Meeting Minutes 5/1/2015
10:00 – 11:00
Student Life Conference Room
Attendance
Governing Council Members present: Glenn Merrick, Kristi Heintz, Mike Francisco, Theresa Hornstein,
General Members present: Aaron Ekstrom, Nate Bronk, Al Finlayson, Cliff Koski
Guest Present:
Announcements
New Business
The WLSSD-LSC compost drop site is in full swing. Susie provided Q & A on Earth Day and gave out home collection bins and compostable bags. Kristi has additional container to give away. So far, we’ve given out over 50 bins. In the fall, we’ll launch a full-scale compost collection for the campus. The Council talked a bit about where those bins should be placed. Concerns include number of receptacles, fruit flies/smell, cost of compost bags, and responsibility for pick up. Kristi talked with the triple bin vendor, and we can just swap out the labels for a few bins. The Council agreed we should start small with collection bins then expand based on additional requests.
Kristi asked Kathy Dugdale for the state contract wording for Lighthouse for the Blind’s access to campus facilities for vending machine placement. Concerns shared with Kathy and Al via email include: costs to power them ($300+ per machine per year), wasted energy, especially during non-peak building hours, total number of machines with respect to diversity of products (multiple rows of the same beverage in a machine, not an efficient use of space), loss of revenue to our Store/Café (!), aesthetic and sound disruptions in acoustically sensitive space (like the concourse and Student Lounge, the Lounge is NOT usable for speaker-related events), cost to dispose of refuse, concerns voiced by students/Student Life with regard to lack access to outlets for their electronics around campus because every available outlet is jammed with a vending machine, and offering far too many unhealthy options to our students. Al shared that the current contract is expired, and new criteria will be evaluated for an incoming contractee when the current contractee retires.
May 7th is our first Clean-Campus Power Hour. Kristi will send an email reminder to all employees along with a “Take A Hike Tuesday” and “Wednesday Weeding” options to gauge interest.
Kristi asked for volunteers to serve on an energy reporting committee this summer. We’ll address the types of information we should be sharing both with the public and administration annually. Al also suggested we re-visit the kiosk idea, and possibly house this information there. Kristi will continue to work with Steve when we further flush this idea out.
Gary Kruchowski would like to donate memorial tress to honor his father. The Council offered offered few location and species ideas. We’ll offer the ideas to Gary and ask what he prefers.
Ongoing Business
Old Business
Sustainability related purchasing and use policies and procedures have been through and approved by the Policy Committee. Kristi asked for any final input before they’re posted for campus review. None offered.
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
-updates from Mel and Jane
-Garden Club update
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: -$300
Menards: -$200
AASHE: -$280
IOS (footrests): -$263.20
Amazon (footrests): -$123
Eden Brothers (S-bldg wildflower seed): -$192.51
SWCD for RSPT annual dues: -$300
Earth Day trail mix cups: -$5.92
Anticipated Travel for UW Madison Earth Day conference: -$483
BALANCE as of today: $139.06
FY14-15 potential budget items
- LSC Earth Day costs
- Spring landscape supplies (flowers)
- 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
Next Meeting
Sometime in June, Kristi will send a doodle later in May.
Notes submitted to SC blog and LSC Employee Portal>Committees by Kristi Heintz
Posted in: Minutes
Leave a Comment (0) ↓