Sustainability at Lake Superior College

Meeting Minutes 10/14/16

10:00 – 11:30

Student Life Conference Room

Attendance

Governing Core Members present: Mike Francisco, Theresa Hornstein, Nathan Bronk, Kristi Heintz, Al Finlayson, Eric Brandt, Cliff Koski, Marissa Johnsen

General Members present:

Guest Present:

Announcements

New Business

Al gave an update on the status of the concourse lighting.  The control panel has been replaced and half of the lights are turned off most of the day when natural light is available.  Kristi and Jean have both made signs for the halls

Kristi brought the continued requests for heated foot rests to the council. It seems there is a trend for where those requests are coming, and it may mean a larger heating/cooling study or thermal comfort analysis needs to be performed.  The Council reiterated the responsibility to purchase heated foot rests lies with the department budgets.

Kristi shared that she’ll be sitting on a panel at Fond du Lac TCC with other campus coordinators (Courtney from FDL and Mindy from UMD) as part of the Sustainability Awareness Week (SAW). Those campuses have activities planned for the week; we are promoting our waste sort project at the Club Recruitment Day.

Old Business

Kristi gave an update on the NREL solar analysis.  We received the results a couple of weeks ago, and their analysis was not favorable for solar at this time (a $125,000 loss over the 25 year analysis) based on our relatively low electricity rates.  Citing a recent EITE and franchise fee increase, a primary ownership model and storage, Kristi, Al, Wade, and Jon will conference call with NREL and request some adjustments to their assumptions and some additional costing information.

Work Group and Student Employee Reports

Kristi gave a brief overview of the Toward Zero Waste project she is working on with our student employees, Alex and Luke.  The three met with Ryan and a graduate student he’s worked with on NRRI’s waste sort analysis last week, and we’re now designing our own waste stream analysis.  Mike will look at the Waste Management Contract to see when we need to make adjustments, if the study indicates savings can be made.

Motions

Budget

Kristi outlined a payment conundrum facing Jon Lintula for the Hartley Solar+Storage course he took in August.  A number of misunderstandings has left him with a $500 bill for which no money has been encumbered.  Workforce Development is managing the registration and payment for this course.  After long discussion, the Council declined to offer financial support for the course, citing improper timing and lack of previous discussion.  Kristi will continue to work with those involved to find a suitable solution.

Encumbrances to date:

• Boreal Natives (fall maintenance): -$200
• Human Svs Dept (plastic bag removal-annual): -$260
• Menards -$400
• Dan’s -$200.02 of $300 enc

BALANCE as of today: $7,290.00

FY17 Budget priority review/planning will follow November’s priority project planning

Review/revise FY16-17potential budget items (carryover FY15-16 list)

• Ditch/swale/raingarden info signs
• Picnic table under H skywalk
• Additional bike rack for main entrance?
• Interpretive Trail bench, trash/recycling cans, exclosures
• Sustainability kiosk: pamphlet holder, plastic bag bin
• MnSCU Sustainability Across Curriculum workshop

Meeting adjourned 11:30

Next Regular Meeting

November 4^th, 2016

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