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City of Brookings
Sustainability Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, August 10, 2022 4:00 PM City/County Government Center; Room 300
Sustainability Council Members: Bruce Pengra, Cynthia Kunkel, Louis Hesler, Albert Patin, Samuel Krueger, Anthony
Shanks, Robin Buterbaugh, Betty Beer, Emily Abele, Kiley Rath, and SDSU Student Representative Gabrielle
Bolwerk. City Staff: Jacob Meshke, Assistant City Manager.
1 Call to Order
A. Patin
2. Approval of the Agenda
Motion to Approve: R. Buterbaugh
Second: B. Pengra Aye: All Opposed: None
3. Approval of Minutes
Moved for approval: G. Bolwerk Second: A. Shanks Aye: All Opposed: None
4. Open Forum
At this time, any member of the public may request time on the agenda for an item not
listed.
• N/A
5. No Mow May –UW Stevens Point –Mike Wiza
• “Natural Laws” – Ordinances in place for landscaping
o Not meant to promote pollinations—but saves species from getting injured
from mowing
o Other communities (Appleton) had problem regaining compliance after
June 1st
o Required to sign-up online or in person at city hall—give out sign for the
yard and sign a paper saying property is exempt from law in May.
o 300 participating households this past year (property owner AND tenant
must agree if rented property)
o Strong social media presence (including featured page on website) helped
with success—get community leaders involved and on board with the
process
o B. Beer: Josh Johnson—BHS FFA instructor would be a good resource
• J. Meshke : very doable using Stevens Point resources – just have to speak with
other city officials
• GIS Plotting, track and report the benefit of doing this program (enlist University)
• R. Buterbaugh, G. Bolwerk, K. Rath volunteer to compile materials
• B. Beer: Motion to recommend adopting No Mow May and establish a
reasonable budget.
o Second: C. Kunkel Aye: All Opposed: None
6. City Update - J. Meshke
• TJMaxx going into old JCP
• City EV Charging Station 183 uses
• 20th and 22nd Ave. will close next week—8th and Main to open the end of this
week
• New Police Chief starting Aug 22nd, coming from New York.
• New Public Works Director in September
• Bioretention Base—workshop September 15th
7. Sustainability Awards
o Mayors Awards party Thursday December 1st (likely to be at 5:30-7:30 at Swiftel Center)
o B. Beer volunteers to update award application page
8. Updates/Reports from Subcommittees
a. Marketing and Communication
o L. Hesler: 4 months left to put ads into the Register. Increase Social Media efforts
o G. Bolwerk and K. Rath offer to help
o Sustainable clothing ad
A. Patin will develop bullet points
b. Waste
o Openings on the committee
c. Energy
o Climate Action Plan moving forward. Delegating a project lead/chairman
o Full group discussion on project lead – next meeting
o House Bill—local solar farm more attainable and profitable for BMU
o EV tax credits
o Trisha Sharan (high school student) has studied Dubuque, IA CAP for Brookings’
benchmarks
o Share on Google Drive
d. Local Foods
o Dusty-Parks director has approved Tasiyagnunpa to plant white sage and other native
plants at Dakota Nature Park – display in visitor center
o Propose Community Gardens within the city vs. north of Hwy 14… city does not have
manpower for such at this time
o Community Forest Gardens: perennials/fruits/herbs/permaculture… Project Food Forest
for resources in our region. Overseen by city volunteers – free to the public – donate to
local food giveaways
9. Updates from Liaisons
• N/A
Ben Vukovich resigned.
10. Call for Future Items
o Updates on No Mow May
o Energy subcommittee chair and CAP designated leadership
11. Adjourn
Motion to Adjourn
Moved: R. Buterbaugh. Second: L. Hesler Aye: All Opposed: None
Respectfully Submitted by: Kiley Rath