In attendance: Sandra Bravo, Kathleen Bigford, Jenny Locke-Howley, Susan Reeder Moss, Laura Ryder
August Minutes approved
- Community Power
- Review of 9/18/23 presentation by the Community Power Coalition of NH (CPCNH) to the Select Board and residents. Only a few attendees outside of the Select Board and Energy Committee, but it was an informative presentation that generated good discussion. We will need to work on how to increase attendance for public hearings. Possible outreach: Newspaper articles, lawn signs, handouts, website (modeled after other towns who have already been through this). Jenny will take the lead on getting something connected to the town website. Look at Warner’s Community Power Committee website at: https://warner.nh.us/departments/compwr/
- Update on next steps to join CPCNH
- Jenny will attend the Sept 25th Select Board Meeting and request the Select Board to approve moving forward with the Coalition to implement Community Power in Bradford.
- This is a non-binding agreement, and can be canceled at any time. There are no fees associated with the application process.
- Town Hall Renovation Project – See Bradford Bridge for updates.
- Municipal Weatherization Status
- Highway Garage Update – The required documentation was submitted to NHSaves for the Town to receive the incentive payment of $4,316.65. We will track heating oil and electricity use and costs over the next year.
- Fire Station – The work is expected to begin this month. Waiting for updated info from Shakes to Shingles. They will meet with the chief to discuss logistics of how to do the work without impeding access to emergency equipment.
- CIP plan meeting this week. Completion of the library weatherization is in the CIP plan for 2024. Weatherization for the BACC is scheduled for 2025. We will not ask to add to any energy related costs to the CIP plan at this point. The scope of needed work may change for the BACC once the Town Hall is reopened. Grants may also be available depending on how the BACC is used.
- Solar Energy – No updates.
- Heat Pumps – No updates.
- Kearsarge Climate Action – Most recent meeting was September 13. Topics included discussions on:
- Plan for increased outreach and publicity; Attracting new members and revitalizing their work.
- With KCA and Hannaford support the Center for Ecotechnology (CET) is reaching out to a sample of local food waste generating businesses and schools to understand current activities regarding the handling of food waste. Following the study the feasibility of implementing a Business Food Waste Diversion program in the Kearsarge Region will be determined. There is no cost to study participants.
- Sandra agreed to be the Bradford Town Coordinator and has started contacting some of the food waste generating businesses and schools located in Bradford:
- Pizza Chef
- Wicked Sweet Café
- Sweet Beet Market – already works with Compost Association of VT for organic composting at the Sweet Beet Farm.
- Dunkin
- Rosewood Inn
- Appleseed Restaurant: Food waste is already going to local pigs
- Kearsarge Elementary School
- Legislative Updates
- A good place to stay on top of NH legislative updates is through the https://www.newhampshirenetwork.org/NH-bills
- Look at the farm bill, also new solar generation legislation.
- BEC Public Outreach
- BEC ran an article on Community Power in the September Bradford Bridge
- In future Bridge publications: For October we will report on the Select Board vote and application to CPCNH. November will publicize a public hearing about joining CPCNH.
- BEC will be participating in the Community Fair at Sweet Beet on September 23 from 11-2. We will have information about the Community Power Coalition. We are also planning on using educational props provided by the NH Energy and Education Project (NHEEP) to teach hands-on activities for kids (and adults!) geared to understanding how to use less energy and to explore clean energy technology.
- Other Items
- Economic Development Committee looking at opportunities for EV Charging Station in Bradford. Can we assist in this process?
- Window Dressers: Kearsarge Climate Action and Kearsarge Neighborhood Partners are sponsoring a week-long event in New London, November 9-16, to build energy saving window inserts sponsored by Window Dressers, a non-profit. Check out https://windowdressers.org/ for more info.
- Window Dressers needs all kinds of volunteers including assemblers, wrappers and help with food. Susan and Sandra will sign-up and also try to recruit a few other volunteers. To volunteer:
1) Click this link to see our SignUp on SignUp: https://signup.com/go/vhrGnjv
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
3) Sign up! It’s Easy – you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.
Note: SignUp does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Lori Cox (lorilaicox@outlook.com) and she can sign you up manually.
Conclude: Oct 17 next meeting at BACC, 5-6pm.