City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Sustainable Practices, 22 Sep 2022

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From YouTube: 9.22.2022 Sustainable Practices Blue Ribbon Committee

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9.22.2022 Sustainable Practices Blue Ribbon Committee

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That's something uh your coordinates up, speed, petroleum right here.

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Herb lloyd bill lyons, aubrey, guerrer cory brooks jessica.

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Kate cook all right wheels.

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With attendance all right, uh it's not going to be minutes. Now I saw from the emails that there was two months of minutes.

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Yes, that you sent forward it's an issue upselled here last month,.

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uh Just fixing little things are there any discussion about the minutes.

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You have a motion to accept accepted.

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Right all right, I wrote the initials damage.

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uh Transportation and climate action room update. I will do this very.

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Quickly, as promised to peter apologies for creating a new acronym with the characters.

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um I um the august meeting I talked to the committee about plans, climate solutions to.

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Put together a transportation employment working group to surface some early ideas for the climate.

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Action plan so, thirdly, early input connected to be determined to community engagement with.

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The equipment, action plan and things are well underway. We have a group of very active six.

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Very active unfortunate residents, plus occasional participation from fort smith, high school we've.

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Got three students who are interested but very busy and are welcome to pop in and out when.

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They can um so we've been meeting weekly and uh we've come up with about six give or take six.

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Seven eight priority areas and we're researching the sportsman context for these. These are are.

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Geared toward reducing transportation sector uh greenhouse gas emissions in two categories, one is.

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Reducing trips by single occupant uh vehicle drivers, reducing emissions from those fossil.

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Fuel building burning single trips and the other is shifting from traditional fuel vehicles to to.

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Alternative fuels, particularly ed, so those two categories: most of the proposals we're working.

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On are related to the first uh mode shift. One is a new types of public transportation, shared.

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Mobility micro mobility, micro transit, lots of buzzwords, but basically sharing vehicles and.

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Reducing single occupancy trips uh trying out some new things, like maybe a loop around portsmouth.

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Complement existing pixar bus service, what would go from major origins and destinations directly.

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Without really, what's more of a radial system with coast and connecting neighboring communities to.

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Something that's more frequent, either a fixed, fixed schedule, a fixed route or using some app.

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Types of platform for something more flexible and second improved walking and biking really.

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Pivoting off of the city bike pedestrian plan, looking to connectivity to the new greenway that.

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Will be in place in 20, 2023 and really looking at these sorts of approaches is connected. One.

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To the other, and not silos, and not not one-off sorts of things of focus on community engagement.

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Particularly on understanding the value and the attractiveness of alternative modes. So but now.

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The community understanding and willingness to try new things. We could build lots of bike paths and.

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Run off some buses, but I think people will still be wedded to their normal ways of travel so that.

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Would involve working with the broad community, employers, hospitality, industry and schools and.

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The climate action plan really gives a perfect opportunity to add some impetus and interest.

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In the alternative modes, not only to capture point where you are to where you need to go, but.

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Also, to address the climate goals and connecting land use and transportation, particularly for new.

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Developments in affordable housing so that we're sure that the alternative types of transportation.

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Are there for new developments, particularly for new housing, affordable housing that might be.

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Coming, let's say on one south encouraging shifts to evs, and that would be finding a.

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A strong role, practical roles for portsmouth to support that and finally, looking at trips.

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That begin in and outside of the city limits of sportsman and uh by really coordinating with the.

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Regional planning agency to see what kinds of trip production and management would be done, uh we're.

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Trying to set these different strategies and enforcement contexts and then looking.

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At some really nice best practices from peer communities, beginning with climate action plans,.

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And how they've approached the transportation sector- and our idea is to try this so it fits.

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Well, with the development of the climate action plan, and then you know talked to peter about.

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Maybe having our findings to present to this committee at the at the november meeting with.

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Short short summaries and a briefing but we're very flexible, we want to make sure.

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That the timing aligns with with what's going on on the action plan, and I think when we do.

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Our presentation it'll be very much a work in progress with in input ideas, feedback.

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Other suggestions to be discussed and and added, if there's an interest, so thank you.

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Session questions they'll just clarify when you said to presented by your. Where were you.

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Thinking to present here again or if you're at the city council to present it here, so I think.

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The sequence is first to deployment solutions group, and then we do on wednesday yeah that we.

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We do on wednesday get input on that and then to this committee. So I think the target audience is.

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First, putting a solution. Second, this committee and any interesting city staff yeah, that's right, yeah.

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Other words, no, I guess I I just had a thought. Sorry.

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um So in november, like we talked about you'll, be far long enough to present sort of bindings, but.

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I think it's also a good opportunity to figure out how we fit that in the climate action plan.

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And what what needs to happen with it so so making sense. It's a work in progress so.

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It'll, be then the next step is to integrated in the prime detection plan, or maybe just take.

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Recommendations forward from this from this point, but also right here or feed it into the community.

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Engagement, no because these are really intended as uh food for thought. It's like taking a state.

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And breaking the turf off and putting some ideas on the table, and I think if you look at to your.

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Employment action plans; they they really pretty much have these these elements in it. Thank you.

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For moving on to green buildings, the subcommittee update, who will be presenting that I can.

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um So here avion I've met. Why? Yes, I believe, since the last meeting.

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And we had the opportunity to speak with department of public works.

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um It's very delightful: we've had we've done a lot of discussions and started drafting what we would.

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Like the proposed policy of possibly be um we're talking a municipal, specific scale on so actions,.

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By the city for city controlled entities um right now, the name we're going with is municipal, green.

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Buildings and infrastructure policy, we added the infrastructure because stopping and building walls.

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Doesn't actually work when you're really looking at the scale and what type of things we're doing.

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um And so we started drafting uh what you know was in the policy and what we're thinking and.

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We had a conversations works to start. You know they're going to be very active in this policy.

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Right there and other people in the end of the day, who are going to be interacting like.

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So we wanted to make sure everyone early in the process, so it wasn't a reactionary tape.

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Action that was working with them and I think we got some good feedback from that. But we're.

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Gonna incorporate into the draft that we're working on and with the hope of probably a.

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Couple more rounds of feedback um from dpw and then, as we move forward from this group from.

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So that we can get the uh from my understanding, probably be in at least two meetings, probably a workshops.

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But that's down the road, so I think we're in a really good spot. We've made a lot of progress.

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um We didn't want to get like two-way down into the you know exactly. What's in it, because.

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It's still being worked out, but just kind of general overview. um You know we're looking at.

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Big buildings and what type of rating standard we think is appropriate for new buildings in the city.

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um That's pretty all-encompassing, but we also, you know with the type of place that.

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We would want to look at beyond just new buildings, because that happens. It's not.

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All that often it's important what it does, but that's not what's happening day to day.

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um So also looking at existing things like roof replacements and mechanical upgrades and paving.

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And concrete and these things that are happening parentally and have big impacts um and trying to.

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Really start defining when those things come in and kind of just making that standard for building.

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At a place where we feel like it will make really big impact, um and you know I think.

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It's important to note that this stack, though the miss tally is, you know, a small part of the bigger.

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Picture of buildings and obstructions in fact, um is going to be the example moving forward.

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um And quite honestly, from our conversations at dvw, because a lot of these things are actually.

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Already happening right, the last two big building projects that were done were complete silver.

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um So this these are a lot of these concepts or things that I think are pretty agreed upon and.

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Are you know they're better, better building at the end of the day, but I think it's really important.

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For us to have a policy that really spells it out for other people to be able to educate them. That's.

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What that means, um and as we move forward and go past, just municipality, that we use that as a tool.

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As a this, is you know the path that we're going? um We've also had some conversations about what.

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Those next steps are um because I think this will get to a point where it'll probably allow.

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The conversation about, what's in it and stuff will, you know we'll, be done and it will be written and.

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Then there's the whole process of it getting you know hopefully passed and I think there's a lot.

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Of work that can be done during that one next time, so we started talking about that as well.

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um With you know, balancing all the things that are engagement, public engagement and figuring.

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Out you know what people really can benefit from too just outside of the environment is foreign.

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Many a conversational carrots and sticks and which is the method to take, and I think you.

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Know a certain amount of carrots is important and it's also very lovely when it comes to war.

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We can't do and how it impacts people's lives. So it's definitely a huge part of that conversation.

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But it's once we get this mystical standard in a place um that we can broaden and start.

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Looking at, but I think any resources on presented programs of how to implement them. I think part of.

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The conversation is definitely going to be um what the city is allowed to do under states factor and.

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um You know that is to inform some of that infinitive structure and you know.

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Obviously, with the hope that it changes over time and becomes a little bit easier.

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To work with, but also being the reality of what we have now and what we can do.

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Mcintyre does that fall outside of the municipal building.

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Among us yeah, this was one of the things we talked about. You know when we're writing.

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This policy, uh you know, how do we define what a missile project is, and you know.

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At what starting date and all of these things, we've started having some conversations about.

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The wording that we think makes the most sense, um mcintyre and any project, that's not directly. You.

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Know it's planned building. Somebody else you know is going to be this gray area. I think that the.

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Important thing to keep in mind is that um one you, if something's already in design and in process.

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You don't want the first impact of something like this to have a negative connotation and.

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Hit people over the headsets, even if the end result, is something that you.

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Does have a lot of value? You want to be careful about not making the first thing scary,.

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um I think mike and fire right now it seems like it would fall outside specifically of.

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This of this policy, in the sense of like a stick of this being a policy but all public.

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Engagement, all of the things that happen. This is one of those things that comes to that meeting.

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Right, it's like well. This is what this is, the spirit of what the city wants so like, even if.

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This doesn't specifically apply to this project. Can it you know it's a tool for us to come to the.

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Table with, rather than just going to, if it were back or any project going to it and being like.

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Well, we want a green building. What does that mean what standard to and who determines that.

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Right developer, so I think this is a tool in that conversation, but we've and we've looked at.

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um The current cip and what projects fall onto this, and that was a good conversation.

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We're just not really clear, I don't know, maybe kate would be able to give us feedback on this, but.

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um You know we do have a contract um as far as the magnifier goes. We still haven't been.

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Awarded the land, um it can't be too deep into the actual, like nuts and bolts out of.

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The building you know other than conceptual kind of renderings and that type of thing so.

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It seems like there is still a window there if we're legally able to is another question.

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um But at the same time I look at it. It's like we're. Looking at a 100 year lease in 100 year.

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Building you know now is the time that we can make 100 years worth of impact on that building.

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um And if it barely misses it, then we've missed a hundred year operator. So it's definitely.

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Something we wanted six times as much as we can uh councilor cook had your hand up. um This wasn't.

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Exactly the topic I wanted to address, but um I I'll say uh that you know I think it's important.

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To remember that that we don't own the site currently and um that we don't control the the.

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Building on the site, we have a development partner, so I think that that's that's really critical to.

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Remember at the moment- and I don't know all the details about what will be worked out in the end.

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Because we're not there yet so so um so that's still a work in progress when it comes to to.

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Mcintyre, um uh I was going to note that, um as an aside um following a meeting that we had in july.

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With effie and allison um and members of the planning department, um I've been working with.

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The city manager too, on kind of green buildings, but through the chief building inspector instead.

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So, instead of looking at it from a new building perspective, looking at it from what is our.

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Existing code and enforcement look like and can we play some incentives in our existing.

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Inspections for renovations, so I was supposed to have a meeting. Unfortunately, this monday.

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But since there's covet in my house, I didn't get to do that with the chief inspector. We are.

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Rescheduling, hopefully for next week. And if I, if I get out of my house by next week. But but that's.

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Kind of what the city manager has been working on and um our chief inspector has been really.

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Great about trying to identify places in the code that where we can find improvements, so I'm really.

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Looking forward to talking with him and working with him, because I think he's already looking at.

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um Looking at changing what he can to improve our inspections process.

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It's great to hear it. I mean that it's definitely one of the things that has come up in our.

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Conversations the best this goes past municipality and how you know, I think, inspections and you know.

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Other cities have done things like um expedited, green, permitting and there's a lot of ways to make.

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The people who normally might not be happy about things happy about things if you just.

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Speak their language. So it's great to hear that conversations already at least.

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Started and that, if possible, I'd love to get booked in at some point. In the conversation.

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That's just um these certifications, not you know. What's going on them, ebay is part of.

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A green building water and when I like water, runoff and burn water systems and vaccines, so.

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If that's something important yeah so right now we're looking at doing a lead, creating system.

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Lead is pretty, and the reason that that is chosen is because it's pretty awesome.

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um Gsa is this lead more and more, it's become pretty standard in the u.s. You.

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Know places have different things, but in the us is pretty standard and yeah.

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It looks at everything from energy to use in the building to location and transport.

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um How many sources of transportation are there in and out of this building to water resources.

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um To like embody permanent materials and construction ventilation, ways I mean it is. It is.

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Buried all enfancing- and you know, there's certain prerequisites in each of those that you have to.

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Meet and then you start getting into what works for each project and what financially makes sense.

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um Be in our current working drop, we're thinking of defining a baseline leave standard.

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um Between some technical, we haven't figured out exactly where we want to land on that and then also specifying which specific credits.

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um We think are important for projects to pursue because of where we are because outside of the.

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Prerequisites it is, you do choose. I mean energy atmosphere and efficiency. Buildings is like the.

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Biggest points, no matter what type of project you are because that's where so much of it comes up.

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um So we, you know, started looking at something. What are storm water and.

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Brain water management is one of those right, it's so important, and so we talk about it all the time.

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um Renewables energy is one of them that we're thinking of uh in body program materials is.

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One we're thinking of because there's certain credits like you don't have to be pursued, but.

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um We could right, we could say pizza or- and these you need to look at these things.

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Or pursue them to some level so we're trying to keep it that we want to keep it um so right now.

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The wording, essentially is lead to a certain level and please meet all these requirements.

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um We're also have alternative language in there for passive house and living building.

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um Living building is honestly a stricter partnership. Lead uh passive house does not.

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Tend to have as many of these outside the building on boats really with the energy efficiency. But.

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It's so- um and I would speak more to this, but it's so good at that that in general, people are.

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Achieving that they're pretty aware of a lot of the other things as well, because it's so hybrid.

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um So it maybe it doesn't specifically have it, but.

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To happen, but yes, it is not just like within these walls. It's you know everything. What the.

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Walls are made to better effect on things outside of walls, um which is what makes it, I think, a more.

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Truer korean building standard, I think it's not just about mechanical systems or concrete.

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Quick question: do we have a rough by the beer? You have a rough idea. How many buildings does the.

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City of portsmouth um and I'm thinking I drive down the road and there's I see pump houses, be.

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Heated, they have to be cooled, and I don't know if you so far have gotten an idea of how many.

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Buildings well, the greenhouse got the greenhouse gas emissions were gone's, been doing, were sort.

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Of yeah, literally the ground up collecting a lot of that um on the just like number side, I think.

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It's important that in this policy we're trying to come up with distinctions on when things kick in.

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um It doesn't necessarily make sense to spend a ton of time and energy under very small.

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A pump house right or like an unheated electrical outbuilding right. That's not.

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Where the um it's not the biggest contributor to our issues, and it's just maybe not where the focus.

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Is so we're starting to try to build in projects over a certain square feet or projects over a.

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Certain dollar amount, you know, is when some of these bigger things kick in, um or you know for the.

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Concrete thing like proper checks over or using more than a truck of comfort like if it's you.

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Know something to concrete in a wheelbarrow: it's still, maybe the thing we want to be worried about.

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um Because of the scale that you're right, I mean you, try to apply, this everywhere becomes yeah well.

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I need to go and look at the usage too but, like I said, um like I'm, just thinking from an energy.

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Usage, you know we're much better off that we can conserve energy than we are. If we go out.

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And start producing more right so, like you said, if you have to put a new proof on a pub house.

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um In its you know, 5 000 or 2 000 square feet because some of these buildings I've seen them so.

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That would like fall within our current yeah. You know, you're gonna have to put a new roof on it and.

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That was, you know as part of the capital planning that you know, let's apply the smart logic to doing.

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That work yeah the thing about an example like that, though, is um where, like corey was saying, you.

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Know where can we make the most change like a pump house, has very different conditioning requirements.

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Than something that's habitable yeah, you know like the range of that might be like. Okay, he kicks on.

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At 40 degrees, um so nothing freezes and doesn't ac until it gets to like 85, where equipment might.

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Start to be compromised, so that inherently is going to use so much less hvac energy than a.

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Building, that's occupied we're trying to keep it a narrow band of like 70 to 75, comfort, yeah um and.

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In a situation like that, the focus might be, you know like making sure we have the most efficient.

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Pumps with really good control strategies and that type of thing, because that's going to be even far.

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More energy in that building than the envelope plus itself. That's you know, that's a good point.

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Of looking at things like that, as well, of course, what I love about this initiative is, you know the.

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City is leading through by example, and you know now the city can turn around through engagement.

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And education, because right I mean it's: it's not even not a dog right, they're, authoritative and.

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This is what we've done we're doing this it's successful example, and it's also educational.

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Because we're learning stuff now that we didn't even know what the questions were six months.

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Ago, yeah, but it's evolved. It's your original question coming out of the data, at least for.

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The electricity we're done with the granularity of the meter sometimes be careful. That's okay, because.

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That's david, that's transactical information. We know it's accurate and I'm gonna. You know I'm.

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Fine with that over time, this is part of the work working on network ph in corporate is that will.

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Roll up into okay, these six meters are in this building. These 30 meters are in this building.

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This fuel, this fuel oil, this gas, is being used, but you know the definition of the buildings.

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Production so yeah and I think, um a big part of it too, not even just on the city like.

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Cities that are street cleaning.

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um But is also uh what we were saying about: the heat pumps and suddenly seeing them everywhere.

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Like driving industry change, you have to um or design firms or for manufacturers or for.

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Contractors, if you learn how to do these methods and they work you're, not gonna, often hopefully,.

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Usually not going to like revert back right. You change your specs to make better concrete and.

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It worked on the project. You're, just gonna kick yeah and keep doing better concrete. Even if you.

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Then go to a private job, it's the same cost! Why wouldn't you right? And so it's that it's.

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And then it usually takes off.

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um And it also makes people just feel a little sense, control to accelerate to the scale.

E

Well- and I would just add that the city is, is doing a lot of support about the way we.

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Do things, but just changing the pumps and those pump houses from single hour pumps that are always.

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Runner don't run variable drive, obviously a huge amounts of energy and changing all our.

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Lives to led it's a huge amounts of energy right that our calculating the greenhouse gas stations.

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But I think the more we can talk about it and then show what we're really doing through a.

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Policy, it's gonna, it's gonna have that leadership example and get people to do things. That's great.

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And that's the contractors to think about it too. You know that's a big part of it once they start.

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Thinking that way, they're not going to change that and it's something to put in an rp for.

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Projects right so, instead of this reaction of like a project, goes out and then the community.

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Engagement comes in and says, look, sustainability is big thing or somebody at dpw or somebody in.

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The city goes in and has to say, hey, we've done leads silver buildings in the past, we'd love to.

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Do that again, and they kind of have to go back up to bat on every project, to do that which has.

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Worked so far or the last you know like that happens you don't want that to be reliant on.

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That it could just be something that went out with the rfp and it's oh you're, not following us.

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And you know sometimes you get to the same spot, but one way is a lot easier than the other way.

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When was that discussion, I believe all right.

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Community engagement subcommittee update about that.

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um And jessica and I have a good meeting- we're kind of getting organized before we.

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Pull in some other people that we're going to be working because I think you mentioned in the.

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Last meeting the city had written a community engagement report. So two of the two sponsors of.

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That report are interested in working with us, but we wanted to get our plans together.

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Do you want to talk about the demo of upcoming the big community department? I.

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Think the sustainability committee's heard before about right action and.

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Mass energize and through uh portsmouth climate solutions, we're going to have two.

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Demonstrations separate meetings where they come in and walk through their product and.

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Answer the question: we've given them quite a list of questions about their products.

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And if anybody wants to join us or miss comments, they want.

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To send to me, that's great, feel free to do that.

D

But this wednesday and then the following were two consecutive wednesday- is getting presentations.

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About those meetings yeah, we have these people from the one from the first one. Yes, so bright,.

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Action will be there on the 28th and then october 4th will be mass energies. These are all worship.

D

Yeah, I'm sorry over soon yeah.

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Sorry, the brain action. What was going on.

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And they're they're platforms, or one of them calls themselves some community interactive app um where.

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They list climate actions and they might have teams competing against other teams, but it's okay.

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Very quickly, some simple things and some difficult things to solve their business or organization.

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Yeah, you know, I think the great thing about seeing what they have to offer is that that.

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Experience that they they break right, and so they work with like a mass energize.

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For example, I've worked with so many different massachusetts, cities and communities, so they've.

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Kind of they bring to the table, they've seen what works and what their experience.

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It's our first rodeo. It's not theirs, so be curious to see what kind of expertise and.

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History experience they can bring.

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Anything else on that topic all right.

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Discussion on capital planning process.

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You know, after our last meeting, uh the city announced the capital improvement planning.

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Process in the city newsletter, it's been in every issue for a while now, but the deadline.

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September 30th, and it just got me thinking and I actually went back to our website the sustainable.

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Practices blue ribbon committee, and one of our three main focuses- is to advise the city manager.

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And city council on improving the sustainability of city operations, including purchasing guidelines.

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So it seemed pretty specific. It just seemed to me that the capital budget process is an.

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Opportunity sitting right here that we all beings talk about right now, the evaluation guidelines or.

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Capital projects are, I think, there's eight of them like addresses public health or safety.

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Need eligible for matching funds identified in a city planning document things like that.

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And none of the evaluation criteria directly addresses sustainability. So when I saw that I.

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Just thought you know we have to look at this process and talk to our city councilors, about.

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The way this works and then we should look at the operating budget too. I hate to tell you.

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That, but you know that's where it's about it's. This is really where we can have an impact thing.

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um We did some discussion and reports with climate solutions group and it's not favoritism.

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Over this group, I think this brain trust is equally strong right here. It's just that we.

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Need weekly, and so much can happen in a moment between our sustainability community meetings.

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So um we came up with a list that included uh submissions could include, uh discloses.

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Impact on greenhouse gas emission increases, use of renewable energy improves anything.

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Which key promotes energy to conservation or protects, preserves, restores natural resources.

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Addresses water conservation or reduction of water consumption, minimizes waste generation maximize.

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The use of the planned recycled materials plans to address city needs equitably across population.

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Groups and neighborhoods estimates the cost of not implemented a given submission, and it's.

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Just like, I know that the capital improvement planning process is already underway, so any.

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Department that you must already have a lot of these forms filled out, particularly dpw, because.

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They they really have a bulk of requests, but I don't know if there's some way to have at least.

F

Some of the proposals reporting on the greenhouse gases- you know get people thinking that way. So I.

F

Just wanted to bring it up here and hey, please feel free to jump in as our sole city, councilor.

F

Tonight we've talked a little bit and I did have a call with beth moreau, but just I know her a little.

F

Bit and she said well, although our evaluation criteria don't directly address sustainability,.

F

They do look for things that tie back to the master plan or the bike or whatever, like that.

F

So that's kind of a tangential, but to me give it where we're at with climate change.

F

um It just doesn't feel strong enough to me, so I just wanted to check in with the.

F

Group and see how we want to work with our city council and to work on this generally.

A

Just a quick call on madison, you know I would be surprised.

A

Something like that as far as a suggestion so yeah, why well, we could have to happen.

A

Right now, in my opinion, saying why not add submissions instead of just sort of.

A

Tangentially referral master plan: why not just have them address correctly? This is how it is.

F

Of its environmental impact or whatever understand.

F

Make that a consideration go on board? Why not, I think.

B

um And I agree in the evaluation criteria, I think, to the important part. I think that the kind of.

B

Micro versus macro approach is interesting to look at, so I think on the macro skill. I do think.

B

That it would be, you know, we have public health and safety in there. You know our environmental.

B

Actions directly apply to that so, but I also think that having whether it's a state like.

B

A general sustainability or environmental planning part to that I think, would be good.

B

Because it might help projects that are more oriented toward that, specifically in the future.

B

um I think that it's interesting to look at, though, because in our discussion with the policy that.

B

We're putting up that obviously has an impact on all of these projects right, so it's kind of which.

B

Direction you go at it from whether it's in the capital improvement plan. If this policy passes.

B

Then they're going to have to follow these actions in those projects and you can get into a big thing.

B

About you know uh if there's a cost application and how projects get prioritized based on cost.

B

And how those things get prioritized, but you know, I think that it's multiple ways to look at the.

B

A similar um end objective: I don't think that there's harvard looking at it in multiple ways.

B

And pushing at it in multiple ways. I just don't want to get too um like at that list that you.

B

Gave I think was is so accurate right. That's all those are all the things that we're looking at.

B

But I think that we can approach all those things in things like policies and pushing it community.

B

Engagement wise and why these things are important. But maybe there is a lot of value to having in the.

B

Evaluation material criteria, at least one blanket environmental and sustainability right, and then it.

B

Can tangentially apply to faster plan and task and all these other things, but I do think that.

B

It would be really interesting, even if it were at the least be like you know, public. What is the top.

B

Public health and well-being, or public health and safety- you know public health or safety yeah, maybe.

B

You know in the least case, if it's not adding an environmental category on its own, which I think.

B

Would probably make more sense, is it public health and you know safety um and, like environmental.

B

Well-Being, you know, I think, it's that language in their public would be ability impactful in itself.

B

But I think the actual change can happen for micro scale on the projects themselves.

A

um Audit of those projects as they're being proposed- and um you know maybe.

C

Audit of you know the standard way of doing it versus a better way of doing it back to.

A

Concrete, which is in this project- and you know it can make a huge difference and what makes you.

A

um But yeah, I think these are dumping together. Pretty well really.

C

um This seems very important, and it really is where the dotted line goes between the uh well.

C

Intentions of policy and the actual expenditure of the city's money and the things that affect.

C

Everyday life, a lot of the capital budget is road projects, uh transportation projects and.

C

um Any modifications to this may really need to be a very well thought out and incremental, but.

C

It seems like the center begins. The better I mean one obvious cross-reference would be.

C

To decline that action plan once it's done, but maybe thinking ahead to how to do that.

C

Really constructively to cross-reference that as well as other other key plans is important.

C

But doing it at a micro scale may be easier for some projects. Let's say a bicycle: pedestrian.

C

Project, if you were estimating who would use it in the sorts of trips replace, you could come up.

C

With a very precise estimate of carbon reduction, other things not so easy, so it may make sense to.

C

Have it be qualitative at first, a good intention description? Is this good or is it bad? What's the.

C

Extent, but that may be something that could be done sooner rather than than later, but I think.

C

They actually get to the point where you're, including criteria where there are scores.

C

I think that they're really a quite worthwhile aspiration, but I think it needs to be thought out.

E

Thank you. Oh the counselor council. um I I was just going to add to that. I I actually um you.

G

Know I hate to say it, but I think the climate action plan is truly going to drive a lot of these.

G

Changes and the way that we do things at the city level, um the capital improvement plan is difficult.

G

um Changing the criteria, for that would require some overarching um report. That said, we needed.

G

To change the criteria, and we all know that it would be wonderful to change the criteria for.

G

Projects but the climate action plan can drive that and drive those changes in the criteria for.

G

Looking at cip projects, and I think that the climate action plan must also drive.

G

um More green projects in the cip, because we will have to be because of the standards in the climate.

G

Action plan, the thing that's frustrating about that is time frame. You know I feel like there's.

G

A lot of urgency right now to do something, but it's going to be a while before we get our climate.

G

Action plan in place and we're expecting that to drive all these policy changes. So the question is.

G

Is what can we do like what little projects can we do, um that are capital improvement projects.

G

And they have to hit that 50 000 mark to be in the capital improvement plan. um So you know if.

G

You can think of projects. I think counselor denton had a great idea with um ev charging.

G

Stations because that when in the capital, the cip budget last year, and we anticipated adopting more.

G

Money in the cip this year for that um and for the next several years. So if you can think of.

G

Immediate projects that we can address in the cip, I would put them forward before september 30th.

G

um You know the things that I think about, or the building that you guys are all sitting in.

G

Right now needs a new hvac system. Desperately I don't know when that's coming down the pipe. I.

G

Don't know if it's coming this year or next year or further down the line, um but it's that kind.

G

Of thing I can think about, you know: what would it cost to fund that not just a new system but.

G

A high efficiency system- and I would assume the city is already looking at a lot of those things.

G

But sometimes it's a difference in having the budget or not having the budget for the better.

G

System that is um a better environmentally for us. So um what would it take to put a solar, solar.

G

Panels on the building you're sitting, and I don't even know if we can, I don't know.

G

um Peter might have a better idea, so what would it take? Can we put that in the cip budget.

G

You know those are the kinds of projects that I think that we can be thinking about right now to.

G

Get in the in in as a suggestion for september 30th and then know that there are several.

G

Opportunities along the line to amend that because it goes before planning, they make a presentation.

G

Of the council and then counselors add to it. So so we have some time but it'd be great to get the.

G

Projects in early because then they're presented part as part of the bigger capital budget.

E

Yeah so so I think those are all really great points. um Everything everybody's saying is.

E

Really right on, I think I think one of the things to think about, though, is the capital.

E

Planning process some of the projects. You know, we know we need a new hvac system, we don't know.

E

How we're going to build it? That's a good example, but a lot of the projects that are thought of and.

E

The capital plan are things that people it's almost like a wish list or a needs list is a.

E

Better way, to put it and the actual purchasing guidelines that come about, aren't there they're.

E

The next stage- so I guess for the first point I guess is it- has to be well thought out when.

E

You're going to change the capital process that you're not putting making someone do a.

E

Whole bunch of work for a project that may not even get authorized and that's part of it. It's.

E

Sort of like this step process, it's not the budget they're going, and it's so happening so once they.

E

Get approved in the capital plan, then they go to the budget so at every step along the way. I.

E

Think it's important to have that sustainability lens and that's why being incommunicipality is.

E

Supposed to mean so I think that is important in every chance. We can reiterate that that's good.

E

But I guess what I'm saying is you have it's not your only bite of you're only right at the.

E

Apple, isn't at the capital process when they start purchasing when they go put a bond out.

E

In that bonding process, where they're going to authorize the funding of a big project.

E

There's also a chance for input by the community there, and rarely does it happen that the community.

E

Will get much input and usually those bonds go in place because people have heard about the.

E

Project for so long now we're going to pay for it. So there's an opportunity there to say. I think you.

E

Should authorize this, but I think it'd be nice if you did it in a greener way. So there's that's the.

E

Final step, you have to say what they should do so there's. I guess my point is there's steps along.

E

The way and again, let's not get hyper, focused on this, because this is the city's operations.

E

And we've got to look at the community too, so it's just one piece that we need to look at and.

E

I think they're good points, but don't forget: we've got to get the community on board too.

E

How are we going to do that? This is like a climate action plan. I think it's going to focus.

E

On more, I think the climate action plan will have recommendations for purchasing guidelines and it.

E

Will have you know, roles for the city operations, but I think the what we're trying to do with the.

E

Common action plan is get community engagement really ramped up and get people on board in.

E

The community too, so I always kind of bring it back to that, because that's where our biggest.

E

Need is, I think the discussion about the process was really important and you know we are putting.

F

In some individual requests, I think um we talked last night about composting and curbside.

F

Composting we're working on that one someone else is putting in for green space and trees.

D

um It's not that we're not thinking of that, but I think the process is so important. It would.

F

Just break my heart: if somebody hurts in for six brand new police cars and they're all internal.

F

Combustion engines, you know, I that's a poor example, but you know top of my head. The capital.

F

Budget isn't just buildings and streets, you know, there's a lot of stuff in there and I I just think.

F

um You know there might be some way to make an incremental change. Of course, we've talked about.

F

In the evaluation criteria, without having a report of outside consultants, saying we.

F

Need it, but just because of what's going on with our climate and this state world so.

F

That's where I'm at and the other thing I wanted peter specifically as a member.

F

Of some national professional association of sustainability directors are other cities tackling.

F

Capital planning and operational planning through this lens do they have criteria and.

F

Forms and stuff that we can use, because that would be helpful and if we can say it's a best practice.

F

Used in you know, 16 cities, and whenever yeah I mean, I think, purchasing guidelines is where it.

E

Really is the most and the purchasing guidelines I hear about, and I heard a lot about capital.

E

Planning, but I'm sure you know there's so many cities doing so much and big cities tend to do.

E

More so they're good models to look at, but but yeah that's a great way to think about. It is how.

E

Do they do it in cambridge? So I always say because that's going to be like the top shelf way to do it.

D

When I will brought his work on a national level, he said to me that every government.

D

Project and the whole administration in every department. I would ask.

D

Bill to correct me, if I'm wrong, every department has just two simple criteria:.

D

Does it be a social equity criteria, whatever work they use and it doesn't address climate change.

D

So for every department in the u.s government at the top of the list are those two criteria.

D

So I repeated that so many times and I'm wondering why I do because to me: they're aspirational.

D

And when I was thinking about leverage and scale, I would like us in our city.

D

Which is an eco municipating? We never got to this peter. We did put it into the.

D

uh Natural step went into our building, though we had all the time, but all everything in in the door.

D

To take the natural step, four systems conditions. Well, I don't think most people talk about those.

D

Now and they don't go anywhere so I'm I don't know how effective it is and so bill did. I misrepresent.

D

That, or does that [ __ ], I think you idealized it a bit yeah. Okay. I would say that you've got.

C

Criteria right as add-on criteria to many many other criteria and I think.

C

Mostly, we were talking about the um current administration's infrastructure and climate.

C

Big investments, recent legislation and those two criteria are prominent in say it doesn't.

C

Transportation programs that are funded under the bill, bil bipartisan infrastructure law.

C

um Those need to be considered, and it really depends on depends on the program and some of the.

C

Programs are geared specifically to those things I mean. There are some programs that are social.

C

Equity transportation programs like removing um uh old, elevated expressways, that split communities.

C

Especially low income communities or uh research on investment programs on evs of funding, funding.

C

Charging stations so so most prominent, but that's this administration that that came.

C

In to go out as well as he came in and I think that came in january, 20th uh 2021., I guess the.

D

Question that I'm asking, which is, uh I was talking, defeated, ritz and caring uh in the farmer's market.

D

And one of the things that came up when I was talking to peter was.

D

If, if we- and this is all about public engagement, I'm making so distance, I'm really trying to open.

D

Dialogue, what is it that inspires us and doesn't set something back? So if we put.

D

Too many criteria on then people are going to say, get off my back with sustainability.

D

And we don't want to do that. On the other hand, what is aspirational and because I'm so involved.

D

We're thinking about this every day, hearing those two criteria and saying my whole government is.

D

Doing that to us and I'm sure I will fantasize to it, but the question is- and this case goes to your.

D

Situation, everybody who does apply if they even think about it, there's no criteria, but how does.

D

This affect social, equity and so forth. Is that a hindrance or is that an inspiration? I don't.

D

Have an answer: that's just the question that I I don't know what people's experiences with that.

A

uh Council, I was, I just wanted to say that when the city council is reviewing the cip budget.

G

You know coming and talking at um every single meeting that we have on the cip and and giving us.

G

That lens would be incredibly helpful because that forces the council to look at every project in the.

G

Cip budget, with this lens before we choose to fund them so, and I think that that's that's really what.

G

What we're asking is to look at things through a certain lens. The council's already adopted a goal.

G

um Of making sure that we're addressing climate- and so it's reasonable um to ask the council to.

G

To use that lens, so even if those who've put together projects aren't the council will.

D

So, are you suggesting that uh we get on the agenda or whatever is being discussed, that.

D

Our committee uh come and say, as a committee that is mandated to give our best practices. We would.

D

Like to just reinforce what you're, already or not aware of but here's the two criteria that we see.

D

Just this is a great lens to look through and you've done in many game, and that kind of thing.

D

Yeah, I I think that would be fantastic if, if um the committee timed it out right before the.

G

Council starts looking at the the cip budget. That would be great. The other place where you.

G

Could approach is you could approach the planning board before, while they're considering the cip.

G

Because they approve it and move it forward to the city council, so you could go at it.

G

Two ways: you can approach the planning board and ask them to use this lens, and then you.

G

Can approach the council and ask them to use it right and when I, when are the next, when, where do.

D

You know the dates or we could look that up or say that we have an idea when that comes about.

G

um I know the planning board starts the review pretty soon um like october. Is my my thinking.

G

And it comes, it doesn't come to the council, though, until january at the earliest, usually january or.

G

Early february october, I don't think it's as late as november, but it goes to the planning.

E

Board and then it goes to the council. Thank you. That's a great concrete suggestion. Thank you.

D

Yeah, I think um what I like to look at like this project with is different. Things come from where.

B

They end up, which is actually the same place and there's all these steps we take because we're.

B

Complicated human beings, um so you know things like how how we get things in the improvement.

B

Plan is, we see, needs for things that we, as a community feel are necessary right, whether.

B

Or maintenance or new things- and that is maybe that's a pothole on your street right and then you.

B

Online and you put in this pothole on the street and then dpw in this scenario goes and they say.

B

Okay, that you're right, it's not a potholes on that street. It's actually not that long, and so.

B

Then they come up with an estimate for the project that they put forward for the capital improvement.

B

Plan and then it gets pushed through through all these process with city, council and weinberg, but.

B

Then once it's pushed through and then once it goes through budget, it goes. It goes back to dpw.

F

When they figure out what to fill the pothole away, and so it's I think, it's important to have.

B

That lens all the way throughout but understand what the impact of getting the project on and.

B

Getting your project done with the standards that you want are actually the same places.

B

um And that's the people on the ground who are either estimating or coming up with this project.

B

People who are responsible for those projects, so we have cpw whether it's people making purchasing.

B

Decisions about transportation- um and you know, they're, driven on the larger lens. Obviously it.

D

Approved on the larger lens by important city council, making sure that it's within around.

B

But as far as the action goes, I think it's a smaller it's a less intimidating and I think.

B

That's where, like the things like, you know whether it's building policy or public safety.

B

Are important they have not just uh when the boomerang goes out. Every couple of.

B

Years and it's on the big stage, um changes are happening and I think, what's important.

B

Like when we're talking about the korean building policy, um it doesn't matter it.

B

Doesn't matter when the capital improvement plan goes out, it matters when the policy is enacted.

B

um Because we'll have to uphold that policy within reason, obviously um uh you know, and so.

B

I think it comes to a having somewhere and have that lens every two to three years.

A

Say happy yeah. It's a six year. Planet six are planning, but it's every month.

B

um I think it's important to keep that lens, but I think it's important to know that pizza.

B

That are being enacted along these are decision points all at every head of.

B

The project like peter was saying during the bond process and decision points are continued.

B

As they're happening constantly, and you can make an impact constantly in those decisions.

E

But there's a schedule cmp so um the.

E

November planning board meeting november 17th. That's when the public information meeting, though.

E

So I don't think that's a public hearing, no, no, but I think they might take some comment, not sure.

E

City council, public hearing in february is certain public period before they adopted.

A

We're gonna wrap up that and move on to the next. Now I think I missed one year alert.

A

We're through this and this all right- and it was just.

A

With things left, I wanted to throw this out and.

D

It just gives a feedback.

D

uh Valerie who's, the head of the portsmouth 400 celebration came.

D

To the 14th climate solutions meeting two weeks ago and uh she was very supportive of.

D

Sustainability as part of this celebration, they're at seven seven values, I think sustainability was.

D

Numbered by so it was certainly within their mandate, and she said to our committee. Please.

D

Give us feedback, we consult with us in any way you can to help us make our events more sustainable.

D

D

I want to commit we're not a consulting paper, but we did make some suggestions which uh yeah I.

D

Was thinking about, I guess important is going to be 750. uh People coming to uh clan base is that.

D

Right embark expires, yeah one table white tables, white tablecloths. So that's going to be an event.

D

And as I understand it, the celebration is going to be a whole year.

D

And so I was thinking, maybe that's not the event that uh the sustainability.

D

uh Portland, climate solutions or this committee could go with what I am thinking about.

D

The critical need we say every time for community engagement, fortunate climate.

D

Solutions now is poised to set a date to do some type of support of the climate action.

D

The date has to be in by the end of this month and I'm trying to think well what date do we choose.

D

And what kind of event do we have, and so in some ways the committee next week is going to have to.

D

Say all right: let's take a day, so uh I haven't looked at the calendar of what they already had.

D

The video has anybody looked at before anything celebration, and they do they even have it on.

D

The website- okay, that's the end of the month date that you're talking about is then these are really.

B

Interested yeah and they already have things that that they they're doing do. We know that.

F

Give me the comments they do. Do they have a calendar that you think, do you have calendar.

A

On their website, I'm a part of their marketing team question mark and there should be like a.

A

Tenant calendar on their website, that's what I think I wanted to know and if there is.

D

um And we choose a date. I was thinking that this committee could write, be the official city sponsor.

D

Of an event like we work with the sustainability, fair, which we got a huge crowd out for four years.

D

But there could be some kind of an event that would focus on climate solutions.

D

From a historic point of view, so we've had 400 years.

D

Of activities here in florida and there's already people looking at how to celebrate that, we've got.

D

But historically we could look on what are the things that have been sustainable.

D

And one of the things that are now causing us issues and then the focus could be. But how do.

D

We go ahead for the next 400 years, taking the best things that we know from the past and the current.

D

Situation which might be is celebrated through the climate action plan as one of the best tools.

D

To move us forward so it could be kind of a free event to educate the public around the climate.

D

Action, that's kind of the big thing that I'm looking at and I so it's very general, but choosing.

D

A date nothing like a day focus is alive and I was thinking if we do choose a date. uh uh Nor are they.

D

Is there anything in their diet uh yeah? I think if you look at the website, .org program list did.

D

You find a calendar yeah, there's a calendar listed there, not the most perfect founder yeah. I tried to.

A

Find actually it's portsmouth at h mart there's a lot of stuff in the gym like at this point and.

D

Your birthday is what the 22nd of april of april- I know they have present right now, they're trying to.

A

Get 400 trees and they're like pierce island, or something like that. I might be wrong, but.

A

That's something that they're trying to do to expand sustainability, the transfer contact.

G

I was just going to suggest what's great about earth day this year. Is it falls on a saturday.

G

Or april 22nd, it's a saturday, the 23rd or in 2023. So that seems like a great weekend to do an event.

G

Even if a tree's in public greenery is planting, 400 trees that we.

G

um I think it's still, it would be a good weekend because people will be paying attention.

G

Now I think one of the things I was, uh I think somebody want to get out tonight who.

D

Is advocating uh planted for uh the planet to do the vegan? They specifically wanted to stay away.

D

From earth day because they felt there was so many things that it would get lost so that they.

D

Were saying, let's have a great, I heard somebody else say why not make it earth week and have an.

D

Event that goes all week and so we're really into kind of early statement, and I'm just talking now.

D

To see if there's any responses, the route time of the year or event or anything, so I just opened it.

D

Up third, I think, last night we were talking that I think it's in the middle of may it's bike week.

A

You know national bike week kicks off, and so that might be- and that starts on a saturday.

A

Can't remember when in may, but that you know that might be an opportunity.

A

Seeing how you know portsmouth is you know, that's a hot topic. Is um you know, walkability bikeability.

D

And that's where we could get uh starting down in market square and have a 5k walk.

D

And all an electrical vehicles have wind up and prescott park and have 12 tables where.

D

People he could or tent tables where we have the 10 top solutions. The forward fortunate.

D

Climate change, you answer the questions you get a drawing and you get a dinner at the.

D

I think the overall goal is to have something that engages the community.

D

That takes it to a I talk about scale. I think we can put out the individual levels we have to have.

D

Really engaging fun things your families can come like they did in their sustainability fair. Yet it.

D

Also, that always was people when they came to the sustainability fair. They filled out as they went.

D

uh They were going to uh a checkoff list of the four system conditions for sustainability, so those.

D

Fares were vehicles to change cultural perception of us being legally. Yes, you know, I wonder if we.

F

Should be looking at october because we might have more to show for a climate action plan.

D

October next year or 23, yeah.

D

Thank you. Yes, I actually sort of suggest something more on the opposite end. So if you look at this.

A

Throughout the calendar and like today, june july august, even into september, there are tons and.

A

Tons of events and if you're, trying to inspire and educate and get people thinking this way.

A

Maybe it's who are advantageous to do something towards the start of the year that carries over.

A

Into more events, and then it can be, you know like we talked about. How are you getting to.

B

The lobster plant-bake dinner are you walking? Are you biking? Are you what's you know, yeah.

B

It's something that.

C

Yeah the engagement yeah. I would also, though I would avoid that weekend of may 7th through 9th.

G

Because it's the same crowd, who's going to be interested in the keeping history above water.

G

Conference um that weekend of may um so be sure to separate it out a few weeks. So you're not.

G

Exhausting the same individuals who want to attend specific events, very good. That's.

D

The kind of thing so tell me a little bit about that event again, because I.

G

It's um keeping history above water, it's a a nationwide symposium, so it's been going on at.

G

Different the different locations so far, but it's it's truly about um what do we do with uh rising.

G

Sea level and saving our um historic resources in communities. So um so this I don't know where.

G

I don't know if they decided they were talking about having it at strawberry bank. I don't know.

G

If it was settled, finally that they're having it at strawberry bank at the ac hotel or is it.

G

At the ac hotel, okay, so um so this this national symposium is coming here. So it's uh nationwide.

G

Experts on on this particular issue of sea level, rise and preservation, and so it's it's something.

G

I think everyone here would be interested in want to attend, um so you don't want to. I.

G

Wouldn't schedule anything conflicting with that, I would also be really careful around scheduling.

G

Like I think that we should play at bike week as an or as another event, you know.

G

um That everybody will want to attend, but as many touch points as you can have.

G

In the course of the year on sustainability issues, you know if you can have four or five.

G

Different specific events through the year, then you're keeping that in people's minds.

D

So that's kind of what I was saying as well and I think it's important to have the concentrated.

A

Events, but I also think there's an opportunity to talk about lobster debate right. That's 750,.

A

Lobsters right, like can we get the city to bring with mr fox bins and compost all that.

A

Right so I start to get people thinking about it. It's a little nudged endless.

A

And we can show up and kind of make this one event, but also like that gets people.

A

For that, valerie did share that yeah, really good, really good fun books.

A

I was just pointing out.

B

Yeah, I really like so you know the cap itself um is going to be divided. These categories.

B

And so can we use events that are already happening to kind of help.

B

Exemplify each of those categories right so, instead of making the entire thing about the cap.

B

um One day by weekly, do we specifically talk about the transportation aspect of the cap.

B

um Or if there are, you know there are eight events where there are ev cars or like how do we.

B

Tie it all in and then I kind of like the concept that more towards the end of the.

B

Year once this is developed and maybe other things have developed as well, then it is a.

B

Bit more of a culmination of okay: we've got the history above water at the transportation aspects.

B

People to see the compost pins because of a big event and then it's okay. Here's our plan.

B

Here's how it all comes together. I also think it's important to keep the scope as city-wide.

B

Right 400, it's not 400 of any of us, it's 400 of the city um and our community and as.

B

um I don't want to change the perspective to the impact too much. The impact of individual peoples.

B

And keep it as the impact of our community and our city as a whole, which is what the cap is.

B

um So I really like the idea of like how can we sprinkle it in along the.

B

Way and then maybe at one culminating, hey, remember all these things, yeah yeah.

F

Maybe wednesday, um if someone in the group came up with the idea of a parade being all.

F

um Carbon-Free renewable vehicles would be a change for the parade, so that was one thing.

F

But the other thing was: um we suggested that um the planning, when you look into there's a.

F

Bunch of apps you can use for um measuring the carbon footprint of your event that you can do.

F

It as like a public education piece, so it breaks out. You know so much as people thrive in here.

F

Nascars um all the people that walked here, you know a big zero for you all and that we didn't.

F

Use plastic water bottles of things like that, so that could be visible in everything.

D

So I'm just going to do this on where our meeting, maybe three weeks down the road it.

D

Seems one of the things that I'm hearing is there's going to be a whole school of events.

D

Sports with climate solutions could have a table with materials that we developed. That would help.

D

Any event the uh part of the celebration moving up to the climate of movement, uh and so we could.

D

Have draw down the book on the table, we put our solutions, we can have measurements so.

D

I'm thinking, uh maybe we don't need a date as much as we need to see a way to interact and.

D

Synergize with the events that are already on and get a group that would be wanting to do public.

D

Engagement, that said already exists, so um I think that's where the ideas have kind of a.

D

Verge for me, and uh so thank you, that's what I advice. Anybody else and they say that's helpful.

D

And then we can talk about it. They will do that on wednesday, whether we choose a culminate if they.

D

Leading up around.

E

Sorry I couldn't see that go ahead. Can I can I just make another suggestion? um One of the things.

G

That I love about my daughter's school is on earth day. Every year they have a day of action where.

G

They do earth day projects and it's required that everyone do it. I would love to see an initiative.

G

Somewhere in the city of portsmouth to get as many residents as possible to sign up to take earth day.

G

Action and have a day of action in the city of portsmouth fire 400th. Now I don't know what that.

G

Action would be. That would be something that that you could identify different projects throughout.

G

The city that people could do, but I think it would be fantastic um if this group were even portsmouth.

G

Climate solutions could lead an effort to do a day of action in portsmouth yeah, great idea.

D

Consideration all right, foreign.

F

So some of you may know the rfp did not get any responses.

F

And we called up a couple of the um potential consultants that we.

F

Were hoping would apply and they were pretty much saying that it's very busy right now, but.

F

So they didn't really have um much removing plates.

F

So we kept feeling that there wasn't really an issue with the budget, at least that we.

F

Could tell that 80 grand that we're offering we did um just go through a round of edits again.

F

We're just going to send it out. We already have it going through the department, so.

F

Should hopefully go out next week and we did some edits basically just pointing out that.

B

um The budget is negotiable for that second phase of putting money towards projects so.

F

Potentially, that's to consultant could do. um There was a question that came in during.

F

The first round of the rfp about whether they, the consultant, would have to do the.

F

Greenhouse gas inventory so we cleared that up in the rfp, but it's pretty much the same.

F

Right so we extended it a little bit longer we're going to give it. I think at least four or five weeks for a consultant to bid on it.

F

A little more time to get more responses, we're sending out to work more people specifically.

F

So it sounds like it'll, be good back the end of october yeah.

F

What's it called, and I did put it on the carbon leadership forum.

B

Right, which is a forum that has a lot of designers and policy makers, and it's if you're part of any.

B

Of the like a 2030, yes, the 2050 kind of all these side, initiatives that are specific. You.

B

Are often a part of this leadership forum, so I threw it on there. I put the password saying.

B

A new one goes.

B

Yeah on that note also, if any of you have like online boards.

E

I think about 20 okay 20 directly, but then other groups so yeah I'll, ask the folks. You know a lot.

E

Of people yeah the firms that we liked, they all got it and when we talked to them they all knew.

E

About it, um people were on vacation, people would just flat out. You know, I think, if it had a twice.

E

The budget, then they might have worked harder, but you couldn't up it that much. We could only.

E

About 20 000., so that was my next question: did you get the sense that they had the bandwidth.

C

To take it on if it was more attractive, or does it necessarily no, I just think that you.

E

Know people see dollar signs and they would they might be willing to push things around.

E

But true, I think hopefully the fact that we said the budget is somewhat negotiable.

E

And the dates or someone negotiable will help, because I think a lot of it is so if the dates.

F

We don't expect to see a climate action plan a year from the end of it. We do there's so much.

E

Don't shoot me for bringing this question but.

A

Here you know obviously there's so many cities out there that have created apps.

A

um Response or these responses, and what about fort smith.

A

Yeah, I think the benefit of the contractor really is the public engagement piece and getting you.

E

Know getting their techniques and tools and new faces and new ideas and their overall experience.

E

Yeah and most of someone who's done this six seven eight times: it's not that it's not the report that.

E

We're, like somebody, that's a genius, someone that can pull together and get public campaign.

E

Or a set of campaigns that we really want, and we stressed in that yeah and I mean the consultant.

A

Do who has the better or more experience the cities that actually own and execute the cap.

A

Or the consultants that write the cap and then walk away so that that's actually a good question.

A

Because you know we visited a bunch of cities, who've done capsically used as models, and I.

A

Think it's fair to save the city, people that we talked to in cities that we spoke with. Typically.

A

Yeah they they learned a lot. So you know no disrespect to what what you.

A

Just said peter, but no peter peter's right, because I think our I think our issue is.

C

Available this sort of feels like trying to get a carpenter during the building.

C

But do the consultants have are we will we get better information about lessons.

A

Learned and implementing the cast and the consultants so when we get it from other cities,.

A

You know so yeah yeah I so we talked with a couple different consultants and kim langer associates.

E

Kim's longer expensive right at a time with us and went through it and gave us some input and.

E

You know one of the things we both agreed on was. We don't need you to come in and tell us what we.

E

Need to do in our climate action plan for climate action- that's not really what it's about! She's.

E

Like yeah, that's exactly right, nobody does. We already know we already have the list. We got that.

E

We got brought out, we got all these other books, we know what the problems are. Yeah. It's someone.

E

That can execute an approach to getting the public on board and the getting things still can be. Your.

E

Process at the city level that we need, you know we need that sort of it's more like almost like a.

E

um Someone that can spearhead the effort. Yeah that's got the extrapolation and try.

E

Customizing it to our every community, every community, some communities, everybody wants.

E

To do open space planning in parts of everybody wants to do urban planning. It seems like even.

E

Though it's not a big city, but everybody loves like the downtown of mcdonald's. I know about.

E

That but I try to get people out to do you know invasive species, weed poles or do other.

E

Things so it's just you know they have, they do have a learning curve and consultant, but.

E

I think that's what they do and they hopefully that's you know, that's what we're thinking city.

E

Council wants us to spend this money on it. Yeah I can plan, and this is the best approach that.

E

That we think works and when we talk when the group talked to all these other communities,.

E

The experiences they had that they shared or about how they worked with their contractor, how they got.

E

The community on board the tools that jake put in place because of it. So I agree we have. We have an.

E

Understanding at the city, but I think, knowing how to connect it. I think I had to say concerns that.

A

We had, I said, okay wait, but when we when's the cap, we're actually going to be that's the problem.

A

Yeah, we know what the ideal consultant looks like yeah and ideally we get the ideal consultant in.

C

The right time, if either of those falls over the idealness of the time frame, then we have.

A

Yeah but I guess it sounds like we'll hear peter by the end of october, we'll know.

A

How we go have we gotten any respondents and if we have or any of those some of the report at which.

A

One yeah we've used that potentially the remaining time, but it is one of this. I think we've done.

C

Everything you can't do yeah, so, let's, let's hope for the best outcome. It's like five weeks, six.

C

Weeks from now, once the bids come in around fairly quickly, what's the process like for choosing a.

E

Bidder yeah, it depends what it looks like you know. If the one consultant that stands out above.

E

The rest, maybe we only, I think we would want to interview whoever we're going to hire but um and.

F

Favorites uh consultants are in a bit of whiplash right now from.

B

The ira passing we'll say that yeah somebody who is completely recovering.

B

um And so you've got that factor which was huge. So you have that factor on how to win that passed and.

B

It being the summer months, which is also heavy construction, to do things months or you're busy.

B

In all directions, um and then I honestly hope I have hopes too, that it going up twice. I know in.

B

My experience it's like the first time, you're like okay. Let's do that, the second time? Okay, we should.

B

Really do that years. I think the conversations about what's happened with them too. They know.

B

That it's all the a lot of the same circles too, so it would help that was at least encouraged.

E

To know that they knew about it, and it wasn't like, oh that we didn't see this. You know yeah.

A

Yeah, I just wondered too, you know it's is the dollar value again right, there's so for some of.

A

These consultants, I'm sure, there's so much work out, there's so much demand. You know if city of.

A

Portland, has you know 350 000 contract, you know or another cities got you know, are they going to go.

A

After a number of smaller contracts or less bigger contracts, but I'll just I'm gonna leave it alone.

A

Since we'll meet and see what happens, there is a great question things obviously we're trying to.

A

Get the right people back to the table and these great journality are important for children. Yeah.

A

Again, my gut sense is it's a supply world yeah, but if they have to we roll our sleeves up and.

A

Make it happen? Okay, I think a pretty naive question. So let's ask it anyway,.

D

There were no consultant shows up, it, says: public engagement.

D

If we took the money and hire somebody to work with you and kate for a year, we have a lot of.

D

Pretty impressive systems thinkers sustainability, people in this area, if we had a full-time and we.

D

Had an employee for a year contract or two-year a three-year contract, would that give us more.

D

Traction than having a consultant who went away is that even a possible alternate, because I know at.

D

Least, one person who who would like it anyway is about anything anybody has thought about. Is that.

D

Completely, I don't think it's naive. I think it's a different approach, but I think we're thinking.

E

That the firm would bring in more depth and more um experience than a single person. I think so too.

G

I actually I had something to add on that, um so I've been dealing with arts and nonprofits.

G

On revamping the cultural plan as well, which is 20 years old and when they initially did the cultural.

G

Plan they used local experts and we really do have some of the best local experts in the.

G

State in portsmouth so, but it took them over 18 months to go through the planning process because.

G

They're volunteers and the committee is made up of volunteers. It just takes a lot longer.

G

And now this time around, the arts and nonprofits committee is wanting to hire a planner, a cultural.

G

Planner to come in and help write the plan um with input from the committee, so um they're taking this.

G

Other approach, because it just takes such a long period of time and a lot of the key actors in the.

G

Community are so busy doing their own work that they don't have that extra time to give. So I.

G

Think that that's that's the advantage of using the outside consultant is. You can really reduce.

G

The time frame, because you have somebody who can dedicate um full-time to working on your project.

G

A

F

Yeah we were talking about that last month, proposal and.

F

um Bert suggested we go back and run focused with our families and friends how they respond.

F

To that language- and I have to say my focus- comes from pretty negative, so I think we should just I.

F

Would advise just putting it on the shelf right now, but I don't know if other people.

F

Yeah, so I was just out in reno at a environmentally based conference and there.

B

Was a lot of conversation about this, specifically as policy driven so about bipartisanship and how.

B

You drive that and different organizations that are on both sides that are approaching.

B

These of how they work together or don't work together, and why and language was like one of.

B

The biggest parts of that to the point where there were a slides at one point that were like.

B

Don't use these words, it's not worth it you're not going to get different places and actually.

B

um Things like crisis emergency or on there um and it's hard to swallow, sometimes because you're like.

B

That we need to be on some things, but uh you know at the end goal when you're like okay well, like.

B

If I can get to my end goal, um it's just not using that words, I can so let's yeah just look. It's like.

F

And josh isn't here to talk about the eb show, but I think.

F

Everybody's got information about that. Does anyone else.

F

Sunday, maybe on every second and what's diverse, connected to her in the second years.

A

F

um Under other business, I did speak to josh about the solar arrays and what came up with.

F

The last meeting there was a guest group and found morgan and the portsmouth herald, and I.

F

Felt like we needed to respond to that, and we had a bit of discussion here, but the end result.

F

Was josh offered to speak with john tabor as a representative of the energy advisory.

F

Committee and john tabor was very interested in pursuing so many minutes around excellent.

F

uh Solar arrays as a principal use, so he thought he and members from the energy.

F

Committee would attend the october meeting of this group to talk about it. Thank you.

F

Business business.

A

Yeah, okay, so kate just had her hand up yep. Sorry, I don't know I was just gonna say.

G

Yes, definitely, and I think you have a few people I I know I said on both committees.

G

I think there are a few people here tonight. They sit on both committees so um and yes, and.

G

You know not just zoning, but also we should be thinking about solar above parking city parking.

A

All right uh any other business, any other other business foreign topic so um about.

A

Two months ago I think chris rose middle school teacher came and presented with summer students.

A

um I connected them afterward and I said you know, can we I think talk about this meeting as well? I.

A

Was like, can we kind of tie that project together and have some concrete? You know put a bow on it.

A

And like would that bow be a solar array on middle school? Maybe a library as well.

A

Right there are new buildings. I believe that that would be a good place for him right. So.

A

um Obviously a big project but floating out now. Would anyone think that this group and.

A

Or the eco club as well would want to kind of work with chris, as, like a trailer of you know,.

A

uh Volunteers to help see if we can, uh you know, work to make that. Well, that sounds like a capital.

A

Budget proposal yeah the kids too, so the kids feel uh look like they're helping contribute.

F

You know the only reason I raise that is because they're supposed to be on september, 30th yeah.

A

I was just going to say that um I was right into what kate was just saying about. You know, having.

A

Solar rays over like city plots, it was a huge parking lot right between the middle school in the.

A

Library, high visibility, a lot higher visibility having it over a parking lot than it went up.

A

On the roofs one reason, so it just gives it a lot more awareness to it. I think that might be.

B

Language stuff, so I know, and one of the things that we're looking at structure policy is that.

B

Any word replacements that solar or that piano like renewable energy needs to be explored. So we.

B

Purposely kept that language, so high reflectance works for heat island effects and that granola.

B

Energy needs to be explored right, so it doesn't need to happen, but it needs to be designed and.

B

Proposed for them the city to decide if it gets in budgets and maybe there's an opportunity there.

B

We're already talking about paving we're already talking about some other things.

B

Maybe that's a similar type of renewable to be explored in parking projects as well and.

B

Then so that's bringing it to the table right and then you can get things people involved on.

A

Ce again we're gonna repay the parking lot. Maybe that's right, something that's considered.

A

Is okay? Why we're digging the whole thing up? Just like charging stations over here, yeah.

E

But to get it um john ann arbor's point about those two projects in particular the parking lot.

E

In the school I don't know if this would work, but with the water treatment plant the it didn't need.

E

To go in the capital plan because it was a power purchase because it wasn't important because they.

E

Didn't buy the panels, they went to a company that financed the construction project, taking.

E

The credits from the solar, that's true and the um basically they became the utility company for the.

E

City for that that energy and we didn't have to have a company, so we agreed they agreed with us.

E

That they would keep our rate like one cent below the utility rate for whatever number of years and.

E

At that number of years that when they got all kind of the most, they were going to get out of.

E

It then we could buy it back and then we'd own the stuff, so it doesn't necessarily. I mean you.

E

Could put it in the capital plan, but it doesn't necessarily have to do. Maybe the planning or.

E

Design, it wouldn't be certificate in the castle plan, but to look at places around the city where.

E

And I think this is already happening and we formalize it places around the city where the.

E

City could work with energy providers to put in renewable energy, so would it make sense to learn.

F

And I see kate has her hand up song. No, I was just gonna add this. Is the opportunity to put in.

G

um Money for a plan um for like the consultant, you know this is something.

G

That we had talked about a while ago about the green buildings initiatives and getting.

G

Potentially getting the city's consultant, that's been working on housing to assist.

G

In changing codes, well, the the cip budget is a place to put money in for a consultant.

G

To maybe write new policies around um solar or you know, assist with building changes, so this is that.

G

Might be something that we could put in there in the same way, we did a climate action plan.

C

So I think, there's a bunch of ideas. Zayn had the best way to potentially make this so.

B

I think that, like direct impact for the students and where they are and the fact.

B

That they came to us, I think maybe at some point we could share with them. What we're.

B

Trying to do I'm going to school level or policy, let's put it forward just because.

B

That's like a here and now, and I think a lot of things are things that they've talked about.

B

um I think what he was saying about: what do we get in um seven days.

F

Eight, I appreciate your urgency to make sure that things go hard. I mean it's really important. Yeah.

F

They've struggled with some of their work just goes for not they want to continue to.

A

Break this into smaller and more bite-sized thing, as opposed to changing policy for home.

A

I guess what's the scale right, the bigger the scale, the harder it is to get it done, because.

A

Of you know being able to fund it and etc. Is there something? Is there potentially some.

A

Project that that kids in the in the middle school could drive it wouldn't take a lot.

A

Of capital expenditure to implement you know, maybe it's a couple: solar panels to drive some.

A

Exterior lighting or something like that- that's not you know, grid connected, but the kids still.

A

Are like wow: this is cool like we, we did this, we planned it. We implemented it. You know it only cost.

A

Fifteen hundred dollars or something and you got materials donated, you know locally or something.

A

So you know they didn't tip another thought right. Instead of trying to say, let's put panels on the.

A

Whole roof of the middle school you know, is there something we could do? That's smaller, that's a fair.

C

Point there's a there's, an energy. I would love to harness in this and it's the energy of those kids.

C

So whatever the project winds up, looking like how big it is, however, gets paid for I I will raise my.

C

Hand and see if it's a way that we can we in this organization we work with the kids, make sure that.

C

They only hurt- maybe we expose them to some of the ugly sources given to a terrible thing, either.

C

But yeah, let's engage them, so they don't feel like they've raised their hands to participate.

A

Thanks, for example, at the end time, I'm going to wrap that up wrapping up other business and.

A

Yeah, I think so yeah now.