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08/15/2007 - Worksession f' < ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY BOARD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES CITY OF CLEARWATER Wednesday, August 15th, 2007 in the MSB Conference # 130 @ 4:00pm Present: D. Michael Flanery Richard Packman Joseph A. Calio Ron Gregory Scott Rice Veronica Josef Chair Board Member Board Member Board Member Asst. Director Eng./Environmental/Stormwater Senior Staff Assistant Also Present: Anna Fusari Citizen Absent Sandra Jamieson Ed Chesney Leslie Dougall Sides Board Member Environmental Manager Asst. City Attorney II APPROVED The Chair Mike Flanerv called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in the MSB Building, Conference Room # 130. To provide continuity for research, items are in agenda order although not necessarily discussed in that order. 1. CITIZENS COMMENTS Citizen Anna Fusari stated that she had done a research online on the Green Building Coalition for the Environmental Advisory Board and how this can identify the support structure in Greens movement from the government point of view and what it is like to go through the program. Chair Mike Flanerv advised Anna Fusari to prepare a 2 page report on the Green Building Coalition online research which will be discussed at the next EAB meeting. 2. UPDATES ON DR. ROBERT BRINKMANN. USF D. Scott Rice gave brief summary on the meeting that took place with Dr. Robert Brinkmann USF Department Chair: . Four students have signed up for the program and 2 of them were SWFMD employees and will be expecting 7 to 10 more students for this program. . The first class starts Wednesday, August 29th and requested if someone from the City would like to attend. Outline was prepared by Dr Brinkmann for the students on the following: · Statement of Understanding a. USF students looking at the greening of Clearwater b. Support from the leadership in the City of Clearwater and access to data, people etc. within the City. · Focal Areas a. Understanding the nature of Clearwater within the context of greening b. Carbon and climate change Environmental Advisory 2007-8-15 . Possible Research Areas a. What opportunities are present for Clearwater to improve within the context of greening the City and how can the improvement be measured. b. Programs that were successful in other communities can be used in Clearwater. c. Short and long term strategies that Clearwater can use to become a leader and unique challengers to achieving environmental sustain ability. d. How can Clearwater best address the Governor's challenge on climate change. e. How the City can reduce their energy/water/resource consumption through the development of distinct policies and practices. f. Types of stakeholders, landscape assets, businesses and organizations are present in Clearwater that make environmental sustainability programs possible in the future. . Possible master's thesis examining landscape from the context of wildlife sustainability. D. Scott Rice also stated that early September Dr. Brinkmann would like to set up a stake holders meeting, an opportunity for the public to comment and get ideas before the program gets started. Dr. Brinkman also talked about contacting and getting information from the Chamber of Commerce. Member Ron Greaory stated that . The City can also have a policy about how it encourages ecological spaces in the City. . Beach Chambers and the Regional Chamber or downtown development group to solicit input from business communities. Insert items in myclearwater.com website on green initiatives and energy efficiency in the City 3. WELLHEAD PROTECTION ORDINANCE D. Scott Rice appreciated the comments and concerns the EAB board members had on the discrepancy between the 1000 ft. mitigation area vs 500 ft radius. D. Scott Rice also stated that when the Utilities site a new well they doubled that 500 ft and looked at the interference with their wells and also the contamination. The Wellhead Protection Ordinance was presented and approved by the City Council at the first reading and also discussed the difference between the mitigation area and the radius. This will now go to the 2nd reading in the September meeting. 4. DISCUSSION ITEMS a. Bottle vs Tap Water Member Joe Calio distributed an article from the New York Times that stated bottle water is just tap water and it takes 1 and a half million barrels of oil to make the bottles. Chair Mike Flanery stated that municipal water supplies have a higher assurance of quality as they are subject to much higher water standards and more extensive testing requirements of the US EPA. b. Toilet Flush - Member Joe Calio stated that the County was offering a rebate of $ 100 for Clearwater residents on the purchase of a 1.6 gallon toilet flush. This program has been effective for the past two years. Inquired if IT could put this in the C.News to give residents the opportunity to be aware of the $100 rebate program. Member Joe Calio also distributed advertisement that Progress Energy was offering $10,000 in energy saving improvements. Member Ron Greaory stated that the City of Clearwater can identify itself as a environmentally friendly green city in promoting tourism, with a geographically friendly and energy efficiency City. Environmental Advisory 2007-8-15 2 '" . , . Member Ron Greaorv also suggested that: · The City use Dr. Brinkmann's graduate students to identify these support structures for the greens initiatives. · The students can supply us a lot of background research and presentation on energy efficiency and building standards. · If St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Pinellas County are actively moving in that direction within our area we can attract people to an environmentally clean city and encourage tourism. · EAB needs to set up a frame work or an agenda for the next meeting with Dr. Brinkmann on what EAB is trying to achieve by end of December with a list of items to go forward with his students to analyze some of the issues that may be into process, some may be in policies, some in ecological or engineering aspects. · The students can identify and examine those items whether it is the use of bio fuel or lighting or energy efficiency. · Eventually send to the City Council recommendations for greens, energy efficiency and other items that can be acted as policy or changes in procedures. Member Richard Packman informed the EAB that the Green EXPO is on May 3rd and May 4th, 2008 and also stated that the EAB can help coordinate with the Green EXPO and see what the various City departments can contribute. If Clearwater is serious towards moving to a green city, then Clearwater needs to actively involve in the promotion of the Green EXPO event. 6. ESTABLISH AGENDA Review the meeting with Dr. Brinkmann Discussion and comments on how this program is progressing with Dr. Brinkmann Green Building Coalition Select topic for C-View and website To Discuss the City's and the EAB involvement with the Green EXPO 7. DATE OF NEXT MEETING The next EAB meeting is on Wednesday, September 19th, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. in the MSB # 221. 8. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 p.m. air Environmental Advisory Board 9;,,/07 Dated / Attest: ~exo~CA-- ~~~ Veronica Josef Senior Staff Assistant Environmental Advisory 2007-8-15 ~ \ \C\ ~Ol Dated 3