HomeMy WebLinkAboutSCMinutes_2013_05_20Sustainability Council
May 20, 2013
A meeting of the Sustainability Council was held at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 20, 2013 at
Brookings City & County Government Center with the following members present: Norma Nusz
Chandler, Brooke Sydow, Donna Hess, Arika Sanders, Jane Hegland, Paul Peterson, Betty Beer,
Ben Kleinjan and Alvaro Garcia. Absent: Bob McGrath and Ryan Carda. Others present
included: Linda Wilson from Dakota Rural Action, Joanne Skyberg from the SDSU
Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Committee, Shari Thornes and Laurie Carruthers.
Nusz Chandler called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m. New members Alvaro Garcia and
Benjamin Kleinjan were introduced. A motion was made by Sydow, seconded by Sanders to
approve the agenda. All present voted yes; motion carried. A motion was made by Sanders,
seconded by Sydow, to approve the March 14, 2013 minutes. All present voted yes; motion
carried.
Meeting Schedule. Next meeting will be scheduled after a doodle poll has been conducted.
Earth Day Final Report. GreenFest 2013 was a wonderful success on a soggy April day. A few
comments and recommendations for next year:
• Two speakers in the Great Hall did not allow enough time to visit exhibitors. In
the future, either only have one speaker or have one speaker in the classroom
setting.
• Two-thirds of the budget was spent on advertising. In the future, can we divert
these costs and utilize more free advertising?
• In 2014, April 20 (Sunday) is Easter. Need to consider moving the event back due
to the holiday.
• Need to communicate with the School District for 2014 Earth Day now.
• Brooke Sydow will head the 2014 Earth Day Committee.
Brookings Sustainability Indicators. Nusz-Chandler reported that 18 indicators are done, which
is about halfway complete. She had hoped to be finished by this time; however, the project is
more comprehensive than initially thought. She is receiving assistance from Tami Mishra, a
SDSU student with an unpaid internship. Hess recommended Nusz-Chandler check with SDSU
Sociology Professor Diane Kayongo-Male who is teaching a summer course on sustainability.
Nusz-Chandler will collect a list of the remaining indicators and check with Tami Mishra and
Diane Kayongo-Male. She will reevaluate and present the remaining indicators to the
Sustainability Council for volunteers to help populate.
Volunteer Coffee with the Mayor Update. Nusz-Chandler and Sydow attended the Volunteer
Leadership Coffee with the Mayor on May 16, 2013. They received updates from other
committees and the Mayor provided an update on the 2013 Strategic Plan.
2014 Budget Process. Thornes reported that she would be meeting with the City Manager and
Finance Officer to go over the budget process for 2014 in the beginning of June. The
Sustainability Council is currently funded for $5,000 out of the Mayor and Council budget line.
The Council needs to plan the remaining 2013 budget. Current expenses include: public
education campaign, GreenFest, Plain Green sponsorship and registration, Dubuque
registration and expenses. Other projects discussed include: community projects, Bushnell
homesteading project, water filtration system and citywide clean-up. Sanders and Garcia to
meet and brainstorm ideas for remaining 2013 budget.
Public Education Initiative. Carruthers to assign fact finding for individual photos to each
Sustainability Council Member. The members will be responsible for providing local
statistics/facts if available about the photo. If local information is not available, then obtain
national facts. Sanders recommended a video be shot at the same time as the photo session
and then the advertising could be used for two different mediums. We would need to obtain
consent from the participant for video footage and make arrangements for the videographer.
Plain Green Update. Hegland advised the Plain Green Conference will be Friday, September 13,
2013 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Sioux Falls Orpheum Theater. They are finalizing the
speakers, which will tentatively include keynotes Lisa Taylor, Philippe Cousteau and Candy
Chang. Unfortunately, Dubuque, IA is not able to send a speaker at this time. Hegland needs
further guidance on the Sustainability Council’s speaker sponsorship and who they would like.
Sydow asked if Hegland could use help from the Sustainability Council. Hegland will check and
get back to the Sustainability Council on what assistance they can provide.
Membership Discussion. Tabled until June meeting.
Announcements Correspondence/Communications/Calendar
• September 13, 2013 – Plain Green in Sioux Falls
• Membership: Members’ terms were staggered with one, two and three terms when the
Council was created on September 15, 2011. Terms for Beer, Hess and Sanders expire on
12/31/13. All are eligible for a full three year term.
• Financial Report: Council’s remaining balance is $4,901.50. City fiscal year ends on
12/31/13.
Draft June Agenda: Trisha Jackson-Coal Pile, Brookings Sustainability Indicator Project, Earth
Day, Plain Green, public education campaign, Sustainability Council goal update, electric car
charging stations, membership discussion and year-to-date financials.
Meeting adjourned at 9:59 a.m.
Submitted by Laurie Carruthers