Public Records of the Atkinson Energy Efficiency Committee

In keeping with the spirit and intent of New Hampshire's Right-to-Know Law RSA 91-A, this blog is simply a repository of communications related to the Atkinson Energy Efficiency Committee. It will include copies of emails between members, meeting minutes of public meetings, and other documents which the Committee feels should be available to the public.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Minutes of 12/09/2008 Atkinson Energy Efficiency Committee

Dear Energy Efficiency Committee:
 
Attached please find the minutes from our last meeting.
 
Steve, can you please enter these in the public record? Thank you.
 
Peace,
 
James M. Garrity
Clerk, Atkinson Energy Efficiency Committee
State Representative (Rockingham District 6 - Atkinson)
Tel:  603-362-9416
Fax: 603-218-7818

Friday, December 5, 2008

RE: Meeting Tuesday???????????????

yes... I can make it.
 
Peace,
 
James M. Garrity
State Representative (Rockingham District 6 - Atkinson)
Tel:  603-362-9416
Fax: 603-218-7818


From: Michelle Veasey [mailto:mveasey@msn.com]
Sent: Fri 12/5/2008 8:30 AM
To: jim.garrity.atkinsonsunshine@blogger.com; Garrity, Jim; maj2002@comcast.net; mveasey@msn.com; hike4000@comcast.net; mascola1@verizon.net
Subject: Meeting Tuesday???????????????

Haven't heard from Michael M. and Jim - can you make a meeting on Tuesday?  Hope to have a potential new member.
 
Michelle

Meeting Tuesday???????????????

Haven't heard from Michael M. and Jim - can you make a meeting on Tuesday?  Hope to have a potential new member.
 
Michelle

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Forgot attachment ...

Next Meeting

Hi Everyone,
 
I apologize for neglecting to get a meeting together last month, but since I didn't hear from anyone, I'm assuming no one was chomping at the bit to get going.  I know it's a busy month, but we should have a meeting this month - can everyone make it next Tuesday?  If not, we should look at a date we can all make.
 
We got the grant, enabling us to have approzimately 56 hours of the Rockingham Planning Commissions's time to help us craft wording to encourage more energy efficient building in town, as well as directing town building maintenance to focus on EE.  Part of that grant requires that we have someone attend training on the EPA's Portfolio Manager Benchmarking Tool.  At this point, I'm signed up, but we can bring two more people.  It's next Wednesday at UNH (see attached flyer).  I will ask Dave Weymouth if he'd like to attend, but it would be great to have someone else from the committee.  Let me know.  I will get the up to date info from Sandra.
 
Michelle

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Re: Energy Committee wants residents to reduce their carbon footprint

Hi Michele,

I have read your letter, and suggest you come in Monday Night. Please call me tonight to discuss, or
I can call you.

Paul Sullivan 944-1157 or home 362-9937



-----Original Message-----
From: Michelle Veasey <mveasey@msn.com>
To: Michael Mascola <mascola1@verizon.net>; jim.garrity.atkinsonsunshine@blogger.com; jim.garrity@leg.state.nh.us; maj2002@comcast.net; hike4000@comcast.net
Cc: bill@billfriel.com <bill@billfriel.com>; david weymouth <dhkjm@msn.com>; Paul Sullivan <pas15@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 8:29 am
Subject: RE: Energy Committee wants residents to reduce their carbon footprint

Dear EE Committee,
 
Regarding the Eagle Tribune article - disappointing.  I guess I have to write a letter to the editor , or go in front of the Selectmen to correct the numerous errors she put forth in this article.  Why do I even talk to her!?!  It's like she already had this article in her mind and wanted to force fit our conversation into it with broad editorial privileges.
 
I tried to emphasize getting residents involved in the challenge.  She wanted to talk about town buildings. 
 
I told her we only had Unitil walk through on a high-level electricity audit and that few recommendations came from that.   I did NOT say the library was efficient, since the library wasn't even included in the walk-through!  I said the only recommendations that Unitil verbally gave in the audit were to replace a strip of lighting in the Town Hall with EE lighting (nothing about the police station, other than that is one of the older buildings, so a possible candidate for an energy audit).  She asked about the Historical Society - I said there wasn't a lot we could do in the short term - possibly adding thermal shades.  I talked about my meeting with the Hist Society - wished I hadn't.  I did NOT say the recommendation was to close it down only that we (me and the Historical Society board members) talked about it. SHE asked about doing more extensive audits - I explained they would require funding and that would be the responsibility of each department, not that we are planning on asking.  Next time, I am going to insist on sending a press release, period.  Of course that wouldn't guarantee accuracy in the final report either. 
 
I have been too busy with work to move forward on the more definitive benchmarking tool (the EPA's) and will not have time until mid-November to get the remaining data needed to complete it.  This tool is not a comprehensive energy audit - audits cost money - this only evaluates each building's use against others in our region in regard to their energy intensity.
 
Michelle






Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:53:24 -0400
From: mascola1@verizon.net
Subject: Energy Committee wants residents to reduce their carbon footprint
To: mascola1@verizon.net; mveasey@msn.com; jim.garrity.atkinsonsunshine@blogger.com; jim.garrity@leg.state.nh.us; maj2002@comcast.net; hike4000@comcast.net



Here is an article from the Lawrence Eagle Tribune…
 
Published: October 29, 2008 01:12 am    ShareThisPrintThis  
0
Atkinson challenges Hampstead to save energy and money Energy Committee wants residents to reduce their carbon footprint
By Meghan Carey
mcarey@eagletribune.com
ATKINSON — Atkinson to Hampstead: Who can save the most?
The Atkinson Energy Efficiency Committee is pushing town officials to issue a challenge to their neighbors to see which town can reduce its carbon footprint the most. The challenge may even trim some tax bills.
Selectmen plan to host a workshop to talk about energy savings and the challenge, but Chairman Paul Sullivan said they haven't scheduled it yet. They are waiting for the results of an energy audit the selectmen asked the committee to have done on all town buildings, which he said has been completed.
Once the selectmen call the challenge, the library plans to get onboard, Kimball Library Director Diane Heer said yesterday.
The library and fire station are pretty efficient because they are new buildings, energy committee member Michelle Veasey said. She took someone from the Unitil electric company around to do the energy audit and they had a few suggestions for how the town could cut its bill.
The community center has been refitted with energy-efficient lights, and Unitil said the same should be done at the police station and Town Hall.
The Kimball House, which is where the historical society meets and has its museum, was the least energy-efficient building, Veasey said. The recommendation to save money there was to close the building and shut off the heat for a couple of winter months, she said.
But the house has too many antiques in it to have the heat shut off, Veasey said. She met with historical society members and talked about buying thermal shades as an efficient method to help heat rooms when the museum isn't open.
The Atkinson Energy Efficiency Committee members plan to ask the selectmen to allocate money in next year's budget to do a more thorough audit of the buildings, Veasey said.
They are still researching the costs, but she said it should be reasonable and save money in the long run. The audit would check to see if buildings are airtight, but have proper circulation.
 
=

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Thoughts on Home Energy Conference

Hi All:
 
Interesting conference, but it really isn't a conference; it is a pay-to-attend renewable energy product and services trade show to hear sales pitches by vendors, consultants and service providers, almost all of whom are hoping to profit from the "green" and "renewable" wave.
 
I know some of these presenters or their companies (they lobby in the state house for incentives and subsidies from the taxpayers and ratepayers). Good people all, but this is their business.
 
If these education sessions were so valuable, and maximum public attendance was desired, the entire conference should be free to the public.
 
It seems funny that when green and renewable product vendors work for profit, its called progress, but when other businesses work for profit, it's called "corporate greed".
 
Just some thoughts...
 
Peace,
 
James M. Garrity
 
State Representative (Rockingham District 6 - Atkinson)
Tel:  603-362-9416
Fax: 603-218-7818


From: Michael Jackson [mailto:maj2002@comcast.net]
Sent: Wed 10/29/2008 6:25 PM
To: 'Michelle Veasey'; 'Michael Mascola'; jim.garrity.atkinsonsunshine@blogger.com; Garrity, Jim
Subject: FW: Register Today:Home Energy Conference

I get this mail because we were on the Green Building Open House tour.

 

Any interest in attending this?  I will be away that day, so I know that I can’t go.

 

Mike

 

From: NH Sustainable Energy Association [mailto:info@nhsea.org]
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 10:14 AM
To: maj2002@comcast.net
Subject: Register Today:Home Energy Conference

 

Saturday, December 6
8 AM to 6 PM
UNH, Durham

Ready to make your home more energy efficient?  NHSEA's Home Energy Conference will get you started. HURRY! There is limited capacity and last year’s conference sold out. CLICK HERE for a discount on registrations received BEFORE November 20th! Come learn about:


•  Making Your Home More Energy Efficient

•  Renewable Energy For Everyone

•  Solar Powered Everything

•  Renewable Energy: The Next Generation

•  Citizen-Volunteers For A Sustainable World


 Saturday, December 6, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, Holloway Commons,

University of New Hampshire, Durham

 


Keynote Speaker:

Steven J. Strong, President

Solar Design Associates, Inc.

CLICK HERE for a complete listing of

the day's events.

Come and experience:

18 WORKSHOPS for homeowners, community volunteers,

and energy industry professionals on subjects ranging from efficiency, to solar pv and thermal, wind, wood, and local energy policy

TWO DOZEN EXHIBITORS and non-profit organizations

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE interested in sustainable energy in the home.

 

 

NHSEA    54 Portsmouth Street, Concord, NH  03301   www.nhsea.org   info@nhsea.org

 

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