HomeMy WebLinkAboutSCMinutes_2015_10_15Sustainability Council
October 15, 2015
A meeting of the Sustainability Council was held on Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at
Brookings City & County Government Center with the following members present: Holly Tilton Byrne,
Betty Beer, Ben Kleinjan, Nels Granholm, Jane Hegland, Bob McGrath, Norma Nusz Chandler, Stephanie
Aure and Mike Lockrem. Absent: Paul Peterson and Alvaro Garcia. Others present included: Laurie
Carruthers and Morgan Vetch.
Chair Tilton Byrne called the meeting to order at 2:03 p.m. A motion was made by McGrath, seconded by
Beer, to approve the agenda. All present voted yes; motion carried. A motion was made by McGrath,
seconded by Beer, to approve the amended September 24, 2015 minutes. All present voted yes; motion
carried.
Schedule next meeting. Quarterly meeting on Monday, November 23 at 5:30 p.m. December meeting
on Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 2:00 pm. (NOTE - quarterly meeting date was rescheduled to
Tuesday, December 1, 2015 at 5:30 pm, which will also combine the November/December meeting
dates).
Summer Intern Draft Report. Summer Intern Morgan Vetch presented the draft report to the
Sustainability Council and advised she had difficulty obtaining information. However, she concluded the
22.4% poverty rate from the Indicator Report is accurate. Currently, 25% of Brookings public students
are on a free or reduced program. College students are difficult to study as some students receive
assistance from parents. However, college freshman and sophomores are not included in the poverty
rate as they classify as the institutionalized population because they have a place to live and a meal plan,
same as people in care facilities and prisoners. Unfortunately, there is not a comparison to other college
towns because Brookings has the highest population compared to college student population, 50/50.
Most assistance programs have a financial qualification. If a family makes just over that the maximum
number, they receive nothing. Wages were also compared to affordable housing. Brookings Public
Housing Authority reported there is always a substantial waiting list for people in need of vouchers for
section 8 housing programs. This needs to be highlighted in the report.
A subcommittee was formed to review and finalize the report, which included Beer, Nusz Chandler,
Hegland and Lockrem. It was noted to add photos, page numbers and a date.
Bike Committee Update. Lockrem reported about the October 14th Bicycle Advisory Committee
meeting advising the committee needs to define terms before proceeding and formed two
subcommittees: public education and infrastructure. (Lockrem left at 2:41 pm)
Urban Ag Committee Recommendations. Nusz Chandler reported from the Urban Ag Committee. The
goals are to assess the city owned land for potential community ag space, conduct a detailed ordinance
review and define urban ag. Also discussed were innovative ag (boulevards, incubator farms, biochar)
and the possibility of a request for proposals to identify community garden locations. New businesses
are limited in the amount of usable property in Brookings. Tilton Byrne advised that the council could
explore this issue deeper in the goal setting session. A subcommittee to establish goals and objectives
was formed with Granholm, Tilton Byrne, Beer and McGrath. If the subcommittee needs assistance,
Kleinjan and Nusz Chandler are available.
Dubuque Sustainability Conference Report. Thornes was unable to attend, but provided a written
report to the Council and would provide additional detail if desired at the next meeting.
Ordinance Amendment. Scheduled for the November 10th City Council Meeting.
Green Drinks Presentation Planning. Nusz Chandler will present the first Green Drinks presentation on
the Indicator Report in January. Advertising will include: radio, newspaper, Chamber calendar, city
website & social media, 1 Million Cups (Tilton Byrne), SDSU website (Hegland), Collegian, press release
and posters (Lockrem).
Announcements
• Granholm questioned about a Register column. This topic will be discussed further at the quarterly
meeting.
• McGrath will attend the October 20th City Council Study Session on affordable housing and report
back to the council.
Meeting adjourned at 3:27 p.m.
Submitted by Laurie Carruthers