HomeMy WebLinkAboutEnergy Committee 02-11-09 St. Croix Count y Ener gy Committee
February 11, 2009, 8:30- 10:30pm
St. Croix County Government Center
Room #1216
AGENDA
CALL TO ORDER
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
ENERGY COMMITTEE STRATEGIC PLANNING
SWOT Analysis
Mission Statement
Review County Strategic Initiatives
Identify New Strategic Initiatives
Develop Action Plans for Strategic Initiatives
ADJOURN
SUBMITTED BY: Pete Kling
DATE: January 23, 2009
Minutes
St. Croix County Energy Committee
February 11, 2009 8:30 pm
St. Croix County Government Center
Present: Bill Lawson, Jerry VanSomeren, Jennifer Havens, Dennis Horner,
Fred Horne, Rhonda Howard, Art Tobin, Bill Rubin, Daryl Standafer,
and Pete Kling
Meeting called to order by vice chair Horne.
Next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 18 from 8:30- 10:30am.
Kling provided general discussion about strategic planning process in order to better define the
purpose of the committee within the framework of the county government. The group reviewed
the resolution that created the committee and agreed that it would serve as the starting point for
the discussion. There was further discussion about focusing on educating county staff and
serving as a clearing house to document and learn from other county departments engaged in
energy conservation and efficiency.
The committee also agreed that it would work on 2008 County Board strategic initiatives #13
and #14 which are:
#13: Reduce county energy use by 10% by 2013
#14: Increase the use and encourage the development of renewable energy.
Energy Committee Strategic Planning:
The committee will follow the following simple 6 step process to develop a plan to guide its
activities: 1) plan for the plan 2) identify mandates and stakeholder and develop a mission
statement 3) complete a SWOT analysis 4) identify strategic issues, 5) develop action plans and
6) Implement the plan.
MandatesNalues /Guidelines
This step is used to clarify the nature and meaning of formal and informal mandates that the
committee is required to meet. Mandates prescribe what must or should be done under the
committee's policies and/or guidelines and helps set a future course for the committee. It was
generally agreed that most of not all mandates affecting this committee will be informal in
nature.
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1) Provide information and education related to energy conservation and efficiency as
well as renewable energy for county employees and the general public.
• Focus will be placed on conservation and efficiency with county employees.
• Provide insight and understanding regarding rules and regulations affecting
renewable energy in the county.
2) Serve as clearing house for energy related information and activities currently
underway in county departments.
• Emphasis was made that the committee will learn from county departments and
will work cooperatively with them.
• The committee will work to communicate within the county so that different
departments understand what others are doing.
• The committee will serve as a resource for other departments.
Stakeholder Identification
1) Long Range Building Planning Committee
2) County Employees
3) County Taxpayers
4) County Board
5) Energy Suppliers
SWOT Analysis
Internal Strengths
1) Highway Department and Building Services are already developing energy efficiency
policies.
2) County Board's concern/proactive — establishment of Energy Committee is a good
example.
3) County owns land that could be used for development of renewable /alternative energy
4) County is leading by example. Meaning that the county government is first trying to get
itself more energy efficient which may lead to working synergistically with the county as
a whole (public and private) to become more energy efficient.
Internal Weaknesses
1) Status quo — many time decisions are made based on the fact that it's cheaper to fix than
to implement a long term solution that sometimes comes with a high up -front cost.
2) General lack of education about renewable /conservation energy — tendency to go after the
latest and greatest rather than look at the real payback.
3) Not able to examine previous assumptions. Many times we don't learn from past
experiences... we have a short memory.
4) Meaningful communication and collaboration across county departments.
5) County has no baseline energy information.
External Opportunities
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1) St. Croix County Citizens are proactive regarding energy reduction and efficiency and for
the development of renewables.
2) The county still has a lot of open space (Ag land, Forest land) that allows for more
creative energy solutions such as:
• Grow wood for example (high efficiency)
• Bio- energy
• Wind
• Solar
3) Current economy allows government the opportunity to influence public /private
decisions so they are made for long term and for the benefit of all.
External Threats
1) Low density housing ... high densities would allow for district heating for example
2) Our local economy and type of development is dependent on many outside resources
3) Lack of resources to invest in future energy conservation and infrastructure
Strategic Issue Identification:
1) We must quantify and understand the overall energy use in the county
2) We must complete a comprehensive energy audit
3) We should look at purchasing Kilowatt measuring Machines
4) How can we better coordinate /implement county -wide energy efficiency policies?
5) How can we assure that the county is able to deal with a local disaster? — from an energy
standpoint
6) How can we develop and implement a common energy reduction goal for all St. Croix
County employees?
Uwsharre/ petekling /energycommittee /2- 11- 09meeting