Sustainable Moraga General Meeting Minutes, October 3, 2007
Moraga Library* Call to order, 7:00 pm
* Approval of September General Meeting minutes
* Treasurer Report: Current balance ~$1,500; additional revenue from canopy rentals ($100.00)
* Approval of proposed agenda
* Announcements:
o Library Project: The president met with Friends of the Library and Phil Vince, Town Manager, and gained support for evaluating sustainable energy systems for the library. He has asked several alternative energy companies to provide cost estimates. We also heard that the Bay Area Air Quality (BAAQ) received a grant for $3 million, to award submissions for climate change issues. SM will research the grant requirements to see if the Library project can qualify.
o A motion was proposed and passed as follows: SM is endorses exploration of solar, geo-thermal and similar renewable technologies as part of the library renovation Capital Improvement Project (CIP).
o A second motion was proposed and passed to form a committee to draft the grant and to present it to the Town. A meeting will be held on Sunday, 10/7 at the Bistro in Rheem, to evaluate the grant requirements and if SM can help complete it. If the grant requires a 501c(3) status, Vice Mayor on behalf of Generation Green, offered to co-write the grant. Next step is to cost out the proposed project.
o Announcements for related meetings: 10/9: Friends of the Library, 7:00; 10/11: Sustainable Lafayette; 10/12: How to Keep Green Buildings Green.
* Committee Reports:
1. CFL Bulb Project: The grant request was submitted to Cliff Bar, but it needs to be from a non-profit – one attendee offered to have her 501c3 organization submit under their umbrella - Generation Green
2. Battery Collection Program: SM rec’d response from Solid Waste Authority, acknowledging SM input on unsatisfactory battery collection efforts by SWA. SWA set forth steps for improvement, and will use Lafayette as a test site. They were supposed to build battery collection stands and make them visible in front of Longs stores, as well as send postcards to notify people of the service. These steps have not yet been implemented. It was recommended that SM stay on top of the SWA and attend meetings when batteries are on their agenda. We reminded group of the Battery Committee
3. A motion was made to have Battery committee handle all battery business and to discuss detailed strategies at separate battery meetings.
4. Green Bags: Sales continue on Saturdays in front of Safeway and we have additional volunteers. Several new bag ideas were presented: holiday bag sales, red and green, as gifts and/or to hold gifts; joint elementary school/SM sale. Also discussed Farmer’s Market options, but we can’t sell at Moraga’s, and others sell their own. Barbara offered to provide information to these other Farmer’s markets. Also discussed how we can eliminate plastic at the retail and/or Town level – as SF and Oakland have both banned plastic to some degree. Bag committee to research how they approached it. Volunteers on Green Bag committee to hold separate meeting to be scheduled to evaluate all options.
5. Realtor Bags: no new information
6. St. Mary’s Green Group: no new information, not present
* New Business:
1. Recycling at Miramonte High School: The president has met with the Environmental Science teacher at Miramonte, and SWA, and has introduced the idea to the Superintendent of Acalanes School District; all are supportive of enhancing the recycling efforts on campus. He will continue to meet with them to establish a plan.
2. Speaker’s Event: SM has talked with St. Mary’s about co-sponsoring a Speaker’s Event. Originally planned for Fall 2007, SM realized we wanted more lead time to flesh out the idea, the theme, the speaker(s) and marketing opportunities.
A motion was proposed and passed that SM as a group is supportive and committed to put this event on in the spring – Feb or March, depending on outcome of meeting with St. Mary’s. The exploratory committee for this project is scheduled to meet to with the college.
3. New Membership: Discussed need for Membership committee and reorganization of meeting structure, perhaps separating administrative business with other, more informational meetings. Suggestions included having a topic/speaker/information at monthly meetings, and do all administrative business at Board meeting. Also discussed ways to make meetings more social, fun, nurturing, topical – such as serving food/drink, alternative locations.