UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Local Cub Scouts meet with planning department

WAMPSVILLE, N.Y. >> Active and past generations of scouts collided when two members of the Munnsville Pack 7 Cub Scouts visited with Scott Ingmire from the Madison County Planning Department, learning about his job and all of the initiatives un- derway in Madison County that aim to conserve energy, reduce greenhouse gases and create renewable energy technologies.

Tim Bernet and Wyatt Douthit, both fourth graders at Stockbridge Valley Central School, learned about the various projects that Madison County has worked on and is currently working on to protect the environment and conserve energy.

In February, the county planning and solid waste departments were honored by the DEC as a Certified Climate Smart Community for its efforts in completing a greenhouse gas inventory, developing a climate action plan, installing a series of building upgrades, utilizing solar energy at the landfill, offering a variety of recycling pro- grams, including the newly-implemented Styrofoam recycling program that will continue in 2017, and conducting a countywide vulnerability assessment.

Additionally, the county was recognized for the special innovation portion of climate smart certification process, earning points for its gas-to-energy facility at the landfill, which pow-

ers both landfill buildings and also serves as a economic development tool by powering Johnson Lumber Company kilns.

And while they were impressed with green efforts taking place in the county, the Munnsville Cub Scouts were also thrilled to learn that Ingmire was a scout himself growing up, eventually attaining the prestigious status of Eagle Scout.

“The things he told us will have a positive effect on my scouting. I hope to grow to be an Eagle Scout just like him,” Bernet said.

Bernet and Douthit will be organizing a field trip for the Cub Scout Pack to the Madison County Landfill in late April or early May.

They are also planning to participate in the Canal Clean Up Day in April, and they invite the community to do their part to protect the environment and conserve energy.

PHOTO PROVIDED From left, Stockbridge Valley 4th graders and Munnsville Pack 7members Wyatt Douthit and Tim Bernet meet with Madison County Planning Department Director Scott Ingmire.