Vassalboro Energy Planning Committee April 5, Monday 2010 Approved with corrections

Present: Mike Vashon, Tom Fullam, John Reuthe, Holly Weidner, Clough Toppan (chair), David Jenney, Lauchlin Titus (selectman), Barry Bernier, Rick Denico

1. Minutes from meeting of March 22 were corrected and will be submitted to Mary Sabin to post on town website.
2. We will standardize information collected on energy consumption using the pertinent parts of the form sent around by Barry and send them as an email to be reviewed before the next meeting.
3. One outcome of our gathering data may be to have an energy maintenance plan of all town buildings e.g. replace bulbs as they burn out with more energy efficient ones, turn all thermostats down when building not in use, replace filters every xxx months .
4. Each town and public facility was assigned a person to collect energy info as follows
   
   Town office: Clough had requested an energy audit of the Town offices from Efficiency Maine and Mary put in the official request. This is a free service offered by Efficiency Maine. The audit occurred on April 1st (conducted by John Monahan). Clough was present during the audit. Results have not been made available at this time.
   
   VCS: Barry will review the old energy audit and update it by a “walk-thru” of the school. Clough will check with Mary re: propane and oil use this year
   
   Fire Station –N. Vassalboro: a walk thru was done by Mike and Tom. They noted that a sump pump was running continuously presumably from the recent rains. Mike mentioned that he was going to consult with Rowe about putting in a new trench. Someone had plugged the soda machine back in. There is an old refrigerator in kitchen. Barry and Tom will do another walk thru, compare notes and submit data information.
   
   Food Pantry: Mike and Tom did a walk thru. They have 3 coolers, 2 freezers and a refrigerator to store and display food; only used ½ tank of oil last year.
   
   Public works/garage: Barry and Tom will gather data and Rick mentioned that changes may be occurring that will affect future energy equipment as they will be changing their water source from the current well that has high salt content.
   
   Fire Station – Rt 201: Tom and Barry will review
   
   Transfer station: Mike and Mary are working on issue of compactor: they are checking the cost of compacting vs. non compacting e.g.: wear and tear on loader, container, buying compacter, 1 phase to 3 phase motor, creating a cover shed for open container (to keep water and therefore weight from entering). Kent will check with Mary about the person in state solid waste dept who may have some more info on options.
   
   Historical Society: Lauchlin will contact Kent London and they will do a walk thru audit.
   
   Library: David and Rick will gather info; the library uses 8500 kwh/yr, 3 propane heaters (? $1500) and 1 cord of wood (wood stove). There is no hot water.
   
   Grange: Holly and Lauchlin will gather info; there is a new gas furnace; the building is shut down from end of Nov to March.
   
   Street lights: Mary has a report from CMP and they will be doing an audit of the lights; Clough will ask Mary if she can ask (? Eric) to move the audit up (we lease most lights from CMP)( lights outside public buildings should be included in the audits of the respective buildings)
   
   (Clough called Eric Wilkins at CMP and left a detailed message as to our inquiry about doing a street light audit)
   
   Gasoline for running town vehicles, trucks, school busses: Gene Fields handles buying for the town. There are 2 above ground tanks, 1 is gas and the other diesel Clough will call Gene to determine fuel use.
   
   Recreation fields and snack shack on Bog Road: Rick will gather data from new Rec director, Nicole Wasalewski. There is a pump and lights.
   
   
5. CMP sent Mary a 24 month history of KWH usage. John suggested that getting it in a spread sheet format will make it easier to read and thought CMP could send it that way. David thought he could set it up with a program. Clough is going to sort out each item by facility and digest the info and give a report. The 3 of them will work out details of this.
   
   
6. Some tentative goals: each building to have a maintenance plan; have information for public to educate on how to reduce energy in homes; prioritize short term and long term goals for reducing energy
   
   
7. Next Meeting April 26th, Monday at 7pm Town Office.
   
   Submitted by Holly Weidner