth Day planning.  Kristi will ask Jean to create a poster for the meal, featuring vendors and where to buy.  The poster or another will feature the day’s schedule. Schedule below:

World Water Week is being recognized locally on March 24-25; collaborative events from CSS, UMD, UWS, and LSC are being organized by the League of Women Voters.  LSC will gather plastic bottles and create a garland chain on March 25^th in the Atrium.  Garden Club will make popcorn, we will show the movie Tapped or similar water focused documentary, and invite all students (through posters on the vending machines and facebook) to connect their bottles to the chain where images of the destructive nature of plastic in ecosystems will also be hung.  The garland will hang in the concourse until Earth Day. 

Ongoing Business

Old Business

Budget                                 

Motions

Considerable conversation occurred with most motions, all motions passed unopposed

Request for heated foot rest for the Administrative Assistant to the VP.  Wade suggested we purchase 3 at $52.64 each.  Deanne motioned, Mike seconded.

The bus to Silver Bay to tour Victus Farms.  Bruce motioned to pay for the $300 bus, Deanne seconded.

Bruce motioned to purchase compostable plates, cups, and napkins for 300 people Earth Day, up to $100, Deanne seconded.

Heather R. motioned to purchase 200 compostable hot cups and small plates for employee Development Day breakfast, Heather G seconded.

Deanne motioned to pay $75 for our Earth Day speaker, Chad Johnson, Mike seconded.  Kristi will work on his contact for services.

Deanne motioned to purchase posts and rope for S-bldg seeded area, up to $320, Kristi seconded.

Heather G. motioned to purchase the Interpretive Trailhead sign from ShelDon for $132, Deanne seconded.

Deanne motioned to put remaining Council funding toward bottle filling stations for the Student Services building and ERTC, Heather R. seconded.

FY14 Budget: $9,000 

Encumbrances to date:

MN Waste Wise membership 2013-2014: -$150

Open PO for Menards (landscaping supplies: azalea mulch, planter flowers): -$200

Open PO for Menards (Interpretive trail supplies) – $200

AASHE membership: -$280

Airpark plastic bag recycling program: -$208

Rene Fall (Int Trail GIS mapping): -$320

UMACS Kristi travel and registration: -$758.39

ACUPCC annual 2013-2014 membership: -$750

Eden Brothers (seed mix for S-bldg): -143.96

Grainger for faucet aerators: -$85

BALANCE as of 3/7/2014: $5918.65

FY14 potential budget items

·         Concourse lighting signage

·         Bottle filling station for ERTC (did this happen in FY13?) and downtown campus

·         Additional bike rack for main entrance

·         Outdoor recycling cans

·         Interpretive Trailhead sign

·         Interpretive Trail bench, trash/recycling cans

·         Parking lot info signs

·         Legacy: fencing for exclosures

·         Sustainability kiosk

·         MnSCU Sustainability Across Curriculum workshop host costs

Next meeting

May 2^nd, 2014, 9:00 am, Student Life Conference Room

Notes submitted by Kristi Heintz