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Step It Up Planning Meeting Attending: Karl Seeley, Peggy Mansperger, Mike Angstadt, Karen Anderson, Ian Austin, Cynthia Marsh, Dave Hutchison, Charlie Scheim, Sandy Perry, Rosemary Markert, Annette Lindell, Edmond Rinnooy Kan, Colleen Blacklock, Ed Lentz Many ideas were discussed for events in Oneonta on April 14 to coincide with the nation-wide Step It Up 2007 events. (See, www.stepitup2007.org.) Discussion focused on five independent but related activities: 1. Downtown Window Displays Cynthia Marsh is organizing window displays around a climate change/sustainability theme. Persons who want to help with this project should contact Cynthia. 2. Bicycle Parade Karen Anderson and Karl Seeley are organizing a bicycle parade in downtown. One idea is to have the cyclists parade in a loop that begins and ends near to Muller Plaza. Pedestrians and all manner of non-fossil fuel burning vehicles can participate. Vehicles can be decorated and participants can be costumed. The parade is likely to be at around 1:00 or 1:30pm. Karen is in discussion with Mayor Nader, who supports the idea in concept, about requirements, e.g., permits, insurance, etc., and routing. Parking and securing the bicycles must be considered. Persons who want to help with this activity should contact Karen or Karl. 3. Rally At 2:00pm, to coincide with nation-wide events, a rally will be held on the plaza. It's not clear yet exactly what the rally will entail but it should include music and food. Everyone is invited to suggest possible musician/bands. At the rally, leaflets could be handed out with information about climate change and peak oil as well as advertising the symposium and movie showing (described below.) Anyone with ideas for the rally or interest in helping with this activity should contact Ed Lentz. 4. Symposium Colleen Blacklock, Ed Lentz, and Dave Hutchison are organizing a symposium to feature local experts on climate change/sustainability topics. The symposium would be timed to follow the rally and should be in a nearby venue so people can easily walk from the plaza to the symposium. Anyone with ideas or interest in helping to organize the symposium should contact Dave, Colleen, or Ed. 5. An Inconvenient Truth Dave Hutchison and Cynthia Marsh will explore the feasibility of sponsoring a showing of An Inconvenient Truth after the symposium. Anyone with ideas or interest should contact Cynthia or Dave.
Other Considerations: Other groups may also be planning activities for April 14 in or around Oneonta. We should try to identify these and coordinate scheduling. We will try to identify a videographer to record the activities; the video could be included in publicity by Step It Up 2007 and possibly on local public television. Karen will explore the possibility of obtaining funding, such as via grants or donations. Peggy Mansparger and Mike Angstadt will try to organize something to make the event attractive to Hartwick and SUCO students. This could be something on one or both campuses that encourages students to participate in the downtown activities or it could be a downtown attraction including perhaps live music at the rally. Ian will see about having one or more teen bands participate in the rally. The desirability of having bicycle racks on the city buses by April 14 was universally acknowledged and strongly endorsed. It was also suggested that the City install recycling bins on Main Street, perhaps alongside the trash receptacles. These could be unveiled on April 14. Colleen will talk to Paul French and possibly others about having some kind of sustainability-related exhibition downtown. She will also explore the possibility of having an exhibit by the Junior Scientists. Karen Anderson has registered Oneonta with StepItUp2007. She'll update the registration with details as plans become firm. Post-Meeting Note: Cynthia has spoken to Kathleen (director at UCCCA). She is going to see about getting either the Al Gore movie or “Who Killed the Electric Car” (which could include a talk by the director) - at the Chestnut Street Theater.
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