Meeting notes from MCGF Exec. Comm. Meeting 11-6-07

Attendees:
Donna Drewes, Randy Solomon, Mayor Fred Profeta, Louise Davis, Andrew Carten
(and Medea Villeré as note-taker)

Upcoming meeting dates:
MCGF- Executive Committee: Dec. 11 at 2pm (with a back-up date of Dec. 13 at 2pm)

Next meeting of full MCGF: January 29th at 10:00am

League conference- Nov. 2007
Fred, Donna, and Liz, are on a panel together, moderated by Meryl, at League conference, along with Gov. Florio. Working on what each are going to cover in their portion/ how they are going to present on MCGF and SCWG.

Tentatively:
Fred - give an overview of MCGF & SCWG; show video about Green Fairs.
Liz- explaining DEP’s new office and their role; briefly touch on the new GHG Report
Donna- speaking about the collaboration between the different organizations; will use the Energy Audit Tool as a way to help explain the toolkits/ show what these groups are doing that will provide a benefit to Mayors & communities.
Florio- probably discussing energy, alt. energy… (will probably go first, protocol wise)
Meryl- moderating

Fred and Donna will also provide a way for Mayors/ designees to sign up for the MCGF.
Also- hoping to recruit another member for the MCGF- Exec Committee from south of Trenton. Suggestions included:

• Stafford- Mayor Block
• Woolrich
• Cape May
• Galloway
• Ocean City

Discussion topics/ key points

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is circulating in a draft form, as an agreement between SCWG core project partners to explain role of each, and to define the contributions each entity agrees to contribute to this collaborative.
• The project partners will identify criteria areas for the Working Groups to be formed around.  These will be based on SCWG members’ interests, and our top priorities (critical paths). Then assign WG leaders, and give each group an executable set of marching orders. The project partners will head the WG’s with the top priorities, those that are most important to us. 
• Working Groups will be tasked with: Phase 1 defining sustainability criteria for their topic are, Phase 2  identify and assess resources & tools that exist that could support municipal actions around the criteria and ; Phase 3 asses opportunities for state policies/ incentives to support criteria implementation. This could include identifying pending legislation that needs to be moved on, etc.
• Working Groups will be empowered to take charge of topics that are not on our priority/critical paths list if they so choose.  If they have interest, expertise, and are willing to do the work, that’s fine.  These additional criteria could be folded into the second tier of sustainability criteria.
• Working Groups will work independently, whether in person or by email/ phone. They will be reporting back at regular intervals with their progress.
• Dec. 11th 2 pm meeting of MCGF-EC: review the MOU, the timeline, and the list of topics that are assigned to specific work groups to develop criteria, tools and incentives.
• At the December 11th Exec Committee meeting, select the rest of the full meeting dates for 2008.  Also, SCWG project partners & MCGF-EC will review the proposed timeline for upcoming MCGF meetings and agree on actual dates.
• Create a website for draft versions of the criteria/ tools/ incentives created by Working Groups, to be publicly accessible, for the purpose of MCGF members & other W.G. members to view progress and give feedback. (Allows MCGF members to mull it over, for better feedback.)
• At each of the full meetings of MCGF, we will show progress, share tools that have been created.
• In Jan, this will be the Energy Audit tool, and a How-To on holding a Green Fair.
• April full meeting could include Green Building &/or Green Purchasing tools.