AGENDA# 4g

 

MEMORANDUM

 

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Participation in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative

 

DATE:             February 14, 2000

 

 

At the November 8, 1999 Council meeting, the Council directed the Manager to prepare a resolution and budget ordinance that would approve the actions necessary for the Town of Chapel Hill to participate in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative. 

 

The attached resolution would approve the actions necessary for the Town of Chapel Hill to participate in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative. 

 

The attached budget ordinance would appropriate $6,000 from the Council's Contingency Fund to retain the services of a part-time staff person to serve as the project coordinator and staff to the Steering Committee.

 

BACKGROUND

 

On November 8th, the Council received a staff report on the Million Solar Roofs Initiative.  (Please see Attachment 1)  The report summarized the steps that the Town would need to take to participate in this initiative.

 

According to a presentation by Larry Shirley at the August 23, 1999 Council meeting, North Carolina has established a goal of obtaining 20% of its energy from renewable resources by 2010 through its Solar Communities Program.  In parallel, President Clinton, in June 1997, as a global climate change policy established the Million Solar Roofs Initiative (MSRI), calling upon the United States to install one million solar energy systems on rooftops by 2010.

 

The NC Solar Center was created in 1988 to serve as a clearinghouse for solar energy programs, information, research, technical assistance, and training for the citizens of North Carolina.  It is based in the College of Engineering at NC State University, and is sponsored by the Energy Division, N.C. Department of Commerce. 

 

DISCUSSION

 

During its discussion on November 8th, the Council expressed support for the Million Solar Roofs Initiative.  The Council asked the Manager to make sure that representatives from Carrboro, Hillsborough and Orange County be included on the Steering Committee when it is formed.

 

On November 8th, the Council asked for a resolution for participation in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative.  The attached resolution would pledge the Town Council to:

 

·        Set a goal of 500 solar energy systems to be installed by 2010.

·        Organize a Steering Committee of local community, energy and environmental leaders. 

·        Identify, recruit and appoint members to the Steering Committee, including representatives from Carrboro, Hillsborough and Orange County.

·        Designate staff support for the Steering Committee.

·        Develop an Action Plan specifying the actions to be taken to accelerate the use of solar energy locally.

·        Implement and monitor the plan

 

The charge of the Steering Committee would be to:

 

1.      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.

2.      Develop a draft Action Plan for Council consideration.

3.      Implement and monitor the Action Plan.

4.      Report to the Council quarterly for one year.

 

Staffing

 

We recommend that the Council amend the budget to provide funds in the amount of $6,000 to retain the services of a part-time staff person to serve as the project coordinator and staff to the Steering Committee for one year from the contract date.  Funding would come from the Council's Contingency Fund. 

 

The part-time staff person would be retained prior to the first meeting of the Committee.  We expect to recruit a retired person or graduate student. 

 

NEXT STEPS

 

Next steps for the Town's participation in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative would include:

 

1.      Council take nominations and appoint members of the Steering Committee; and

2.      Retain the services of a project coordinator to serve as staff to the Steering Committee.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Town of Chapel Hill's participation in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative, and recommending a charge and process for making appointments to the Steering Committee. 

 

We also recommend that the Council adopt the attached ordinance to amend the budget to provide funds in the amount of $6,000 from the Council's Contingency Fund to retain the services of a part-time staff person to serve as the project coordinator and to work with the Steering Committee.

 

Attachments

 

1.      Participation in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative, November 8, 1999.(begin new page 1)

A RESOLUTION FOR THE TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MILLION SOLAR ROOFS INITIATIVE (2000-02-14/R-5)

 

 

WHEREAS, 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; and

 

WHEREAS, the N.C. Solar Center, sponsored by the Energy Division, N.C. Department of Commerce, has invited the Town of Chapel Hill to become a partner in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Town pledges to join with jurisdictions from all over the United States in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative and, as a participant in the Million Solar Roofs Initiative pledges:

 

1.      To 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.

6.      To implement and monitor the plan.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council that the charge of the Steering Committee will be to:

 

1.      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.

2.      Develop a draft Action Plan for Council consideration.

3.      Implement and monitor the Action Plan.

4.      Report to the Council quarterly for one year.

 

 

This the 14th day of February, 2000.

 

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND “THE ORDINANCE CONCERNING APPROPRIATIONS AND THE RAISING OF REVENUE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 1999 (2000-2-14/O-4)

 

BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Budget Ordinance entitled “An Ordinance Concerning Appropriations and the Raising of Revenue for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 1999” as duly adopted on June 14, 1999, be and the same is hereby amended as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

                                                  Current                                                                       Revised

APPROPRIATIONS                  Budget                Increase           Decrease                  Budget

 

GENERAL FUND

     Non-Departmental                           

            Contingency                    14,867                                             6,000                    8,867

 

      Council                               139,372                    6,000                                         145,372

 

 

This the 14h day of February, 2000.