BBGC Meeting Minutes 12/1/2009

Members present:

  • Joan Birnie
  • Dave Birnie
  • Keith Gautreaux
  • Mac McMeen
  • Kathy Larocque
  • Joe Shea

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m. by Joan Birnie. The first order of business discussed was regarding establishing a relationship with the Custer County Foundation. The consensus vote was yes. Discussion then moved to financing the Custer County Foundation dues which were determined to be $40/year.

Ideas for the Farm and Home Show were discussed. Most of these revolved around distributing educational materials at a booth at the Farm and Home Show. Dave Birnie suggested a questionnaire to elicit opinions about possible projects for the BBGC. Joe Shea reviewed the plans and options for recycling receptacles at the new baseball fields. The current hope is to have several baseball and softball tournaments at the new facility.

Joe Shea recommended that we approach the two grocery stores in town about subsidizing reusable grocery bags in exchange for advertising printed on the bag. These could be distributed at the Farm and Home Show. Kathy Larocque mentioned that some stores will gave a $0.02 discount for each plastic bag saved. It was decided that Dave Birnie and Joe Shea would contact the grocery stores regarding this plan. Limit two per family.

A seperate committee was proposed to execute the ideas proposed for the Farm and Home Show. Joan Birnie, Kelly Flynn, and Kathy Larocque formed the Farm and Home Show committee. They will also arrange a method to promote donations to the BBGC.

The city energy audit service was discussed next. Keith Gautreaux mentioned that he tried to arrange an energy audit for his house and was unsuccessful. Mac McMeen noted that he would determine the problem and try to streamline the promotion and execution of the city energy audit service. Mean Electric is the company that provides the electricity to the city and also provides the energy audit service.

Focus then changed to providing paper shredding for businesses in town. Kelly Flynn is in the process of submitting a grant for a paper shredder.

Discussion then turned to potential projects that funds could be raised to support. Suggestions were as follows:

1.) Pay $20 a month for the current web hosting.

2.) Promote energy audit service.

3.) Wind Turbine project.

4.) Weatherization project.

5.) Business recycling program.

6.) Business energy audit service.

7.) “Turn out your light night.”

8.) Subsidize power meters.

9.) Allow chickens within city limits. This was vetoed by Mac McMeen.

10.) Publish numbers from city energy usage, etc…

11.) Public event recycling bins.

12.) Petition restaurants to get rid of styrofoam.

The merits of these various options were discussed briefly, but no consensus was reached. Eventually it was decided that the recycling receptacles in the park would be the best project to focus on in the short term. These projects might be promoted through the radio, the Farm and Home Show, and in the paper.

The next meeting of the Broken Bow Green Coalition will be 12/29/09 at 7 pm at the Broken Bow Public Library.