Sustainable Dunedin City

SDC Committee Meeting Minutes
5:30 pm Thursday 22 July 2010
Community Church, cnr Filleul and St Andrew’s
Present: Bob Lloyd, Jocelyn Harris, Jinty MacTavish, Nick Holmes, David Tucker, Mark Jackson, Suze Keith.
Apologies: John Cocks, David Tucker, Maureen Howard, Phil Cole, Paul Young, Tracey
Minutes of last meeting & business arising: No matters arising. Minutes accepted.
Secretary’s report: Nothing to report.
Treasurer’s report: Still need new treasurer.
Acknowledgement of Phil’s resignation: Jocelyn proposed motion of acclamation for Phil’s work as co-chair. Carried.
Acknowledgement of Dave’s work with Knox College, and discussion about any further steps: Dave reported that Knox College got approval to keep using coal for a further 20 years, but they are looking seriously at wood-fired option.
Audit of accounts and proposed Rule change: Will keep looking for an auditor but want to be in a position to not have to. Motion needs to be signed by 15 members and received by secretary no less than 28 days before AGM (Wednesday 25th July).
AGM 25/08/10.
• Notice of AGM to be sent out no less than 14 days before (Wednesday 11th.August)
• John has booked venue. G201/203 Polytech. Outside door to be open 6.45 to 7.15pm. Need to draw attention to this in newsletter, and include Jocelyn’s cell phone number for late arrivals to be able to get in.
• Nick will also find out about using his church as venue instead as it is more accessible.
• Jocelyn will bring tea/coffee etc. Janet will make supper.
• Jocelyn to draft annual report.
• Instead of having speaker will discuss future directions for SDC as Vaughan Mathews will be present.
• Jocelyn to place ad in Star.
• Suze to send copy of membership database to committee to select 10 names each to ring and tell about AGM and explain there will be discussion on SDC’s long term strategy.
Vaughan Matthew’s visit:
• Will be in Dunedin 24th - 28th Aug, but has total of two weeks to work on plan so consultation can continue by phone/email after he returns to Auckland.
• Committee session with Vaughan on Tuesday 24th August at 6pm. Nick to check use of church as venue. Nick’s students to make pizzas. Jocelyn to notify committee of arrangements when this is confirmed.
• John has sent him Fitzharris report and other background info (submissions etc).
• Bob’s report on Peak Oil for DCC not due till September but he agreed he will send Vaughan some information.
• Offer Vaughan tour: Polytech’s Living Campus? Uni? Jocelyn to contact him to ask what he wants to do.
Dunedin’s Big Green Challenge and 350 Partnership Proposal:
• All agreed that article and ad in Star came across well.
• Jinty commented that the journalist, Bruce Munroe, was very interested in what SDC was doing and why.
• The Star interested in partnering on BGC and will do follow up articles.
DCC Futures Forum report back:
• General feeling of committee members who attended was disappointment. Although it was good to have consultation, there were criticisms on the process in particular. Processes important because the suggestions made at the forum will form basis of discussion of Leadership Focus group meetings.
• It was felt that the importance of sustainability had not been sufficiently conveyed.
• It was decided to contact some of the other forum attendees and see if they wanted to be involved in drafting some constructive feedback on the forum.
• Jinty will draft some topics for discussion and will forward to committee for comment.
22 Youth project update:
• Nick reported it has been going well.
• Activities in last month included: workshops in bread making and bike maintenance. Planting garlic at land owned by John McGlashan College. This is part of establishing an urban classroom so community can see a model of an urban sustainable property in action.
• Vodaphone Ripple Youth Action facilitator role has been approved. (Nick has since meeting confirmed that SDC will be involved in the candidate selection process.)
• This role will commence just before completion of Nick’s contract so will be chance to ensure that this year’s work will be continued, and as member of SDC committee he will be able to give continued guidance.
• As Ripple role is only part time it was agreed it would be good to get some full-time funding to continue Nick’s work. Possible partnering with other agencies? Investigate funding sources from Ministry of Youth Development, Dept of Conservation Youth Corp? Nick is meeting with Malcam Trust to this end.
• Nick said that there was still money in his expenses budget because he hasn’t had to pay for office rent or buy a laptop as budgeted. One suggestion was to hold a youth-focussed Futures Forum.
Community Sustainability Panel Update:
• Jinty reported that Neville Auton talked about implications of ETS for council. Waste is going to be the biggest area they’ll have to spend money on.
• Jinty gave update on Dave’s work on Knox College and explained the Big Green Challenge.
Newsletter:
• Was agreed a smaller group would look at this and then report back.
• Suze to think about who would be useful.
• A suggestion that it would be useful to consult Vaughan.
Report on Green Drinks: Next one to be July 27th, hosted by Francine Vella of St Martins Island community.

Meeting closed 7.55pm.
Next meeting: Tuesday 24th August. Date and venue to be confirmed.

SDC Committee Meeting Agenda

5:30 pm Thursday 21 May 2010

Community Church, cnr Filleul and St Andrew’s

Present: Jocelyn Harris, Bob Lloyd, David Tucker, Maureen Howard, Jinty MacTavish, Nick Holmes, Janet Brady, Paul Young, Mark Jackson.

Apologies: Phil Cole, John Cocks, Tracey Willmot, Suze Keith.

Minutes 22/4/10 & business arising

Ø Bob reported that he has been asked by the DCC Community Sustainability Panel to produce a Peak Oil report with Susan Krumdieck, a companion report to the Fitzharris report on Climate Change. The final draft will be due by the end of August.

Ø David Tucker’s attempts to find an auditor have not come to fruition. Jocelyn brought up whether SDC really does need auditing, because it was expensive to do. (John Cocks later clarified by email that SDC does need to.) Bob suggested we put the cost against Vodafone account, but Nick pointed out that his project expenses can’t be used for baseline operating costs. However, since it is specifically having the Vodafone grant that has put SDC’s income over the threshold for needing auditing, there maybe a case for this money to cover the cost.

Ø Jinty to find out who Volunteer Otago use as an auditor. A call for suggestions for an auditor to be included in the newsletter for suggestions.

Secretary’s report: This month’s correspondence: Feedback on renewal online from a member, Donald Geist, and a thank-you note from Enviroschools to SDC, and Nick Holmes in particular, for help with their recent Regeneration event.

Treasurer’s report: Tabled.

Tracey is standing down as Treasurer. Will advertise in the newsletter for a replacement.

Minute of Appreciation for Tracy: All agreed that Tracey has done a stellar job as Treasurer and her work has been much appreciated.

Community Sustainability Panel Update:

Ø There hasn’t been another meeting since the last SDC meeting as the DCC have been busy with their annual plan.

Ø The next one is scheduled for the 4^th June. Anything to be brought up at the next meeting needs to send it to Jinty by mid next week.

Ø Unfortunately Jinty will not be able to attend, but Phil Ker suggested that Nick represent SDC instead so he could talk to them about his work. (Nick wants to propose DCC find a bit of waste land for the 22 Youth garden project. Phil Ker was keen to support this proposal. )

Ø Jinty to pass on that SDC are really pleased that the CSP has asked Bob Lloyd and Susan Krumdieck to produce the Peak Oil report.

Futures Forum Update: Jocelyn said she has now met with Carolyn Burns of the University Sustainability Council, and she’s fully supportive of the proposed forum.

Ø Jocelyn to solicit further support from other key people.

Hands Up Applications: Progress Update:

Ø John, Jocelyn and Nick met and discussed questions to ask the applicants in their interviews. John had a template from MWH that was useful. All agreed that, to be fair, both applicants be asked the same questions.

Ø Nick talked to Vaughan’s manager (one of the business plan applicant’s) as a reference for Vaughan.

Ø Need to think about what sort of long term plan SDC wants, including levels of expectations required.

Ø Need to set up interview with speaker phone. Polytech’s video conferencing facility was suggested. Nick to find out about using this.

Ø The second branding position is still being advertised but there have been no applicants as yet.

Vodafone World of Difference Programme: Update:

Ø Nick pointed out there was now a well stocked bookshelf at the back of the church with books on sustainability for his 22 Youth participants to borrow, or for others to view while in the church.

Ø Nick reported that the Centre for Sustainable Practice at Polytech are launching new certificate and diploma courses in sustainable practice in September, and that these could possibly link in with his project.

Ø Recent activities with the youth group include learning sustainable local food production skills, and as such they have visited various permaculture gardens, such as Jason Ross’. They are still looking at potential sites to set up their own garden which would act as an ongoing classroom for teaching food-growing skills to young people.

Ø Nick to post his Vodafone WoD blog on SDC’s website.

Ø A blurb to be included in the next newsletter to tell members that they can now find out about Nick’s activities in the form of a monthly blog.

Report on submissions to DCC:

Ø The report included references to the recent US Military’s Joint Operating Environment Report projecting peak oil in 2012; the US government’s Energy Information Administration’s 2009 graph showing projected dropping off of oil supplies between 2011 -2015.

Ø At the oral submissions, Jinty said she focussed on the front page of SDC’s submission and reiterated SDC’s concerns that the council was basing its decision–making on a number of assumptions (about the ongoing availability of cheap oil, about the proximity of the impacts of climate change, about the need to mitigate climate change, etc).

Ø A number of questions were asked. Dave Cull asked about the potential positives for Dunedin if the city became really proactive about sustainability initiatives.

Report on Green Drinks:

Ø Maureen reported that last month’s drinks with Hendik Koch, of the Shetland Street Community Gardens, drew about 20 people and generated a good discussion afterwards.

Ø Next month: Waitati Edible Garden (WEGies) will talk about growing and eating pumpkins, potatoes and garlic in ways that don’t contribute to GDP.

Ø As Maureen will be away in June, Bob volunteered to host the drinks. Bob to book Filadelfios for the next two months and Jinty to send out email reminders for both June and July drinks.

Membership: How to get people to renew subs?

Ø Bob said Ted Trainor, who had done a critique of the Transition Towns movement was to speak at the university soon. Maybe SDC could invite members to this talk?

Ø Jinty pointed out that the promotion of the intended community grants would help raise SDC’s profile.

Community Grants:

Ø It was agreed we need to make a visually attractive advertisement for the awards in the next couple of months so it can be advertised three months in advance.

Ø It was suggested approaching the Star to promote the awards and 10/10/10. Advertising the awards in the Star would help raise awareness of the 10/10/10 work day event, and vice versa. There is scope for articles about the nominees and their proposed projects, and follow up articles on completion of the projects.

Ø General agreement with idea of specifying separate award categories for School, Community, and Business.

Ø Next steps: Jinty to draft some branding around the awards and will approach the Star about partnering with SDC on the awards, prior to the next meeting.

Website training: Mark gave instruction on posting to the website for interested committee members.

Other Business:

Ø David has been attending the Business for Change Group’s monthly meetings. So far they’ve had Tim Bishop reporting on projects, Steve Henry talking about a biodiesel programme and the problems of implementing it in Otago; and Peter Morrison on a method of taking all types of waste plastic (1-7) to make building blocks. David feels the group is starting to make some progress.

Ø David also reported hearing rumours about the local supermarkets boycotting products that are being sold at the Otago Farmer’s Market, and wondered whether SDC wants to do something about this? Needs to be verified.

Meeting closed: 6.41pm

Next Meeting: 17^th June.

Sustainable Dunedin City Inc.

AGM Minutes 2009

Thursday 23 July 2009, 7:00 pm. Otago Polytechnic, Room H206a/b, 2^nd Floor H-Block, Dunedin.

The AGM got underway at 7.15pm with Jocelyn Harris welcoming those present. Everyone introduced themselves. There were sixteen members present and one supporter, Elizabeth Liddell.

Present:

Ruth Coleman, Christina Gibbs , Bob Lloyd, Maureen Howard , Jocelyn Harris, David Tucker, Mark Jackson , Ella Lawton, Duncan Davidson , Gerrard Liddell, Elizabeth Liddell, Tracey Willmott, Suze Keith, Jill Corson, John Cocks, Jess Holmes, Janet Brady.

Apologies: Phil Cole, Judy Martin, Jenny Nielsen, Geoff Craig, Elizabeth Rudd.

Jocelyn Harris moved that the apologies be received, seconded by Maureen Howard. All agreed that the apologies be received.

Confirmation of 2008 AGM Minutes: Jocelyn proposed the meeting adopt the minutes as a true and correct record, John seconded. All agreed that the Minutes be adopted.

The 2009 Annual Report:

Lobbying DCC:

Jocelyn Harris presented the Annual report. She felt that over the last year SDC was starting to gain some traction with DCC.

Discussion:

• On 23^rd July, Bob Lloyd, Phil Cole, David Tucker and Maureen Howard attended the Sustainability Forum at DCC.

• DCC is looking at a committee for community input based on the Harbour Cone format and to be chaired by Dave Cull. SDC hopes to be able to nominate representatives.

• Bob Lloyd said that the current climate prevents business as usual. However, people like Gareth Morgan are helping to raise awareness of the issue.

Membership:

Members have been slow to renew their subscriptions this year. The floor was asked for bright ideas on how to get more members signed up.

Discussion:

• Duncan Davidson suggested a stall at the university campus.

• Maureen Howard suggested attending the Farmers

SDC Committee Meeting Minutes

5:30 p.m. Thursday 18 June 2009

MWH office 3rd floor, Wickliffe Bdg, Water St

1. Present: Janet, Suze, Mark, Phil, John, Jinty, Paul, Maureen, Lizzie, Nick Holmes

2. Apologies: Ian, Jocelyn, Tracey, Bob, David

3. Minutes 21/5/09 & business arising: Accepted

4. Secretary’s report:

Incoming Mail:

All have already been circulated to committee members.

SDC Committee Meeting Minutes

5:30 p.m. Thursday 21 May 2009

MWH office 3rd floor, Wickliffe Bdg, Water St

1. Present: Bob Lloyd, Jocelyn Harris, David Tucker, Janet Brady, Tracey Willmott, John Cocks, Maureen Howard, Paul Young, Mark Jackson, Lizzie Rudd

2. Apologies: Suze Keith, Ian Goldsmith

3. Minutes 11/2/09 & business arising

• Phil to invite MPs to speak
• Discussion on whether to continue charging a membership fee, or just ask for donations instead. John to investigate constitutional issues.
• Mark reported that the Sewage Plan had been adopted by DCC.

4. Secretary’s report

Incoming mail:

• 11^th May 2009, from Lindsay Horner, a Science Communications student at Otago, who is making a short documentary entitled
  

SDC Committee Meeting Minutes

5:30 p.m. Thursday 16 April 2009

MWH office 3rd floor, Wickliffe Bdg, Water St

Present: Mark Jackson, Lizzie Rudd, Maureen Howard, Janet Brady, Tracey Willmot, Phil Cole, David Tucker.

Apologies: John Cocks, Joceyln Harris, Paul Young, Suze Keith

Condolences from the committee to be passed to Paul for his bereavement.

Minutes 19/3/09 & business arising:

• Tracey’s job description as liaison person DCC/OU and SDC/DCC
• Newsletter format
• Members’ attendance at committee meetings: issues of interest rather than speakers?

Phil enquired about whether these items had been covered in last month