SC Green Team Meeting Notes-Actions 01-18-2022

 

SC Green Team Meeting Notes/Actions  01/18/2022

Present: Mark Bohrer, Bill Schroeder, Susan Johnston, Mary Pritchard, Candy Dann, Steve Fink, Ben Li

Away: John Wiggins, Iric Rex, Janet Clarke

New regular meeting time: First Wednesday of each month 6:30 PM

Next Meeting: Wednesday February 2^nd 6:30 PM!

1)      Charging Station

·         Should be installed by end of this week – by Friday 1/21 – or possibly by early week of 1/24

                                                               i.      Connection to internet has been worked out

·         ACTION: Bill – write draft for church newsletter message – 1 pager

                                                               i.      Then post this on church website & link in the buzz

                                                             ii.      The 1 pager could be a flyer to hand out

                                                           iii.      Bigger announcement after a “beta” period

·         Send to Andover Townsman as a press release

                                                           iv.      Add to plugshare app after shakedown period

·         ACTION Candy – find out about how plugshare connection, signup, etc.

                                                             v.      ACTION Steve – contact town for stencil for parking spot

·         Steve’s idea: Make a video of introducing the charging station/ribbon cutting –

                                                               i.      share during a church service

                                                             ii.      ACTION Steve - Ask Jen Mazur, Lucas Bacchi – who could make a video?

2)      Heat Study –prep for annual meeting in February

·         We need a high level view / presentation of options, over lifespan of the system (~25 year costs which make green option a better financial choice)

·         ACTION Mark, Candy

                                                               i.      Annual meeting – touchpoint summary on this agenda – brief update, what’s next, FYI – 3 topics

1-Heat Study, 2-Charging Station, 3-Retreat

·         Plan for more detailed presentation at May meeting

3)      Green Service - April 24 “Earth Day/Climate Justice” service

·         Make Mission partner the Giving Garden for that month in conjunction with Green Service?

·         Church library – environmental books – Susan has books to donate on horticulture

                                                               i.      Tie to Green Service

·         ACTION Mary – contact Taylor – ask how can Green team help?

4)      Retreat – signups 31 adults, 4 children

o   Taylor has a conflict that weekend, risk at present is 0/3 - no ministers

o   ACTION : Steve – recruit young families

§  pitch the idea of group of families in bunkhouse

o   Plan to open things up to other faith communities at some point

§  At least through January it will be South Church, and we will evaluate at end of January

o   Planning committee – needs to launch this month

§  ACTION:Steve – recruit committee members

5)      Andover Climate Summit – April 8/9 – details here: https://www.andoverwecan.org/events

Not discussed:

6)      Watch party – Don’t Look Up

 

Parking lot topics

Proposal for a South Church "Green Future Fund"

CCA – Community Choice Aggregation in Andover

Historic Mill District

SC Green Team Meeting Notes 2-17-2021

 Green Team Meeting Notes 2/17/2021

Attendees: Steve Fink, Mark Bohrer, Susan Johnston, Mary Pritchard, Bill Schroeder, Janet Clarke, Iric Rex, Candy Dann

 

1.      Church boiler - heating system replacement - Bill S is the point person for Green team

• Current status: boiler is still limping along, but functional
• Tour of Christ Church United/Lowell – Bill organized this, Al Joyall is going
  

·        Scheduled for Sunday Feb 28th

·        “We don’t want to get left behind”

·        Another tour? Utech Lowell (old church building) retrofitted their building also

• Next step – Al Joyall will schedule meeting with Bill & Andy
• Can the church investigate ground source heat pumpt (geothermal)?

·        Candy would pay for a test drill.

·        Iric noted: Sergio the engineer would recommend a test drill if worth exploring

 

2.      MV Renewal Fund survey - Candy's email

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and the AGO have developed two short surveys (available in English and Spanish) to gather community input from Andover, North Andover, and Lawrence residents and businesses about the Merrimack Valley Renewal Fund. Link to surveys here..

Merrimack Valley Clean Energy & Energy Efficiency Programs Programs to serve residents and businesses in the City of Lawrence and the Towns of North Andover and Andover

Action for Green Team – fill out survey -  see link above

 

3.      Church Ceiling/Insulation update – basically going according to plan

ceiling and walls got some insulation (exact result there is not completely known)

Action – Iric – ask Tim Ozirsky how much cellulose went into the walls

Action – Iric – ask Ian Rex if he can

 

4.      Charging Station at Church - Decision: table for now

 Here's the current status (from Bill S):

·        National Grid will pay for the cost of the "electrical infrastructure"

·        National Grid will pay part of the cost for the EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, i.e. Charging Station)

·        Vendor will pay remainder of cost for the EVSE (Dennis Hacker's drawing prize)

·        Installation cost which utility doesn't cover is approx. $1,000

·        SC needs to keep the system working and available to the public for 5 years

·        SC pays for software to track usage and bill users - approx $400 initial fee + $700/year

·        SC pays for annual maintenance & repair contract.  $ Amount???

·        SC maintains liability insurance for injury or property damage.  Incremental cost is ?

·        SC pays for electricity but recovers cost via user charge.  Net cost for electricity approx zero.

One must file an application with National Grid, with detailed design documentation and firm costs, and receive approval.  Without prior approval from National Grid they won't pay.  At this point SC has not prepared an application.

National Grid recommends that potential hosts work with a qualified installer from their approved list.  I have had difficulty finding an installer who wants to work with us.

I considered a whole different business model for this project.  Suppose we simply provided parking spaces for chargers and an outside company installed the chargers and ran them as a service business.  I contacted Blink, a company which does have that model.  But they were not interested in our location, and they have only a small presence in MA.

 

5.      Not discussed this month

• support for AGAB Pesticide use survey - discussion with Maria Bartlett last month
• CCA – Community Choice Aggregation in Andover
• Retreat 

Green Team Meeting Notes 12-16-2020

 Green Team Meeting Notes 12/16/2020

Attendees: Steve Fink, Mark Bohrer, Susan Johnston, Mary Pritchard, Bill Schroeder, Janet Clarke, Iric Rex

Away: Candy Dann, Fran Fink

Next meeting is 3^rd  Wednesday 1/20  - Inauguration Day!

 

·         Green Team Mission

o  We asked - what is our mission? 

o   How far does it extend beyond South Church? How far should it?

o   Actions/campaigns have a South Church center but often reach into the larger community

o   We’ve partnered/joined with/taken the lead (as GT members) on other organizations

§  WECAN, North Parish (on retreat), Historic Mill District

o   There is an opportunity to reach out more - especially to other faith communities, our sisters and brothers in this mission

§  Christ Church, Lutheran Church

·         ACTION – Mark – reach out to these churches

§  Kate Margolies, West Parish (is also on WECAN)

o   Suggestion of a local summit to other groups – share ideas, get to know each others groups

·         Creation Care Voter Pledge

o   71 South Church people signed

o   ACTION – Mark – send an email to thank all those & share their names

·         New West Elementary – Steve shared an update on his involvement

o   The latest plan is going towards an “all electric” facility –

§  Electric is coming in cost effective compared to natural gas

·         Film Condor & Eagle – Bill

o   Plan as Faith Forum – Discussion topic of Sun Dec 27

o   ACTION – Bill – send a message to Faith Forum list

§  Mark – FWD to expanded green team

o   Note that it can be watched anytime Dec 18-20

·         Briefly mentioned

o   Retreat

o   Historic Mill District

o   CCA – Community Choice Aggregation in Andover

o   Charging Station at Church

o   Church Ceiling/Insulation

Green Team Meeting Notes 8-27-2020

 Green Team Meeting Notes – 8/27/2020

 

Attendees: Steve Fink, Mark Bohrer, Mary Pritchard, Candy Dann

Away: Bill Schroeder, Janet Clarke, Susan Johnston, Fran Fink

Next meeting is 2^nd Wednesday 9/9 (proposed)

 

1)     WECAN – Brief update from Mary Pritchard

2)     Environmental Voter Pledge – Candy Dann (for Bill Schroeder)

·        ACTION – Mark – contact Dana & Alex about how can we get this campaign into the church service, out to the church? What are their ideas?

·        ACTION – Green Team meeting in 2 weeks to focus just on this

·        ACTION – Candy & Susan – draft an email to send to “Greater Green Team”

·        Climate Voter Project organized by SNEUCC (Southern New England UCC)

·        https://www.sneucc.org/blogdetail/congregation-climate-justice-voter-pledge-14169816

·        What is the “Why” – Are you tired of not being heard? Amplify your voice by joining together!

·        Goals - campaign to challenge the congregation to reach 75% of church membership – 600 people

                                                              i.     In Buzz, onto church website

                                                             ii.     Green Team committee – Divide up “Greater Green Team” list – 43 names -

1.      Divide up list - each of us contacts 8, ask each person to contact 2 more

                                                            iii.      Get into the Andover Townsman

                                                            iv.     Get other churches/temples to join in - point them to Interfaith Power & Light

                                                             v.     Idea – monthly focus for Missions (Board of World Service) –

1.      ACTION - Steve – bring it up there

                                                            vi.     Request to have it part of the church service

3)     Retreat – early plans discussion – Steve Fink

·        Steve shared ideas/brainstorming – earliest in person would be Fall 2022

·        Real thoughts wait until after the election

·        Thoughts about a Zoom online “Green Retreat” event

                                                              i.     Find a local social justice / climate justice speaker – do it online? in church parking lot?

                                                             ii.     invite local religious organizations & green groups to start building connections for in person retreat

4)     Green Bee – Susan & Candy

·        Brainstorm ideas – Environmental/Climate Voter Project

 

Other topics – not discussed

5)     Church Insulation Update – Bill Schroeder

6)     Trustees of the Trust Funds

·        Candy will work Tim to a letter to the TOTF, asking for an update on divestment and social justice

7)     State Bill – Roadmap 2050 – sent an email about contacting your State reps

·        Mary Pritchard sent out an email about how to support this

·        Action needed before end of July to move

8)     Mass Interfaith Power & Light

9)     Church Capital campaign -  (On Hold)

·        sustainability – conversion to heatpumps, insulation, capital campaign

10)  Green Bee

11)  Charging station

12)  Faith forums

13)  Church service – climate witness / climate justice