AGENDA #5a

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Recruitment of Members to the Million Solar Roofs Committee

 

DATE:             October 27, 2003

 

 

This memorandum responds to the Council’s request concerning the process used for recruitment of members to the Million Solar Roofs Committee.

 

BACKGROUND

 

The Council at its October 8 meeting received the Annual Report from the Co-Chairs of the Million Solar Roofs Committee (see Attachment 1).  The Report included three requests:

 

·        that the Council appropriate $600 to the Committee to finish installation of a solar water hearing system at the Community Center,

·        that the Council consider extending the Committee’s authorization, including staff assistance, to allow work to continue on projects currently underway and planned, and

·        that the Council conduct a new appointment process allowing interested Committee members to apply to continue their participation, and recruiting new members.

 

At the October 8 meeting, the Council approved the request for $600 and the request to extend the Committee’s authorization, including staff assistance.  A budget ordinance amendment was included on the Consent Agenda tonight to allocate the $600. 

 

Regarding the recruitment and appointment process, the Manager indicated staff would research the process used to recruit and appoint this Committee when it was created and report back to the Council.

 

DISCUSSION

 

The Town Clerk has researched the method used to create and appoint this Committee, and has determined that the nomination, recruitment, and selection of members followed the general policy used to recruit applicants and make appointments for all standing boards and ad hoc committees:

 

• An advertisement (see Attachment 2) was placed in a local newspaper and was run once a week for four weeks beginning in mid September 2000.
• Nominations and appointments were made by the Council at its business meeting on November 13, 2000.  Because the number of members to this Committee was not specified, the Council nominated and appointed all 19 applicants.
• The estimated completion date of the Committee’s work was August 2003.

 

The Council has not set a time limit on the continuing work of the Committee. The staff  believe that a total of fifteen would be an appropriate number of members to continue its work.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Unless directed otherwise by the Council, the Town Clerk will begin the process to recruit members to the Million Solar Roofs Committee.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.                  October 8, 2003 Annual Report from the Million Solar Roofs Committee (p. 3).

2.                  Advertisement for applicants to the Million Solar Roofs Committee (p. 8).

 

 

 

 

 

VACANCIES FOR NEW TOWN STEERING COMMITTEE FOR

MILLION SOLAR ROOFS INITIATIVE

 

The Chapel Hill Town Council has joined with jurisdictions from all over the United States in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative.  The Town Council’s resolution creating this Steering Committee states “…local governments’ actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy efficiency provide multiple local benefits by decreasing air pollution, creating jobs, reducing energy expenditures, and saving money for the government, its businesses and its citizens.”  As a participant in the Initiative, the Town has pledged to:

 

1. Set a goal of 500 solar energy systems to be installed Town-wide by 2010.
2. To organize a Steering Committee of local community, energy and environmental leaders.
3. To identify, recruit and appoint members to the Steering Committee, including representatives from Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Orange County.
4. To designate staff support for the Steering Committee.
5. To develop an Action Plan for 2000 specifying the actions to be taken to accelerate the use of solar energy locally.

 

The charge of the Steering Committee will be to:

 

• Assess the community’s needs and programs that would be most suitable for meeting those needs, as well as available resources and existing barriers to solar development.
• Develop a draft Action Plan for Council consideration.
• Implement and monitor the Action Plan.
• Report to the Council quarterly for one year.

 

If you are interested in serving on this Steering Committee, please contact the Town Clerk’s office in Town Hall at 968-2743 for an application.  You may also apply through the Town’s website: www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us.  Applications should be returned to the Town Clerk’s office by Monday, October 9.

 

September 12, 2000