7/22/2009
By Jeffrey Pieters
Post-Bulletin, Rochester, MN

A nine-member city commission focused on energy efficiency and cost savings gets under way next month.

The Rochester City Council on Monday appointed seven citizens to the new Energy Commission. Two council members, Ed Hruska and Michael Wojcik, also were appointed.

“I believe this group will work hard to save tax dollars in this community and improve quality of life,” Hruska said.

Hruska first proposed forming the committee during city council budget discussions late last year.

Nineteen people applied for seven seats. Mayor Ardell Brede interviewed the applicants and recommended these seven:

• Jay Burke, a local builder and former member of the Rochester Planning and Zoning Commission.
• Michael Benike, a local builder who holds Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.
• Jill Mickelson, a local civil engineer.
• Michael Allen, a Mayo High School student who co-founded a project to install solar energy panels at the school.
• Doug Holton, who oversees the Franklin and Prospect heating plants at Mayo Clinic.
• Christine Schultze, a local architect and activist.
• Rory Lenton of Minnesota Energy.

Members will serve three-year terms starting Aug. 1. To start, however, Schultze and Lenton will serve one-year terms, and Holton and Allen will serve two-year terms. Members may serve two terms before being replaced.

Rochester Public Utilities general manager Larry Koshire will serve as a non-voting member of the group.

The group will be organized under the Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department. It will report to the city council.

Council members approved the appointments on a 5-1 vote. Bruce Snyder voted “no,” saying he was opposed to forming the commission because he believes it unnecessarily expands government. Wojcik abstained, saying he was unable to review the candidates’ backgrounds and qualifications beforehand.

Source: Post Bulletin, Rochester, MN

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