Sustainability at Lake Superior College

Meeting Minutes 3/6/2015

10:00 – 11:00

Student Life Conference Room

Attendance

Governing Council Members present: Glenn Merrick, Kristi Heintz, Mike Francisco, Theresa Hornstein, Deanne Roquet, Mel Kelson

General Members present: Jane Marynik, Aaron Ekstrom, Nate Bronk, Al Finlayson

Guest Present:

Announcements

New Business

World Water Week is March 23^rd – 28^th. This will be a collaborative celebration across our campuses again this year and our event will be held on Monday. We’ll show “Blue Gold”, hold discussion after, and collect plastic bottles for the plastics chain during the movie. We’ll hang the chain in the concourse like last year.

Kristi reported on the WLSSD community drop site. Al confirmed there hasn’t been any concerns raised about being a WLSSD community compost drop site. Kristi has been working with Susie and we’ll do a kick-off event and Q&A on Earth Day for all employees.

Jane continues to work on our Tree Campus USA application. She pointed out that we need to perform a community serve oriented project. This could include the tree planting or buckthorn identification workday. The Council suggested a campus outdoor workday be included in the April 2^nd duty day plan. Glenn will check with the deans to see if there would be time for this as an afternoon break-out session.

Kristi has had requests from the public and LSC community about conducting another free e-waste collection. Kristi will check with 5R and open the “bid” to all haulers in town for a collection this year, perhaps April 2 or 3.

Kristi introduced our newest student employee, Aaron Ekstrom. He has experience with Conservation Corp and with various outdoor organizations. His current project for the SC is in design of rain garden and stormwater signs for various places on campus. He’ll also be responsible for completing our “north loop” trail on the north side of campus, designing signs, and perhaps designating a seating area. Aaron is also working with the Garden Club and Student Senate on the Legacy Project.

Kristi and Aaron reported that they met with Student Senate president Joe Johns last week about the Legacy Project. Joe asked the Council and/or Garden Club for a list of trees, plants, or planting areas that he could include in his proposal to administration. He’ll be meeting with Wade next week, the Garden Club will work Senate him on plantings and the SC will support them in planting and plant protection supplies.

Kristi again brought up the idea of a Sustainability Council member recruiting meeting or open or informative setting. The Council suggested we ask for a bit of time to outline the Council’s current projects and solicit membership. Glenn will work with the deans to set this up. Kristi will call a separate meeting to brainstorm our “pitch”.

The Council decided to go with the theme “Scraps to Soil: Campus and Community Compost” for this year’s Earth Day celebration. In lieu of a speaker, the Council (Deanne, Theresa, Kristi and anyone else) will present some “how-to-compost” tips and show a short vimeo on home composting. We will also so a short composting movie from the PBS series Food Forward titled “SOS: Save our Soil”. Heather and Student Life will provide popcorn in compostable bags, trail mix in compostable cups and apples. All of these activities will be in the Student Lounge. We will have our usual tables near Student Life, Garden Club will do herb planting in the Atrium, and we’ll do a worm bin raffle.

Ongoing Business

Old Business

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

Anticipated Travel for UW Madison Earth Day conference: -$400

BALANCE as of today: $298.93

FY14-15 potential budget items

• LSC Earth Day 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

Next Meeting

Next regular meeting April 3^rd 10:00 in Student Life Conference Room

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

Meeting Minutes 2/6/2015

10:00 – 11:30

Student Life Conference Room

Attendance

Governing Council Members present: Glenn Merrick, Kristi Heintz, Mike Francisco, Theresa Hornstein, Deanne Roquet, Wade Gordon, Jane Marynik

General Members present:

Guest Present:

Announcements

New Business

Heather attended to discuss 2015 Earth Day plans. We’ll hold the LSC Earth Day Celebration on April 22^nd with a focus on Climate Change and its impact on food. Theresa and Deanne shared EPA’s willingness to send a representative to speak and also provide assistance at career themed events. They will check on EPA’s ability to speak to the Climate Change theme on April 22^nd. Kristi will talk with Bruce about possibly offering a special “Earth Day menu”, focused on meatless options. We could also show the documentary series, Years of Living Dangerously in the Student Lounge.

A working committee will meet in mid-February to discuss planning further; Kristi will send a calendar request to everyone for that meeting.

Kristi gave a brief Composting Pilot update. Mel is weighing the compostable in the bin daily. Kristi will meet with Susie from WLSSD next week Wednesday. Wade requested that we discuss responsibility for unwanted dumping and ask how the program has been received in different neighborhoods.

Bruce requested larger compost bags for the Café, Mike motioned to spend about $30 on a box of compost bags, Deanne seconded, motion carried unopposed.

The RFP for 2015 UMACS Regional Conference in Bemidji is out and due February 13^th. This year’s these should focus on “healthy planet = healthy people, campuses, and community”.   Kristi will send the email from UMACS to meeting attendees. Send suggestions to Kristi asap.

Kristi has posted a position on the LSC student employment page for an additional Student Employee for design of informational/educational signage related to our landscape and raingardens, student senate legacy garden liaison and spring outside work. This person may also work on the SWCD stormwater BMP project.

Glenn contacted SWCD to find out if they had any stormwater-related grant monies available. They do, and we’ll receive an $8,000 Clean Water Partnership grant, which the Council and groundskeeping team will use to install a new rain garden at the lower parking lot exit.

The Council discussed a need to bring in some fresh ideas and representation from other divisions. The Council will hold and advertise an open meeting, with a focus on introducing the Sustainability Council’s role on campus, during times of “hands-on” project needs a couple of times per year. We’ll hold an afternoon meeting, the first in Feb-March for Earth Day planning and landscape input and then perhaps at the beginning of fall semester. All current members are encouraged to bring a friend to that meeting!

Ongoing Business

Sustainability related purchasing and use policies and procedures will be discussed at the March meeting.

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

Anticipated Travel for UW Madison Earth Day conference: -$400

BALANCE as of today: $340.47

FY14-15 potential budget items

• LSC Earth Day 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

Next Meeting

Next regular meeting March 6^th at 10:00 in Student Life Conference Room.

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

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 20^th, 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 6^th at 10:00 in Student Life Conference Room.

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