Steering Committee Meeting
June 21, 2005
Hamilton County Environmental Services
8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Meeting Minutes

Those present:

Don Chapman, Kenton County Airport Board (KCAB)
Ken Edgell, HCDOES
Rick Geise, Griffin Industries
Steve Krebs, Lykins Oil
Kim Lahman, Tri-State Clean Fuels Network
Greg Mendell, UC
Hart Moore, Griffin Industries
Steve Proffitt, Mid-Valley Supply

I. Introductions/Announcements:
Kenton County schools were recently awarded a Clean School Buses grant which enables them to retrofit 60 buses with diesel particulate filters. Metroparks in Northwest Ohio have begun using E85 in their fleet of 4 to 5 vehicles. Three hearings have been held on House Bill 245 sponsored by Representative Steve Reinhard, if passed, it will increase the availability of biofuels across Ohio by creating state grants to support development of refueling facilities including those for publicly accessible retail, provide grants to cover incremental cost of fuel for government-related fleets such as school districts, and create a revolving fund to support idle reduction retrofits of government-owned vehicles. The bill would require state-owned vehicles capable of using alternative fuels to actually do so. Everything looks positive for it to move to the Senate. For more information, or to get involved, contact Kim. Bids for the Gest Street refueling facility are due the end of June. Kokolene plans to convert a kerosene tank to E85 in Columbus which opens the opportunity for ODNR and postal service vehicles to use E85.

II. Memebership:
The revised membership packet, which included a cover letter, individual and company commitment inventory forms, and individual and company sample letters of commitment were reviewed. Kim will send the committee the packet plus a membership dues invoice form and a one-page TSCFN marketing flyer by June 24. Lifetime membership dues will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Brochure development continues to be a work in progress and will be forwarded to steering committee for review and comments when completed. The marketing flyer will act as a temporary replacement.

Each organization or company on the potential stakeholders list was addressed by members volunteering to make personal contacts. A goal was set to have 24 stakeholders on board and to add 50 prospects to the list by the next meeting scheduled for August 2.

III. Goals/Objectives:
Action items for the third goal of building capacity and sustainability were discussed with a decision to maintain a steering committee of 12 people and to replace people as needed. Kim will flesh out action items for the additional goals to be reviewed at the next meeting.

IV. GM Chevy Drive:
The Ready to Roll seminar hosted by TSCFN was a great success with approximately 70 people involved. Cincinnati had a strong presence. Several contacts were made; Cinti Parks and Hamilton County Parks and a representative from Clermont County were among those who expressed a strong interest in pursuing the use of biofuels. Kim is waiting to hear if the seminar can be counted as a required stakeholder meeting.

To fulfill our requirements of being a partner of Central Ohio Clean Fuels Coalition, TSCFN is planning the next collaborative project called “Just the Facts.” These two-hour informational sessions will focus on specific topics. TSCFN is committed to sponsoring three sessions. They are as follows:

Diesel Retrofits, Aug???2005 HCDOES
Idle Reduction/Engine Heaters, Oct. 20, 2005, Northern Ky Chamber of Commerce (NKCC), 3-5 p.m.
Biodiesel Maintenance Payback, Jan. 19, 2006, NKCC, 3-5 p.m.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 2, 2005, from 8:30 to 10 a.m., at the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services.