HomeMy WebLinkAboutGTF Minutes 07-7-09
MINUTES
July 7, 2009 – 12:00 P.M.
CITY OF DOWNEY
GREEN TASK FORCE – REGULAR MEETING
Downey City Library – Cormack Room
11121 Brookshire Ave., Downey, California
Mission Statement
●
Improve the public’s knowledge and business community’s knowledge of
environmental topics and how their participation helps everyone
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Encourage practices to protect the environment, our city and the public’s health
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Address community environmental concerns and potential solutions and advise the
City Council on possible courses of action
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Focus on immediate and long-term solutions for conservation, sustainability and
education.
CALL TO ORDER:
12:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Chairman Dn. Mario Guerra, Vice Chairman Luis Marquez, Bob Ciatti,
Lars Clutterham, Tom Davidson, Sally Flowers, Robert Phillips, Robert Rubio, and
Sylvia Southerland. Others in attendance included Desi Alvarez.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Minutes from the June 2, 2009 meeting were not available and will be considered
for approval at a future meeting.
2. REPORT FROM THE EDUCATION WORKING GROUP:
Education Working Group Chair Lars Clutterham provided an overview of the
working group meeting. There followed a discussion on the Council’s expectations
of the Green Task Force and that it needed to focus on developing a specific work
product. There was agreement that the task force would identify “low hanging
fruit” and may make some recommendations to the City Council for action while
developing its major work items.
3. SUSTAINABILITY WORKING GROUP:
Sustainability Working Group Chair Bob Ciatti gave a report on the working
group’s discussion. The Sustainability Working Group identified 3 focus areas –
water stewardship, energy conservation, and recycling. The Working Group Chair
then asked Working Group Member Sally Flowers to discuss water conservation.
Green Task Force Minutes 07/07/09
MINUTES – 7/7/09
Green Task Force
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Working Group Member Flowers made a presentation on the need for the City to
update its water conservation ordinance so that it would be in compliance with new
requirements imposed by the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) to qualify for
MWD grants. Working Group Member Flowers provided the group with a written
summary of material that needed to be included in the City’s Water Conservation
Ordinance and a draft ordinance. Following discussion on the item, Task Force
Member Sylvia Southerland made a motion that the Task Force make a
recommendation to the City Council that the Council update its water conservation
ordinance, seconded by Task Force Member Robert Rubio. The motion passed
with Task Force members Ciatti, Flowers, Davidson, Molinari, Rubio, Southerland,
Marquez and Guerra voting “yes” and Task Force member Clutterhan voting “no.”
There was a discussion on the need for the City to remove impediments to the
installation of devices and systems that would result in a reduction in electrical
energy consumption created by fees and regulations.
Chairman Dn. Mario Guerra informed the Task Force that the City Council had
discussed reducing the permit fee for installing solar cells and had asked that an
ordinance reducing such fees be developed. Task Force Member Flowers made a
motion that the Task Force recommend that the City Council review the permit fee
for installation of solar cells and adopt an ordinance reducing the current fees.
The motion was seconded by Task Force Member Molinaro and passed by
unanimous vote.
4. TASK FORCE MEMBER COMMENTS AND REQUESTS FOR
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
The Task Force asked that a tour of the County Sanitation District’s DART facility
be arranged.
ADJOURNMENT
: 2:00 p.m.
Green Task Force Minutes 07/07/09