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PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
November 5, 2009
Winslow Hall Conference Room

Chairman Dick Bernhard called the meeting to order at 3:37 p.m. The following members attended the meeting: Dick Bernhard, Gene Bressler, Karen Ciccone, Barry Croom, Ahmed El Saghir, Garden Freeman, Matthew Koci, John Kvarta, Charley Pennell, Steve Ratzlaff, Ed Sekmistrz, and Cynthia Zuckerman Hyman.

EX-OFFICO: Cheryl Branker, Tom Skolnicki

GUESTS: Greg Cain, Transportation; Kevin MacNaughton, Facilities Division; Ronnie Wright, Transportation

WELCOME: Dick Bernhard welcomed the committee members and guests.

OLD BUSINESS:
Dick Bernhard called for a motion to approve the minutes for the October 1, 2009 meeting. The motion was made and seconded and minutes were unanimously approved.

COMMENTS FROM KEVIN MACNAUGHTON, ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR FACILITIES
Dick Bernhard welcomed Kevin MacNaughton to address the committee. MacNaughton thanked the committee for its work and thanked Bernhard for his leadership.

MacNaughton said that over the past 10 years we have spent $1.2 billion on new and renovated buildings and related projects with nearly $500 million coming from the 2000 Bond Program. The Bond building program was completed in May of this year ahead of schedule, on budget, and with no outstanding contractor claims. MacNaughton submitted a report to the Higher Education Bond Oversight Committee in October and asked Ron Grote to send a copy to the members.

Some of the highlights of the building program included construction of central chilled water facilities and installation of chilled water lines, which resulted in the elimination of window A/C units and more efficient and effective cooling. Completion of Engineering Building III next year will mean that we are more than halfway there in migrating engineering to Centennial Campus. That will allow for renovation of five buildings on North Campus for use by CHASS and PAMS.

Our Physical Master Plan, which is updated in-house every five years, guides campus development. In the 2007 update, we added some guiding principles such as being mindful of hallowed spaces and placing a stronger emphasis on sustainability. All future buildings will work toward LEED Silver certification. We are also more focused on improving the spaces between buildings. Our landscaping should not only look good, but also function well in regard to stormwater management and related issues. Another item of emphasis is to move parking out of the core campus and reclaim those areas for people.

Gene Bressler pointed out that many campus trees are in various stages of decline due to advanced age. Aggressive pruning is needed he said. MacNaughton asked Tom Skolnicki and Steve Ratzlaff to respond. Skolnicki said that while it is not possible to correct past mistakes, he and Ratzlaff work closely on the problem.

Ratzlaff said that funds, however, are very limited. Bressler responded that as a land grant university, we should be doing better. Ratzlaff pointed out that the university arborist position was eliminated in 1996 due to funding cuts. Ratzlaff was only hired on as the university arborist two and a half years ago. He and Skolnicki monitor the health of trees all the time and are constantly making decisions about pruning and replacement.

MacNaughton added that Facilities Division has set aside money from the Bond Program and from other Facilities funds to plant new trees. He pointed out that Facilities has its own crew to ensure all trees, plants, etc are properly planted and cared for. Garden Freeman suggested we start our own tree nursery. MacNaughton recommended partnering with the College of Natural Resources to bring that about.

Dick Bernhard addressed the lack of eating places on Centennial Campus. MacNaughton said that the university had plans to have a private developer build a combined dining hall and bookstore across the street from Red Hat. The deal fell through due to the downturn in the economy. The university is seeking another developer. The Hunt Library will have some food service. The proposed Town Center near the Hunt Library would be a mixed-use development with residential and commercial properties that would include eateries. In addition, the university is considering a dining option in the planned student housing on Centennial Campus.

Dick Bernhard said the committee has difficulty carrying out the charge to provide direction and critically review the basic concepts and assumptions underlying sustainability initiatives because it is not being provided needed information on that subject. MacNaughton responded that we now have a sustainability office that has stepped up its outreach efforts. He added that the Campus Environmental Sustainability Team (CEST) is the overarching organization handling sustainability. Bernhard said when he had suggested a while ago to the committee that it might want to change the charge, Ron Grote cautioned that it should not be undertaken lightly.

Ed Sekmistrz asked whether the Master Plan could influence choice of plant materials that are more sustainable. MacNaughton said that Grounds Management always tries to install native species that do not require a lot of watering.

When asked about stimulus money through the American Reinvestment Recovery Act, MacNaughton said the university has made numerous applications. One that looks promising is the $15 million request for a Non-Wovens institute on Centennial Campus. Another is the Phytotron Energy Conservation Feasibility Study.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:
CAMPUS PLANNING AND DESIGN AND RESOURCE AND CONSERVATION SUBCOMMITTEE:
Dick Bernhard asked Garden Freeman to provide the subcommittee report. Freeman said the subcommittee did not meet since there were no projects to discuss. He said Tracy Dixon, director, University Sustainability Office, will meet with the group in November to discuss the university sustainability plan. In December, Lisa Johnson, associate university architect, will address the group about the university physical master plan.

CAMPUS PARKING & TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE:
Dick Bernhard asked Matthew Koci to provide the subcommittee report. Koci said the subcommittee met on October 29. He asked Greg Cain and Ronnie Wright to provide the report.

Cain said that Transportation is considering refining employee parking zones. Zones for 2010-2011 would be A, B, C, Coliseum Deck, and Varsity Lot. Other changes that are under consideration include an ordnance that staff, faculty, and students who have a handicapped parking sticker would need to pay for metered parking. Bike and moped ordnance would be rewritten for clarity. Guests would be allowed to purchase parking passes on-line for one day visits to campus

Ronnie Wright discussed Transportation’s responsibilities and distributed the budget for 2007 and 2008 along with projected budgets for 2009-20013.

NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business. The committee adjourned at 5:10 p.m.

The next meeting of the full PEC is scheduled for January 14, 2010 in the Winslow Hall Conference Room.