HomeMy WebLinkAboutSCMinutes_2023_04_12City of Brookings
Sustainability Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday,April 12,2023 4:00 PM City &County Government Hall Room 300
Sustainability Council Members:Bruce Pengra,Cynthia Kunkel,Kyle Jamison,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 Deputy City Manager.
1.Call to Order
Meeting called to order by E.Abele
2.Approval of the Agenda
Moved:G.Bolwerk
Second:B.Pengra
Aye:All Opposed:None
3.Approval of the Minutes
Moved:B.Pengra Second:B.Beer
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.Items are not typically scheduled for the end of the meeting;however,very
brief announcements of invitations will be allowed at this time.
5.City Update
J.Meshke:
-Amended bee ordinance passed by the City Council
-Climate pollution reduction grant:SD opted to not join the
program
-Parks Director:scheduled interviews
-Summer registration open for parks and recs activities
-The Landfill is offering free dumping for city residents from April
10-29.
-Working with SDSU to get electric scooters -possibly within the
near future
-Re-upping the electric charger located at the city building for
another three years.
-Continuing road work and construction,details can be found on
the city website.
A.Patin
-Ongoing work to update the solid waste master plan.
6.Solar/Electric Update –Russell Halgerson,Brookings Municipal
Utilities
-Brookings Solar Project.
-Efforts underway to introduce more solar energy use within
Brookings county.
-MRES purchased 80 acres located southwest of the landfill.
-Construction is planned to start as early as fall 2023,constructing
solar panels to produce a minimum of 5 MW’s.
-2025 construction -the energy created from this project will be
directly utilized within the city.
-Long term effects of the solar initiative will offset the cost of
electricity within the city.
-The project is set to be operating by the summer of 2025.
7.Read Earth Day Involvement Email Vote Record
E.Abele:Recap of motion passed via email.
8.Discussion and Possible Action on Mayor’s Awards
Moved:G.Bolwerk Second:A.Patin
Aye:All Opposed:None
9.Discussion on Earth Day Involvement
E.Abele:
Event to take place Thursday 10-3,BSC will have one booth,featuring No Mow May,Fabric
Recycling,EV’s,Urban Food Forest,and other initiatives of the BSC.
10.Discussion on Climate Pollution Reduction Planning Grant.
B.Pengra:
-The city of Brookings is not eligible for the grant.
-Looking into the possibility of partnering with Sioux Falls to secure other grant
money.
-Corresponding with the Sioux Falls sustainability coordinator on this.
11.Discussion on No Mow May
-Signs are available for handout,and are going quickly.
-Article featured in the Register -good community reception.
-RFP for mowing services.
-Keep pushing information on social media -remind people to save signs for next
year.
Motion to order 50 more signs
Moved:R.Buterbaugh Second:K.Rath
Aye:All Opposed:None
12.Discussion on Urban Food Forest
R.Buterbaugh:
-Next steps will be soil testing with SD Ag labs (work with parks to pay for the testing)
-Basic designs:pathway,plantings,
-Schedule a community /public input meeting (Summer 2023)
-Continue to keep grants in mind,not able to apply for the grants until soil testings are
complete
13.Pollinator Plots –Terry Nemitz,Pheasants Forever
-Looking for ways to partner with the community and city to
create pollinator plots within the city.
-Happy to help provide the seeds and manpower.
-Lookings at plots of land within the brookings parks,i.e.Sexhaur
Park,along Medary and 20th,and Pioneer Park.
-Great community support with the potential to raise money and
support.
14.Updates/Reports from Subcommittee
a.Marketing and Communication
K.Rath:
-Putting together adds for earth day,the plan is to make a graphic to share with
Sherry about how to get involved in earth day activities in Brookings:
-Dakota Nature Park Clean Up (April 22,10am-noon)
-Downtown Clean Up (Apr 23,1-3pm)
-SDSU Earth Day Event (Apr 20,)
-Maybe talk about the Urban Food Forest and No Mow May
b.Climate Action Plan
A.Shanks:
-Looking to secure funding
c.Waste:No updates
d.Energy:No updates
e.Local Foods:R.Buterbaugh:No further updates beyond what was covered in the
Food Forest initiative.
15.Updates from Liaisons
a.Parks Commission:
R:Buterbaugh attended the last meeting where the commission voted to approve
Dakota Nature Park as the site for the Urban Food Forest.
b.Human Rights Commission:No Updates
c.CLEAR:No Updates
16.Call for Future Agenda Items
R.Buterbaugh:
-Garden Discovery Festival hosted by McCrory Gardens,Sunday 12:00-5:00 pm May
21st,2023.Add as an agenda Item for the April meeting.
-Pollinator Packs Program,graduate capstone project,interested in sharing
information with the BSC.
17.Adjourn
Motion to Adjourn
Moved:L.Hesler Second:K .Rath
Aye:All Opposed:None
Respectfully submitted,Samuel Krueger