The purpose of the Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB) is to provide citizen-led, expert advice and leadership to guide the Town of Waynesville in achieving its goal of carbon neutrality and net zero emissions by 2050. The Waynesville Town Council cares deeply about our mountain environment, and the creation of the ESB reflects the importance of participatory democracy, serves as an extender of municipal leadership, and sets an example for our community and other communities.
The ESB assists the Town Council with better understanding current and future threats to the natural environment and will communicate to citizens and business owners the Town’s commitment to solving current and evolving environmental and climate challenges. The ESB may coordinate with its peer groups across the state and will leverage state and federal partnership and funding opportunities to promote scientifically sound and fiscally responsible climate solutions.
The ESB is responsible for crafting working reference documents that will lay out timelines for achieving climate mitigation and adaptation benchmarks. Documents such as an Environmental Sustainability Strategy, a Carbon Management Plan, and a Climate Adaptation Plan will recommend climate mitigation and resiliency strategies and tools.
Recommended strategies to achieve carbon neutrality and net zero emissions may include, but are not limited to:
- Renewable energy systems
- Building energy efficiency improvements
- Conservation standards
- Green Infrastructure (rain gardens, tree canopy monitoring, pervious parking surfaces, agricultural practices)
- Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE)
- Electric vehicle fleet procurement and ownership cost analysis
- Improving Town utility grid resiliency
- Partnering with local nonprofits in the housing sector to support rollout of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding to low- and moderate-income households for energy efficiency and decarbonization efforts
Deployment of these strategies for town buildings and properties, businesses and residents will confer significant utility cost savings over time. While especially beneficial to low-income residents of Waynesville, every resident of the Town will benefit from the activities of the ESB and implementation of their recommendations. In addition to cost savings, benefits of the ESB include:
- Improved health outcomes due to lower transportation sector emissions and reduced emissions from household heating and cooking.
- Eco-tourism and promotion of electric vehicle charging may lead to more tax receipts from sales and occupancy in Waynesville.
- Increased community partnerships, as alignment with energy savings brings different mission-oriented groups together.
- When the Town or a major local entity adopts energy efficiency or a renewable energy system, other towns, groups, and businesses will be encouraged to adopt these technologies, creating a bandwagon effect.
- Promotion of a sustainable community improves the prosperity of our citizens and enables them to live and work in a safe and healthy environment.
- Creation of green jobs
Terms of Service
The ESB will be comprised of up to 11 members appointed by the Town council. In addition to the 11 members appointed to the by Town Council, the ESB will include 2 ex-officio non-voting members. One of these ex-officio positions will be filled by either the Town Manager or their designee, and the other ex-officio position will be filled by a sitting member of the Town Council. The ESB shall appoint a Chairperson of the Board by majority vote during their first regular scheduled meeting.
The Town Council shall have the authority to appoint two alternate members of the ESB that may serve as voting members of the Board in the absence of another appointed member.
Appointed members of the ESB will serve three consecutive, three year terms.
The ESB shall set their regular meeting schedule at the first meeting of the Board. This schedule shall include the day, time, and location of their regularly scheduled meetings.
Members will be those who are dedicated to the mission of the ESB and who have time and resources available to devote to the work and research necessary to accomplish its objectives.
Particularly useful and important are members with knowledge related to:
- Renewable energy systems
- Conservation and green building standards
- Building efficiency
- Transportation efficiency standards and fuel options
- Forestry and agricultural practices and management
- Ecology and environment science
- Literature relating to the science of climate change.
Members will be residents of Haywood County or will have a significant connections and commitment to the Town or County.
Members
- William Hite (Chair)
- Reid Conway (Vice Chair)
- Paul Carlson
- Kay Kirkman
- Besty Wall
- Aparna Keshaviah
- David Henderson
- Mary Kayler
- Price Berryhill
- Buffy Queen
- Chuck Dickson
- Case Brown (alternate)
- Kipp Sutton
Meetings
The Board will meet publicly twice a month, the first and third Thursday of the month at 4:30pm. A change of the date and time of any posted meeting may be revised or canceled due to holidays, inclement weather, sickness or other factors.
Minutes
The minutes of the committee are posted on E-gov and can be accessed by the following link: http://www.egovlink.com/waynesville/.
Town Clerk Candace Poolton is the staff assigned to the ESB She may be reached by dialing 828-452-2491.