Session 08-01 a Special Meeting of the Homer City Council was called to order at 5:31 p.m. on January 14, 2008 by Mayor James C. Hornaday at the Homer City Hall Cowles Council Chambers located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.

 

PRESENT:     COUNCILMEMBERS:        CHESLEY, HEIMBUCH, NOVAK, ROBERTS,                                                                                SHADLE, WYTHE

 

                        STAFF:                                   CITY MANAGER WREDE

                                                                        CITY CLERK JOHNSON

 

Council met as a Committee of the Whole from 4:00 to 5:13 p.m. regarding City Planning Powers, Water/Sewer Rates – Commercial Users and Regular Meeting Agenda items.

 

AGENDA APPROVAL

(Only those matters on the noticed agenda may be considered, pursuant to City Council’s Operating Manual, pg. 5)

 

The agenda was approved by consensus of the City Council.

 

PUBLIC COMMENTS UPON MATTERS ALREADY ON THE AGENDA

 

None.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

A.                 Climate Action Plan

 

A memorandum from Finance Director Harville regarding cost savings on implementation of energy conservation measures was presented.

 

Alan Parks, Chairman of the Global Warming Task Force (GWTF), conveyed in his conversation with Finance Director Harville she is in agreement of the figures depicted if energy consumption is reduced. Cost savings of $100,000 or more can be realized through reduced fuel and electricity usage. The measures to achieve are up for discussion. Mr. Parks’ intern counted light bulbs city-wide and calculated the savings with LED replacements. Implementation needs to occur before cost savings can be measured.

 

The memorandum included cities, their population and energy cost savings after implementation of some measures. Although none of the cities compared to the size of Homer, percentages of savings were consistent.

 

Councilmembers Wythe and Heimbuch expressed concern that the overall savings would not pay for a sustainability coordinator. Interim measures could be implemented now, but staffing a position is a huge responsibility.

 

Councilmember Wythe provided a phased plan to implement measures with the first phase having immediate impacts and results:

 

Phase I

  1. Energy audits.
  2. Review costs and processes of renewable alternative recommendations – will pay for self in lifetime?
  3. Cost of replacing heat loss for replacing incandescent light bulbs with LED – are we losing energy efficiency by trading bulbs?
  4. Review indoor and outdoor lighting alternatives, those that will not interfere with safety?
  5. Carbon footprint associated with recycling?
  6. Full disclosure of life cycle costs of products with LEED?
  7. Review process prior to installation of wind generators on the Spit? Five windmills on the Spit for view? Cost and life cycle, maintenance?
  8. Review costs and processes required to develop alternative power resources if it is viable.
  9. Encourage use of electronic data sharing where viable.
  10. Review retention regulations to see what hard copies need to be maintained.
  11. Develop sustainability accounts, for labor and staff, time can be charged there, can track expenses.

 

Phase II

1.      Develop an implementation plan and 10 year plan.

2.      Review successes of sustainability/develop two year and 10 year implementation plan.

3.      Review total expenditures for Phase I implementations.

 

Councilmember Chesley is excited about the Climate Action Plan (CAP) and moving forward. If we plan for success money can be raised from outside sources to pay and sustain the CAP effort. We can bring in money from all over the world to sustain Homer. Working with Homer Electric Association we could be certified as a carbon offset project. People could contribute to a carbon offset program and it could be placed on the City’s website as well. We could partner with Alaska Airlines and leverage money from Senator Lisa Murkowski and Governor Sarah Palin. Councilmember Chesley proposed the following percentages that funds from a sustainability fund could be used to accomplish tasks towards implementation of the CAP:

  • Project Manager Public Works – 25%
  • Maintenance - X%
  • Grants/Fundraising – 15%
  • Policy Development - 10%
  • Finance Reporting - 5%

 

Mayor Hornaday asked if the additional work would be assigned to existing employees. He voiced concern of the current heavy workload of staff.

 

Councilmember Chesley proposed the measures could be done for the first year to fund monies to pay for a sustainability coordinator. At the end of the first year we will have the money to pay a sustainability coordinator. The only way to achieve success is to know what our goal is.

 

Mayor Hornaday commented it would be putting an extreme amount of work on existing employees. The City cannot do audits and he questioned dumping the added work on existing employees.

 

Discussion ensued on contracting outside the existing staff to have some things done. Special Projects Coordinator Holen does grant writing already. City Manager Wrede commented if it is short-term to jumpstart something to be self perpetuating, it may be possible, but it would place extreme pressure on existing staff. Staff could be relieved of some things, but other work would be lost. The Project Manager position for Public Works has been a long time in coming and he would not want to put any more than 25% of the work on them.

 

Councilmember Heimbuch commented the CAP is a win, win plan through energy efficiency. We need to create a punch list to segregate long term measures. Council’s job is to figure out how to edit and tailor the plan.

 

Councilmember Novak does not support any responsibility on the new Project Manager at Public Works. There is plenty of work on the table right now. A half time position with a community focus would help more. Councilmember Roberts commented City employees do care, the CAP reports energy savings we could make. She favors a sustainability fund to get people to buy in. Councilmember Shadle said all can agree the CAP is a very good looking plan; we can listen to each other and try to work it out.

 

Asked if a sustainability coordinator could complete an energy audit, Alan Parks answered the audit would require a contractor that knows how to do it. Global Warming Task Force Member Dr. John Lemons commented the decision to hire someone is discretionary for the City. Energy audits and addressing issues and concerns requires a lot of expertise; City employees do not have the expertise. A lot of cities have grappled with the question of hiring someone with expertise or farming it out to consultants. A lot of cities have used monies to fund a salaried position rather than on studies.

 

Councilmember Chesley noted the two resolutions in tonight’s meeting to create a sustainability account and establish a collaborative relationship with HEA. We rely on HEA’s expertise on energies. A further budget ordinance amendment for the $15,000 recycling fund transfer to the sustainability fund is forthcoming. Councilmember Chesley talked with Rick Eckert of HEA to see if the GWTF had relations with HEA, as a good faith relationship with HEA is needed before bringing in energy alternates. Councilmember Shadle noted the two councilmembers appointed to meet with HEA are not experts about energy and savings and it would be a good idea to put someone like Dr. John Lemons with City Manager Wrede to talk to HEA.

 

Councilmember Novak expressed consensus that an expert in the community could be a big help in talks with HEA. He questioned Council involvement as it could become political. Currently there is in excess of $45,000 in contributions for a sustainability coordinator. He questioned if Council was willing to spend the money on hiring a sustainability person?

 

Councilmember Chesley voiced appreciation of the parties that put the money forward, although he agrees with the recent editorial that if the Pebble Mine group offered $100,000 to the City to help put through mineral leases it would open questions.

 

City Manager Wrede noted that the $45,000 is with The Homer Foundation and the money will stay there until Council decides if they want to accept it. A MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) would be needed to stipulate what the money can be used for. The donors will be asked if the money must be tied to a coordinator, or could it be used for something else? It could be used for another group to implement part of the CAP. Information will forthcoming on the status of the money and the choices.

 

Discussion ensued on the use of the money either to fund a sustainability coordinator or for contract work. Official action is needed to accept the money.

 

Council voiced the need to agree on measures for implementing the CAP. Resolutions may be brought forward to do so. By consensus it was agreed the CAP would be discussed at the next Committee of the Whole.

 

COMMENTS OF THE AUDIENCE

 

Alan Parks, Global Warming Task Force Chair, appreciates the Council’s work on the CAP. He commented Regina’s memorandum information on the population and savings is incomplete. When thinking of a punch list, the base year could be 2006. Start on establishing a monitoring program and collect data.        

 

COMMENTS OF THE CITY ATTORNEY

 

City Attorney Tans was not present.

 

COMMENTS OF THE CITY CLERK

 

City Clerk Johnson had no comments.

 

COMMENTS OF THE CITY MANAGER

 

City Manager Wrede had no comments.

 

COMMENTS OF THE MAYOR

 

Mayor Hornaday had no comments.

 

COMMENTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

 

Councilmembers had no comments.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Council the meeting was adjourned at 6:49 p.m. by Mayor James C. Hornaday. The next Committee of the Whole is scheduled for Monday, January 28, 2008 at 4 p.m. Next Regular Meeting is Monday, January 28, 2008 at 7 p.m. All meetings are scheduled to be held in the City Hall Cowles Council Chambers.

 

______________________________

JO JOHNSON, CMC, CITY CLERK

 

Approved: _____________________