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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024/08/07 - ADMIN - Minutes - Environment & Sustainability Commission - Regular Official minutes Environment & sustainability commission St. Louis Park, Minnesota 8/7/2024 1. Call to order – 6:30 p.m. 1a. Roll call Members present: Chair Eric Zweber, Vice Chair Abigail Oppegaard, Marisa Bayer, Tatiana Giraldo, Ryan Griffin, Sasha Shahidi, Andrew Willette, Dave Wilsey Members absent: Shaina Ashare, Ramil Goonetilleke, Paul Zeigle Staff present: Emily Ziring, Sustainability Manager; Pat Coleman, community engagement coordinator Guests: Nancy Rose, resident 2. Approval of minutes – June 5, 2024 The minutes were approved unanimously as presented with 3 abstentions. 3. Business 3a. Commission administration - Next steps for advisory boards and commissioner with guest Pat Coleman, community engagement coordinator Mr. Coleman explained the appointment process for positions on the ESC. He noted every ESC member is invited to the September update meeting with the council, and that each advisory board and commission will each have a representative at the discussion table. Chair Zweber asked when new board and commission members would be appointed. Mr. Coleman stated the plan is for October. Chair Zweber stated the ESC will most likely not start their work plan until the new commissioners are on board. Commissioner Shahidi stated there should be clear goals and an agenda for the September meeting, otherwise the same conversation will be happening over and over again. She added it is important that everyone know the contents of the email sent from staff about how council intends to address the original issues from the consultants’ report. Ms. Ziring responded that council said they will want more communication with advisory boards and commissions, but she is not clear on what that will entail beyond the annual check- in meetings. Ms. Ziring asked what the check-in will look like. Mr. Coleman stated it will be some type of report to the council about work accomplished. Environmental & Sustainability Commission Aug. 7, 2024 Commissioner Shahidi stated the ESC could do a recap of the letter they sent to the council and then also have a time limit for each board or commission to report to the council. Commissioner Griffin stated a portion of the letter was around not dissolving the boards and commissions, so the whole letter does not need to be rewritten to the council. He added recommendations including diversifying members and childcare and meals could be addressed. Ms. Ziring stated much of this has already been addressed by the council. She noted that boards and commissions applicants will be reviewed by staff before going to council for review. The council also will offer compensation of $49 per month, which is intended to address childcare and meals for board and commission members. She added this was the council’s answer to questions about equity that started the whole process originally. Chair Zweber asked what the structure might be for discussing ESC work plans with other boards and commissions before setting the ESC work plan for 2025. Commissioner Wilsey added making a bid or a pitch to other boards and commissions to work on plans together might be a way to look at this issue. Commissioner Bayer added that she wants to know how the council might assist with collaboration between boards and commissions. Commissioner Shahidi added while many of these changes are positive, there will be a different level of time and commitment from the council to create work plans, and asked who will be responsible for this added work, and how can we ensure boards and commissions do not lose momentum. Ms. Ziring stated Mr. Coleman will do some of this work with administration of boards and commissions. Mr. Coleman added he will be doing orientations for new members and also work to create consistency across all boards and commissions. Ms. Ziring stated that if the code states that boards and commissions duties are to advise the council, council will need to provide some assignments to boards and commissions in addition to what staff provides from time to time. Commissioner Shahidi added she has concerns about this also, and that things will just fade away with boards and commissions if the council does not provide assignments or direction for work plans. Commissioner Griffin added this will also still require staff support, especially if ESC collaborates with other boards and commissions. He stated ESC will need to be well-researched in advance of meeting with council in order to advise them. Commissioner Bayer asked that there be a business item on the September ESC agenda to discuss further the topic of ESC’s meeting with council in advance of the report out on September 16. She added the ESC will need to focus on how the council wants the ESC to be Environmental & Sustainability Commission Aug. 7, 2024 interactive and how to communicate with council, as well as what do meetings with council look like. Commissioner Shahidi added she would like to know also what the role of staff with boards and commissions will be and also how the other boards and commissions also interact with council. Chair Zweber and Commissioner Griffin stated staying positive and also focusing only on the ESC and how to interact with council is most important, and not how other boards and commissions will interact with the council. 4. Staff updates Ms. Ziring updated the commission on the following items: • EECBG high-speed garage doors project • Awarded an MPCA Local Climate Action grant for EV chargers at Aquila Park, will serve multi-family housing in that area, and will shift to the paid model with first 3 hours free • Electrify Everything MN workshop will be held in the fall at the Rec Center, will send out postcards to neighbors in environmental justice areas • Calling and emailing all of the condominium buildings that qualify for energy programs • Assigned to a state rebate advisory group – equity and multi-family sub-committees • Working on first Depave SLP project – removed 19,000 square feet at Wat Prom location, and added native plantings, will do social media and a press release • Received first Climate Champions C&I assessment sign-up • EV charging station updates and new signage about fees beginning in September Commissioner Shahidi asked about whether communications about the Climate Champions program process could be improved, and how the program differs from the Electrify Everything program. Ms. Ziring stated Electrify Everything is a regional campaign that promotes home electrification, and St. Louis Park uses Climate Champions as the means to reimburse property owners for electrification projects. 5. Work plan update 5a. Expand our outreach – events work group update Commissioner Shahidi said the event at Steel Toe was ok. She stated general information was given out, although many attendees were not from St. Louis Park. She added outreach is important, but the ESC might want to think about additional and different ways to do this as they can be useful. Commissioner Bayer stated for 2025 the ESC should table selectively. Ms. Ziring stated staff tabled at Era on Excelsior during National Night Out and it was a successful event. Ms. Ziring stated the next tabling event will be the St. Louis Park Art Fair. Environmental & Sustainability Commission Aug. 7, 2024 Commissioner Oppegaard noted a trivia night may be more successful at Parkway or The Block, and noted she has set up events at Parkway in the past, and many families from St. Louis Park attended. Commissioner Griffin also noted the Summer Soccer Jamboree event and also events at the Rec Center. Ms. Ziring stated the ESC will table at the Aquila Resource Fair as well as the Fire Station Open House, both in September. 5b. Share our voice – state policy summary Chair Zweber asked if staff is applying for all grants. Ms. Ziring stated some grants the city does not qualify for, and if there is not a partner involved, it is more difficult. However, she stated they do stay aware of grants and apply for them as appropriate. She added a person will be hired to assist with grant writing for the whole city, so this will be helpful. 5c. Measure our progress – staff and volunteer reports Ms. Ziring presented the report and data. She noted the Climate Champions program is still going strong for residents and business owners. She added the multifamily program is slowly gaining progress. She added 96 trees were planted using the full-service tree planting program, and there was one 1 Depave SLP program participant. 6. Environmental justice and current events open discussion Commissioner Oppegaard stated that if anyone is interested in gardening, she is working on cleaning up the rain garden at the middle school. She added this will be her senior project. 7. Upcoming/proposed events: - Sept. 4, ESC monthly meeting - Sept. 16, advisory boards and commissions meeting with city council Ms. Ziring said she would also send other event dates for the rest of the year to the ESC. 8. Adjournment - 8:00 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Emily Ziring, liaison Eric Zweber, chair member