Stockton Ecomunicipality Interest Group Meeting

Thursday, February 7, 2008, at 7:00 pm in the Stockton Municipal Building (Meeting #6)

Attendees: 

Sue Anderson; Cindy Davis; Donna Literski; Tom Literski; Elizabeth Pitta; Josef Pitta; Mary Maller;  Sharon Reichert; and Jeanne Dodge (briefly).

Discussion Items:

Minutes.

Minutes of Meeting #5 were approved.

Ecomunicipality Mission/Goals/Name, etc.

The group reviewed the draft prepared by the subcommittee of Mary, Sue, Elizabeth, and Sharon.  The group approved the following parts of our committee set-up:

Name:  The name of Sustainable Stockton was discussed but not formally decided upon.  In addition, the group felt we need a tag line to follow our name to give people more of an idea of what we’re about.

Mission Statement:  To create and implement a shared, community vision for a sustainable future in the Town of Stockton.

Structure:  The Committee shall be made up of any interested residents of the Town of Stockton as well as other interested parties. Resident Committee members in attendance will have a vote.  The Committee shall meet on the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm in the Town of Stockton Municipal Building unless otherwise stated.  The Committee will elect, by simple nomination and majority vote, two Committee Co-Chairs, a Committee Secretary, and a Committee Treasurer.   One or both Committee Co-Chairs will administer the meetings; Committee Secretary will take minutes and disperse any necessary information; Committee Treasurer will be responsible for Committee financial matters.  All issues will be decided by simple majority vote rules.  The Committee strives to keep the atmosphere of its meetings relaxed and inviting to encourage a diversity of attendees and open-minded thoughts.  Meetings are open to the public.  The Committee maintains an e-mail list.  Anyone requesting to be on this list will be added.  The Committee reserves the right to create subcommittees and to communicate via e-mail/phone/in-person between meetings.

Election Day Booth.

Group wants to have coffee, home-baked goods, group flyer, Focus on Energy pamphlets (Cindy Davis got for us), light bulb board, and possibly cranking machine at our booth on Election Day in April 2008.  Jeanne Dodge stopped by and suggested we have our booth for the upcoming February Primary Election since voter turnout would likely be greater than the April Election.  Group agreed and decided to get things together for the February

Election.  Sue to send an e-mail to the group regarding Election Day; contact Kim regarding cranking machine; and get hold of Renea about flyer.  Sharon to make baked goods, bring coffee maker, and e-mail group a sign-up sheet regarding coffee donations (free trade or organic  trade), baked goods, and working the booth.  Elizabeth and Josef to make group sign.  Mary to bring in large percolator.  Sharon and Elizabeth can work some of the booth hours (voting from 7am to 8 pm).

Smokey Road Hearing.

Group briefly discussed this with Jeanne, but no action was taken at this time.

Find it in Stockton Directory.

Sue met with UWSP professor who assigned 3 students to our web design project.  The priorities for this project include:

1. Goods & Services Directory
2. Local Events Message Board
3. Links for Sustainable Living (recycling, carbon calculator, green goods shopping guide, etc.)
4. Stockton Stuff Exchange (goods for free, for barter, or for selling)
5. Carpooling/Rideshare Message Board (to include regular-based carpooling like church and work and 1-shot trips, like visits or some meetings. 

Cost of everything will be approximately $4 per month.  The students will set things up so local citizens can enter most of their own information themselves.  Also, students will train coordinators on how to upkeep our system.  Sue, Donna, and Elizabeth are interested in receiving this training and possibly being Website Coordinators for this project.  Sue will e-mail Elizabeth and Donna with information as needed.   Group also thought we may want a logo for our group, scenic photos of the Town, and a theme for our homepage.

Community Outreach.

Tabled for now.

Light bulb Projects/WEEB Grant.

Cindy updated the group on the family light bulb study.  We should have results of that experiment in a few months.  The WEEB grant is still moving ahead thanks to Kim and Tara.  Our group will now partner with Stevens Point and Marathon County for the grant.  Kim Becken is taking donations from any business or individual who’d like to donate funds to accompany the grant if it comes through.  Please contact her by this weekend if you wish to donate and include name and amount (money to be collected later).

Something to Think About:

Sue had a few things:

1. We could have a sign-up sheet for a book study group for The Natural Step to Communities: How Cities and Towns can Change to Sustainable Practices.  (Maybe even include it at our Election Day booth).
2. Possibly set up an environmental-related library in the Town Hall which we could all donate to and borrow from.
3. Our group, as suggested by members, should include the 4 Steps for Communities somewhere in our committee structure.

Next Meeting.

Next meeting of Sustainable Stockton will be held on Thursday, March 6, 2008, at 7:00 pm in the Stockton Municipal Building.  Sue, who often facilitates the meetings, will not be present at the April meeting, so she suggested we elect officers at our March meeting.  Agenda to includes: Meeting Minutes; Committee Structure/Mission/Goals/Name, etc.;  Election of Officers; Election Day Booth; Find It in Stockton Web Page; Lightbulb Projects/ WEEB Grant; Community Outreach Events; Next Meeting Time/Date/Location;  and anyone’s contribution to “Something to Think About.”

Submitted by: Sharon Reichert