A RESOLUTION OF THE HAINES BOROUGH ASSEMBLY APPOINTING AN AD-HOC ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION AND AUTHORIZING THE BOROUGH MANAGER TO CONTRACT AN ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR TO ASSIST THE BOROUGH IN MAINTAINING AND ENSURING ENERGY SECURITY.

WHEREAS, fuel costs have increased 35% in the past year, creating economical hardship on the Haines Borough; and

WHEREAS, a 40% increase in energy cost has been added to the borough's fiscal year 2009 budget, a total expense increase of approximately $60,000; and

WHEREAS, the borough's fiscal year 2009 budget deficit can largely be attributed to the increase in energy cost; and

WHEREAS, energy conservation and energy efficiency has been proven to reduce the overall usage and expense of energy; and

WHEREAS, the implementation of alternative energy heating sources has been demonstrated to significantly reduce overall energy cost; and

WHEREAS, the importance of making an energy transition proactively rather than reactively, and integrating a transition into the borough's planning and daily actions is abundantly clear,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Haines Borough Assembly:

Section 1. Agrees to the development and implementation of action plans to reduce energy consumption for all borough facilities and activities;

Section 2. Requests the mayor to appoint a nine-member ad-hoc Energy and Sustainability Commission composed of a Haines Borough Assembly liaison, one member of the Haines Borough Planning Commission, and seven community members (with invitations extended to the Chilkoot Indian Association and Alaska Power and Telephone) with the following powers and duties:
a. To coordinate, propose, and promote energy conservation, efficiency, and utilization of alternative energy throughout all borough managed facilities.
b. To make recommendations to the Energy and Sustainability Coordinator (see Section 3 below) on policies and programs that promote energy conservation, energy efficiency, sustainability, and utilization of alternative energy.
c. To determine, in cooperation with the Haines Borough and the public, a borough energy consumption profile.
d.To provide "energy consumption" assessments. The assessments shall be included in quarterly reports provided to the assembly and the public.
e. To research and apply for grants or other funds or gifts from public or private agencies for the purpose of carrying out any of the provisions or purposes of this resolution.

Section 3. The borough manager shall solicit proposals in order to contract an Energy and Sustainability Coordinator to oversee, manage and direct the Energy and Sustainability Commission;
a. Contractor position will be part-time, approximately 20-hours/week, not to exceed 1,000 hours in a 12-month period.
b. Contractor wage will be $17.50-$19.50/hr DOE. Hours of work to be determined by detailed monthly invoices submitted by the contractor.
c. Contractor will provide a monthly report outlining measures taken to accomplish assigned duties (see Section 4 below).
d. Contractor performance will be reviewed every six months.
e. Contractor position will expire after one year.
f. Contractor position may be extended at the will of the assembly only if energy savings can be demonstrated to meet or exceed the salary of the position.
g. The borough manager shall hire an energy rater to conduct an energy audit on three borough facilities: as selected by the Energy and Sustainability Commission, not to exceed $1,000 per facility.

Section 4. Contractor duties may be assigned by the borough manager. Initial tasks will be to:
a. Create an energy conservation plan to reduce consumption a minimum of 5-7%, in all borough facilities. Implementation and tracking of the conservation plan to be completed within 90-days of position start.
b. Investigate the transfer to an alternative energy heating system. An initial report on cost analysis, system overviews and identification of potential funding sources to be complete within 180-days of position start.
c. Create an emergency conservation plan (20-30% reduction of consumption) to be implemented in a time of emergency, as designated by the borough assembly.
d. Outline an energy efficiency plan, including cost analysis, for all borough facilities.