Article 36 Task Force lists potential action items, invites public input

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The Article 36 Task Force is winnowing its list of potential action items as it prepares to make recommendations to the Selectboard in December. From a list of nearly 50 items, the Task Force preliminarily narrowed the list to 13 items at its October 28 meeting. However, the list remains a work-in-progress.

The Task Force plans to hold three drafting sessions as it further develops the list and report. The first meeting is at 7 PM on November 4, at Tracy Hall and via Zoom or telephone. The agenda and draft of the report are here. Also, in my communications with Task Force Chair Jack Cushman, he emphasized the Task Force’s interest in receiving public input.

The Task Force first met in April 2021. Its charge is to create “an aggressive and comprehensive work plan to achieve the elimination of direct fossil fuels in the Town of Norwich.” The charge stems from the passage at Town Meeting 2019 of advisory Article 36. That Article calls for Town government to reduce its fossil fuel use by at least 5% per year. In addition, the Task Force is an advisory pubic body, tasked with making “recommendations jointly to the [Selectboard] and Town Manager.”

The preliminary list of 13 items, set forth in the October 28 draft meeting minutes, follows.

Source: http://norwich.vt.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/10-28-2021-DRAFT-MINUTES-Article-36.pdf
Note: TON refers to Town of Norwich. FF refers to fossil fuel.

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One Reply to “Article 36 Task Force lists potential action items, invites public input”

  1. I would have hoped for something more substantive after a “task force” creation. That said the main contributor to our climate crisis are vehicle emissions. A Norwich resident (non committee member) proposed the fleet management concept (it’s used in the UV by other towns). Further there is no mention about bio fuels for the Town fleet. Middlebury, Burlington, Keene NH and Portsmouth NH as well as GMP are currently using biodiesel. Possibly someone could reach out to Bill Kernan in Middlebury and start doing some research on their experience with bio fuels? email: bkernan@townofmiddlebury.org (802) 458-8003

    Real action with a real plan is what we need – residents want a reduction in the Town’s carbon footprint, albeit miniscule compared to the homes and residents collective footprint, so let’s get a meaningful plan and also do some real outreach and research with towns that are achieving their goals.