Sustainability Council Meeting Minutes 11/8/2019

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October 11th, 2019 9:00 – 10:00

S111 Student Services Conference Room

Attendance

Governing Core Members present: Nate, Theresa, Tim, Grant, Deanne, Connie, Randy, Kristi, Grant, Mike F., Mike M., Al, Mark, Cliff

General Members present:

Guests:

 

Announcements

Eco-E will host the MN Ag Commissioner in an Emerging Farmers Summit on November 14th in S255 (Randy)

 

New Business

Kristi and Kurt offered an update on the food service survey collaboration with Student Senate.  Senate is interested in polling students, and the Council agreed employees should also be surveyed.  Kristi has reached out to Denise and will continue that conversation with her to follow the proper procedure for all employee and student emails.  The draft survey questions were sent to the Council’s work group for feedback last week.  Feedback on survey questions should be sent to Kristi by (this) Friday afternoon.  Kristi and Grant will work with Denise next week, and try to get the survey processed as soon as possible.

 

As part of the RFP and Food Service selection, Connie is convening a new Food Service Task Force.  She has pulled together a representative group from across campus and will try to organize a first meeting for next week Friday.  Connie agrees, the survey development can proceed without committee review, but the survey feedback will be invaluable in the decision-making process.

 

Mike and Randy offered farm updates.  This will likely be the last week of growing.  Mark/facilities has purchased a heater that will be ready for early spring season. They hope to start seedlings in March. Deanne mentioned it would be great to see some data on how much produce was grown this season, sold and donated.  Mike and Randy shared that they’re working on pulling that data together, and creating a report in the coming weeks.  The broader campus would probably find value in seeing those numbers as well.

 

Kristi mentioned there have been repeated requests for take-away bags on produce market days.  The Council will think about some creative container solutions – perhaps boxes or donated bags.

 

Kristi and Al submitted a Level 2 electric vehicle charging station grant opportunity from Minnesota Power last week.  Kristi provided the proposal rational for Cabinet review, Al provided the leg work in obtaining pre-approval from Cabinet.  The charger installation would coincide with parking lot resurfacing next spring in the Circle Drive.  The grant deadline was November 1, and Kristi will follow-up with Minnesota Power to see where we stand.

 

Old Business

FY20 Workplan Goals

  1. Develop proposal for north trail as pedestrian path
    • Desired Outcomes:
      1. consider appropriate surface for maximum usability,
      2. estimate total costs, development and ongoing maintenance (add: Dave suggests planning signs),
      3. account for the trail’s potential use as an access from lower main parking lots to Living Labs field site

UPDATE – We completed our first stretch of trail limestone on the Spur trail from the upper parking lot to the H-building on October 25th.  With $225 and 10 yards of limestone, 0.1 miles of trail was laid, with 10 volunteers, in 6 hours, using 12 donuts and 6 bananas as fuel.  Everyone had fun, nobody got hurt.

  1. Articulate the role of “Living Labs” at LSC (Randy will lead this group along with Deanne and Nate)
    • Desired Outcomes:
      1. draft potential interdisciplinary collaboration/learning opportunities at new Farm Site (add: collaboration/consult with Student Senate)
      2. develop a forest management plan for Miller Creek corridor – identifying terrestrial invasive species threats and management goals
        1. align goals as potential course-related field experience, both through curriculum and Sustainability Distinction
  2. Update campus’ sustainability and energy goals (Kristi will lead this group along with Glenn, Jenna and Griffin)
    • Desired Outcomes:
      1. align with state and system-wide sustainability goals, following Board of Trustees approval of new system sustainability policies,
      2. update LSC Sustainability webpages to reflect these new goals

 

Budget

FY 20 original budget: $8,450

Encumbrances to date:

  • Menards: -$300
  • Dan’s Feedbin: -$150
  • P-Card (Amazon): -$167.95 (Compost bags)
  • AASHE dues: -$295
  • P-Card (Amazon – 10 sets loppers, saws) (Landscape Restoration – 10 buckthorn dobbers and dye): -$600
  • Bee-line spur trail Limestone: -$225.50
  • P-card (Amazon – Cornerstone $92.95

Potential purchases

  • EV install $1,500

 

Next Meetings

tbd

 

Meeting adjourned, 10:00

 

Minutes respectfully submitted by Kristi Heintz, 11/8/2019.  Posted to LSC Sustainability Council Blog and Employee Portal Committees page.

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