HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017_11_14 Sustainability Collaborative Minutes TOM Sustainability Collaborative
2017.1114
Town of Mamaroneck Sustainability Collaborative
Meeting Notes, November 14, 2017
Attendees: Nancy Seligson, Mitch Green, Frank Owens, Michele Lewis, Marc Karell,Arlene Novich, Sue
Odierna, Karen Khor,June Wallach, Caroline Lee, Colin Goldberg
Minutes of October meeting were approved.
Colin Goldberg,Volunteer with the Village of Mamaroneck's Committee for the Environment was introduced.
Future Meeting Dates for 2017:
December 5th
Biking Lane Network
1 Continue to need more community outreach to demonstrate to TB and Traffic Committee that
residents support bike lanes. Increase the numbers of signatures on support letters.Support letters
were signed at summer concerts and farmers market. This initiative continuing this fall at farmers
market. Currently have about 150 signatures. Farmers Market ends in December. Outreach going
forward?
2 Buy additional bike racks (Town Center and Memorial Park). Older bike racks from Memorial Park
will be moved to Larchmont Train Station.
3 Paint sharrows on appropriate roads (narrowed down to primarily Town roads for commuters and
students)See attached
Action Item 1: Collabs'sharrow suggestions were provide to the Police and Highway departments for their
review. Their responses and the request of the Collabs will be shared with the Town Board.
Action Item 2: Mitch to revise bike route map with better/clearer graphics to improve location information
Action Item 3: Present revised bike route map with one recommended bike route to Town Board in January
Food Waste Recycling
Volunteers continue to work at the Larchmont Farmers Market promoting and selling the Food Waste starter kits
each Saturday. Residents can also drop off food waste at Market(in addition to Maxwell Avenue Center)
until market's last day on Dec. 16th. Karen reported that over 260 kits have been sold and that there is a very
good response to this program at the Larchmont Farmers Market. Two to three bins fill with food waste at the
market every day. Sales of kits vary from 4 or 5 to over 20 there. Karen also reported that kits were
promoted/sold at other Oct/Nov events: Fall Truck Festival, Ragamuffin Parade and at the Larchmont Library as
well. A survey to see why residents sign up was suggested. In addition, Karen met with local school reps to
discuss the program and arranged a tour of Scarsdale school for them--where program is in effect—to show our
reps how it works.
Action Item 1: Need banners promoting program(for VFW wall)and TOM Kiosk at Myrtle/Chatsworth corner
and sign for Weaver/Palmer corner. (Update: Michele/Sue in process of ordering)
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Action Item 2: Should a survey be created to see why residents sign up? Marketing/Communications
strategy going forward?
Action Item 3: Send Marc K. email addresses of VOM residents interested in program(Sue 0 to do)
Action Item 4: VOM volunteer Colin asked about restaurants'food waste;would be great to get them on
board with program. VOL restaurants get their trash picked up by Joint Commission so this
could work. Need to speak with Steve Altieri.
Action Item 5: Could compostable bags be sold at local stores such as Foley's?
Reusable Bag Initiative(RBI)
New volunteer, Gabrielle A is leading up the RBI. Sue reported for Gabrielle that the next step is the Bag Design
Contest for interested kids and adults. Contest to start in January 2018 after school holiday break and end prior
to February break. California schools use reusable bags as school fundraisers and programs are very successful.
Clean Energy Communities
The Town Board decided to apply to upgrade the condensers and air handlers of the remaining old air
conditioners at the Town Center for the$50,000 CEC grant application that was submitted on Nov. 11tn
NYSERDA will take 2-3 months to let Town know if they've accepted the application. The Town Board chose this
to reduce GHG's for Town operations. Related to energy, Nancy reported that Celtic Energy is auditing
Honeywell's report on streetlight energy usage.
Collaborative "Retreat"—this Saturday, Nov. 18th, 10am-1 pm at Weaver St. Firehouse
The Zero Emissions Summit held this past September at Scandinavia House inspired Nancy/Mitch/Michele to
revisit the Collaborative's Sustainability Plan and Collaborative goals, and to look ahead from "the ground up"—
on a local level see what can be done to reduce greenhouse gases. Goal of retreat is to look back at what we've
done and see where we need to go to improve. Goal for next year, 5 year goal, etc.
Collabs would like to know how much energy the Town uses(including residents and businesses). Is an individual
carbon footprint survey possible?Can we show residents how much better off we are than in other cities like
Houston,Atlanta,for example, and also compare us to cities we strive to be like?
Action Item 1: Meet Saturday for three hour retreat, most Collabs members available to attend and
additional volunteers attending as well. Sue to bring easels,flip charts, markers and documents:
• "The Plan for a Resilient and Sustainable Mamaroneck"
• Zero Summit's Citizen Pledge
• List of Environmental Accomplishments
Action Item 2: Sue to contact Europa McGovern with NYSERDA to see if she could give us a sense of how
much energy the Town uses,community-wide.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15pm.The Retreat will be this Saturday, Nov. 18th and the next monthly
Collaborative meeting will be Tuesday, December 5th at 6 pm at the VFW in the large dining room.
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