Meeting Minutes 1/16/2015

10:00 – 11:50

Student Life Conference Room

Attendance

Governing Council Members present: Glenn Merrick, Kristi Heintz, Mike Francisco, Theresa Hornstein

General Members present:  Jane Marynik, Melanie Kelson

Guest Present:

 

Announcements

Registration now open for April 20th, 2015 UW Madison Earth Day Conference “Hard Science, Tough Choices: Shaping the future on a rapidly changing planet”.  Jane and Mel will talk with Heather for Student Life travel funding.  The Council agreed to send 1-2 Council employee members through our budget if professional development funding is not available to them.  Any employees interested in attending should begin out of state travel process by next week to assure registration is still available.

 

New Business

The Council reviewed 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 Integrated Planning worksheets.  They identified 3 objectives for our current fiscal year, and reviewed the 6 possible objectives for next year.  The Council agreed Landscape and Stormwater Management Education was important, but should include a Campus Workday component and will be contingent on some type of grant funding.  The Council will also list Campus-Level Buildings, Benchmarks, & Beyond (B3) Reporting and Sustainability Purchasing and Use Policy Assessment and EPP Report.  Glenn motioned to put the 3 objectives forward with edits, Deanne seconded.  Motion carried unopposed.

 

Made in Minnesota (MiM) Solar Incentive Program grant applications are due in February.  Kristi will continue to keep solar opportunities on the radar, but not likely for this year.

 

Mel provided a Composting Pilot update.   Mel, Jane, and Kristi used the Welcome Week table to being promoting the new composting pilot.  Kristi wrote a blog that will go in next week’s Newsplash.  Mel and Kristi met with the Café staff to discuss their responsibilities and process for dealing with their pre-consumer food waste.  Kristi also emailed maintenance and talked with Mark about the process for weighing the compostables in that bin.  Mel, Kristi, and Jane will have an info table near the bin during lunch for at least the first few days of the pilot.  The pilot will run through spring break and will wrap up in time to gather data to be used in new contract bids.

 

Jane is working over the winter months to revive the Tree Campus USA application.  It will be due December 31, 2015.  It requires that we complete a tree care plan, and connect with a community partner and convene regular meetings.  Kristi will contact Judy Gibbs about being our partner member and also ask if the City has a tree care plan in place as a Tree City USA.

 

Theresa gave an update on the Garden Club and garden spaces.  Theresa reported there was a lot of student interest in her class for the Garden Club, and she’ll try to organize a meeting and put together some general “rules” or understandings and schedules for the garden.  The Council decided it would be a good idea to also meet with Student Senate about their plans for the Legacy Garden.

 

Kristi mentioned it might be a good idea to bring on an additional student employee to handle educational sign designs this winter while Jane is busy working on other projects.  The Council agreed, and Kristi will work with Jane to figure out what the additional role would include.

 

Ongoing Business

None.

 

Old Business

The Council discussed the third draft of the= purchasing and use policies and related procedures .  Kristi will meet with James to see if he agrees with changes we made.  Next step may include a mid-winter duty day break out session, where anyone interested can provide feedback.  From there, the policies/procedures will be forwarded to the LSC Policy Committee in April for larger campus review.

 

Work Group and Student Employee Reports

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

Carol, Kristi, Mel, Wade

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

*Kristi, Aaron, Deanne, Bruce

Grants and Awards: Pre-grant drafts and collaboration with grant office on potential opportunities

                *Deanne, Kristi, Wade

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

*Kristi, Mike, Aaron, Theresa, maintenance rep, Wade

Sustainability in Curriculum

*Theresa, Aaron, Kristi, Deanne, Glenn, Dick

-updates from Mel and Jane

-Garden Club update (Neldon, Aaron)

 

Budget                                                                                                                                                                     

FY15 Budget: $8,500 

Encumbrances to date:

MN Waste Wise membership 2014-2015: -$150

Boreal Natives-Swale/Ditch project: -$5,735

Airpark Disability Services (plastic bag recycling): -$208

Dan’s Feedbin: -$200

Menards: -$200

AASHE: -$280

IOS (footrests): -$263.20

Amazon (footrests): -$123

Eden Brothers (S-bldg wildflower seed): -$300

SWCD for RSPT annual dues: -$300

BALANCE as of today: $740.47

 

FY14-15 potential budget items

  • LSC Earth Day costs
  • UW Madison Earth Day travel costs
  • Concourse lighting signage
  • Ditch/swale/raingarden info signs
  • Additional bike rack for main entrance
  • Interpretive Trail bench, trash/recycling cans, exclosures
  • Parking lot/rain garden info signs
  • Sustainability kiosk
  • MnSCU Sustainability Across Curriculum workshop host costs

 

Motions

Motion to adjourn: Theresa motioned, Mike seconded, unopposed

 

Next Meeting

Doodle poll showed no significant advantage to changing date/time of regular meetings.

Next meeting February 6th at 10:00 in Student Life Conference Room.

Notes submitted to SC blog and LSC Employee Portal>Committees by Kristi Heintz

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