HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025.11.13 CEPAC Minutes
Climate and Environment Policy Advisory Committee (CEPAC)
Minutes
November 13, 2025, 4:00 – 7:00 PM
51 Winburn Way Ashland, OR 97520
1. Call to Order
COMMITTEE MEMBERS- Mark Morrison, Sharon Dohrmann, Sidney Brown,
Jennie Christopherson, Kip Barrett, Bryan Sohl
PRESENT: OPEN POSITIONS: 2
ABSENT: Gary Shaff
CITY COUNCIL: Bob Kaplan, Jeff Dahle
STAFF: Chad Woodward
2. Consent Agenda.
Minutes- Approved.
o Motion to approve by Morrison, seconded by Brown. Approved
unanimously.
3. Updates/Announcements
Staff Update – Woodward:
o Brief update on the status of the U.S. Dept of Agriculture loan process
and the Home Energy Score progress.
o Update on Oregon Department of Energy weatherization grant and
expected additional funds.
Council Update –
o Kaplan provided an update on natural gas franchise versus ordinance
discussion and shared that it would be on the upcoming council
agenda.
CEPAC Chair Update – Sohl
o Reminder that the meeting time will be moved back one hour in
January to start at 5 pm.
o Provided an overview of 2025 accomplishments to jump start the
discussion.
4. New Business
2025 Accomplishments
o A review of 2025 accomplishments and a discussion of what to include
in a final list to present to council. Sohl covered in further detail the
accomplishments which led to a discussion of whether to include small
engines gas powered lawn and garden equipment as an
accomplishment. Other areas discussed included Carbon Pollution
Impact Fee, Home Energy Score program, review the Climate and
Energy Action Plan, incentive restructuring, and expanding CEPAC role in
the climate community. Sohl was authorized to summarize both the
accomplishments and work plan and then to distribute for individual
review by CEPAC members.
Working dinner:
o Morrison presentation of climate facts and quiz to demonstrate climate
impacts from common activities and choice.
o Morrison presented the committee’s roles and responsibilities to help
inform the workplan discussion and to improve efficiency in the coming
year.
2026 Workplan discussion
o Sohl provided an overview of what people had shared as areas of
interest for the coming year. This led to a discussion of the ideas and
how to frame the issues so that they were specific enough to avoid
being overbroad.
o Items discussed for the 2026 workplan included: understanding climate
adaptability and resiliency efforts and opportunities, providing advisory
opinions on the Transportation System Plan (TSP), working on existing
city building electrification and expanding community awareness of the
CEAP, CEPAC, incentives programs and the Home Energy Score
program.
o Identifying ongoing goals that may not be complete in 2026 were also
discussed and included electrifying Ashland, increasing recycling,
providing composting options, reducing transportation emissions, and
identifying additional low/moderate income pathways for climate work.
o There was additional discussion of how to schedule out the workplan in
2026 with dedicated and planned topics on the agenda with a greater
focus on having time for deliberation.
5. Adjourn-6:00 pm