At a Nov. 15, 2010, it was agreed by consensus of the Mayor and Council that the staff should place an extension of operation of the Mayor's Commission on Energy and Conservation for the Dec. 15 Council meeting for Council action.  The direction followed a meeting at which the Energy Commission Chair, Dr. Robert Merchant, made a presentation on a proposed New Energy Cities Program.  The New Energy Cities program's intent is to improve energy efficiency and conservation for the entire community through a collaboration between public and private groups and the holding of a 2-day workshop to develop leadership and move forward with a strategy and action plan.  At least one citizen at the Nov. 15 work session said continuance of the Energy Commission was necessary to have people to help complete a New Energy Cities Program plan.

A 10-member Mayor's Commission on Energy Conservation was created by the Council on August 14, 2006, to consider ways for the City to conserve energy, including ways the City could reduce the amount it spent on energy and to limit the City's energy use impact on the environment; and to make recommendations on areas where the City could assist citizens in minimizing pollution amid energy consumption.

The commission has appeared before the Council on programs including the New Energy Cities program; the Energy Star initiative, which reports on City energy consumption and citizen opportunities for improving their energy use; a wind farm grant opportunity that was declined by the Council in part because of the shortness of time for application; and the City's performance contracting program, in which the City could bond for energy-saving improvements in City facilities that would be guaranteed by the utility cost savings achieved.

In addition to the 10 commission members, the Council previously appointed nine staff members to serve as ex-officio members of the commission.  Those members were nominated by the City Administrator.

If the Council approves extension of the commission's life, reappointments and appointments to fill commission and staff ex-officio positions could be made at the Dec. 20, 2010, Council session, along with other appointments due at that time.
 

• Approve the attached resolution extending the term of the Mayors' Commission on Energy and Conservation to June 30, 2011;
• Amend the resolution to extend the term for another amount; or
• Decline to extend the commission's term, which would cause it to sunset on Dec. 31, 2010.