America’s Model Green Community in Their Own Words

Darin Headrick is in his 7th year as Superintendent of Schools in USD 422 Greensburg. In the wake of the tornado that decimated all district school buildings on May 4, 2007, he led the effort to construct temporary facilities and managed to open school on schedule on August 15, 2007. In addition, he is working on the construction of the first LEED Platinum K-12 School in Kansas slated to open in August of 2010. Darin, along with numerous other public officials, is working toward the construction of a model community with the latest in green design. Darin was nominated for the prestigious "Most Inspiring Person of 2008" by beliefnet.com.

Bob Dixson is a native Kansan, born and raised in NW Kansas (Atwood). He has been a resident of Greensburg since 1985. He retired from the US Postal Service after 26 years. Dixson was Postmaster of Greensburg for 16 years and Pratt Postmaster for 6 years. He served on USD #422 School Board for 12 years and was President for eight years. He served on various church boards including Chairman of Administrative Council. Dixson took office as Mayor of Greensburg in May 2008. Bob says "Greensburg building back sustainable and green are the cornerstones of the recovery". Bob has been all over the world representing Greensburg including Australia, China and aside Michelle Obama at President Obama’s first joint address to congress in 2009.

Daniel Wallach is Executive Director and Founder of Greensburg GreenTown, a private not for profit organization that has helped develop and execute the dream of rebuilding Greensburg, Kansas as a Model Green American Town after it was destroyed by a tornado in May of 2007. Daniel along with the board and staff of GreenTown has worked with City, County, residents and business leaders to help tend to the details of rebuilding green. Daniel is a community builder and entrepreneur, both of which have proven useful in the endeavor that is greening Greensburg, a traditional rural American town.

Mike Estes has been involved in the family business BTI for most of his life and today serves as Vice President. He has helped build the company into one of the strongest networks of John Deere dealerships in Kansas and today one of the best known in the nation. Mike has been heroic in his efforts helping reestablish the community of Greensburg after its total destruction in the tornado of 2007serving on several committees and with his brother Kelly helping establish and then lead, the business redevelopment committee which was key in bringing Greensburg back. He (with the help of his family)did all this while managing the dozens of Greensburg employees and rebuilding the Greensburg store into a LEED Platinum certified model for John Deere dealerships and the first of its kind in the world.

Kelly J Estes has served as President of BTI Corporation for the past 20 years following other family members that have led the farm implement business since 1944. The family business now includes four dealerships covering three counties and the brand new BTI Wind Energy established in Greensburg in 2009. Already Kelly has helped create a wind turbine dealership network in 44 states and six provinces in Canada. Kelly is active giving back in the community in many ways and he has been a key figure in rebuilding the new Greensburg and establishing the Green Initiative.

TODAY’S SPEAKERS

Greensburg Before…

Established 1886

Population 1,400

Home of the“Big Well”

tourist attraction

Main Street

Elsewhere

May 4, 2007 9:45PM

Before&

After

90%+ of structures damaged or destroyed

Destroyed Infrastructure: Hospital, Schools, Library,

Museums, Theater, Police & Fire Stations, Main Street Businesses

Heavily Damaged:Courthouse, Grocery Store

The Greening of Greensburg

CITY OF GREENSBURG

PLANNING PROCESS

GREENSBURG CITIZENS

PUBLIC SQUARE COMMITTES

NONPROFITS

SCKTRO

GREENTOWN

ARTS CENTER

SENIORS

MEDIA CENTER

CITY GOVERNMENT

CITY COUNCIL MAYOR CITY ADMINISTRATOR CITY STAFF

COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

COUNTY

COMMISSIONERSCOUNTY

STAFF

GREENSBURG SCHOOLS

SCHOOL BOARD

SCHOOL STAFF

BUSINESS COMMUNITY

BUSINESS REDEVELOPMENT

Committee

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES

WORLD

VOLUNTEERSFINANCIAL

DONORS

CORPORATEPRODUCT DONORS

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

FEMA DOE/NREL USDA Rural Development

KIOWA COUNTY HOSPITAL

HOSPITAL BOARD

HOSPITAL STAFF

STATE GOVERNMENT

GOVERNOR LEGISLATURESTATE

AGENCIES

Working together to rebuild

Greensburg’s Sustainable Master Plan (May 2008)

City of Greensburg Sun Chips Business Incubator1st LEED Platinum Municipal Building in Kansas

City Hall

Targeting LEED Platinum Certification

Awaiting LEED Platinum

Heavily damaged

Reopened July 2009

Slated for LEED Gold Certification

Kiowa County Courthouse

Slated for completion January 2010

Targeting LEED Platinum Certification

Kiowa County Memorial Hospital

Greensburg Schools Slated for completion Fall 2010

Targeting LEED Platinum Certification

BTI-GreensburgJohn Deere Dealership

LEED Platinum Certified

5.4.7 Arts Center

LEED Platinum

Kiowa County United

Main Street retail business complex;Targeted completion Spring 2010

Commercial Buildings

OTHER BUILDINGS COMING SOON

•TEEN CENTER•FUNERAL HOME•MOTEL•BIG WELL MUSEUM

DILLONS GROCERY STORE

Greensburg Churches

New Homes

30% to 50% more energy efficient than code

Self-Help Housing Program

Building America Design

1st LEED Platinum Residential facility in Kansas

Prairie Pointe Townhomes

Robinett Building Renovation

Only Building on Main Street Business District to Survive

Greensburg GreenTown’sChain of Eco-Homes Project

Silo Eco-HomeCompletion January 2010

HOMESTEAD

ECOHOME

1 1st Place

2nd Place 3rd Place

$10,000 Grand Prize150 Home designs from 38 states

And 13 countries

Downtown Streetscape

Project

Pedestrian friendly area;Fall 2009 completion

LED Streetlights

1st City in the U.S. to haveall LED Streetlights

Community Wind Farm100% renewable energy for City of Greensburg;

Targeted completion early 2010

To download a Green Tour Booklet, please visit:www.GreensburgGreenTown.org

Eco-Tourism

Better yet…come visit and take a GreenTour!

Bob Dixson-Mayor GREENSBURG, KS

D

Greensburg Schools Slated for completion Fall 2010

Targeting LEED Platinum Certification

Darin HeadrickSuperintendant-USD 422

BTI-GreensburgJohn Deere Dealership

LEED Platinum Certified

l

Kelly and Mike EstesPresident and Vice President

Greensburg GreenTown is a charitable, nonprofit organization working in Greensburg, Kansas to rebuild the town following the devastating tornado in May of 2007. The town has made a remarkable comeback, reinventing itself as a model for sustainable building and green living now recognized around the world. GreenTown’s mission is to make green building and living easily understood, appealing and accessible to all.

•WEBSITE

•MEMBERSHIPS

•TOURS

•CHAIN OF ECO-HOMES

•INFORMATION

•GreenPrint giving more definition and focus to Green Initiative.

•Keep Greensburg on the cutting edge, a model for rebuilding after a disaster.

•Attractive center for meetings and retreats.

•Program to keep our “exhibits fresh”.

•Signage and materials making the town an easy interactive educational experience.

•Demonstration sites for biofuels (algae) and organic crops.

•Information center for sustainable building and green living.

•Foster activities to ensure Greensburg stays an interesting place.

•www.Greensburgks.org City of Greensburgwww.bigwell.org

•www.usd422.org Greensburg Schools•www.kcmh.net Kiowa County MemorialHospital

•www.GreensburgGreenTown.org GreenTownwebsite official website of the Green Initiative(Sustainable Building Database)•http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/greensburg/Department of Energy/NREL Sustainable Disaster Recovery materials and Greensburg brochures.•www.btiwindenergy.com BTI Wind Energy•www.btiequip.com BTI Greensburg John Deere Dealership

For more information…