Sustainability Commission

CARBONDALE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION Thursday July 17th, 2025 - 5:00PM Carbondale Civic Center – Room 103 200 S. Illinois Avenue, Carbondale IL AGENDA ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Call to Order and Roll Call 2. Approval of Meeting Minutes: March 20th 2025 & May 15th 2025 (No meeting in April and June) 3. Citizen Comments and Questions 4. Presentations 5. Report of Officers, Committees, and Communications a. Subcommittee Reports b. Sustainability Coordinator Monthly Progress Report (if available) c. Former Koppers Wood Treatment Site Report (A. Beck) 6. Old Business 7. New Business New Sustainability Coordinator New City Councilmember 8. Announcements 9. Adjournment Voting Members: Present Absent Comment Treesong (Chair) Aur Beck (Vice Chair) Jane Cogie Kevin Clark Sarah Heyer Vacant (CCHS Student) Chaya Rice (SIU Student) Gayle Klam Joan Davis Ex Officio Members: Present Absent TBA City Staff: Present Absent TBA Community Members Present:  CARBONDALE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION Thursday March 20th, 2025 - 5:00PM Carbondale Civic Center – Room 103 200 S. Illinois Avenue, Carbondale IL MINUTES ________________________________________________________________________________________ Voting Members: Present Absent Comment Treesong (Chair) x Aur Beck (Vice Chair) x Jane Cogie x Kevin Clark x Sarah Heyer x Vacant (CCHS Student) Chaya Rice (SIU Student) x Gayle Klam x Joan Davis x Ex Officio Members: Present Absent LaCaje Hill (Councilmember) x City Staff: Present Absent Lauren Becker (Staff Liaison) x Community Members Present: Mike Baltz, Keep Carbondale Beautiful Executive Director Mark McDaniel, City of Carbondale Parks & Recreation Supervisor and Arborist Ana Moroz, John A Logan College Student Body President 1. Call to Order and Roll Call (5:02pm) 2. Approval of Meeting Minutes: February 20th 2025 (J. Davis moved, J. Cogie seconded) 3. Citizen Comments and Questions (None) 4. Presentations/Special Guests Mark McDaniel, City Arborist – Volunteering with Carbondale Parks & Recreation The Commission engaged in conversation with Mr. McDaniel about city greenspaces and the potential for volunteer opportunities. Mr. McDaniel expressed interest in hosting an Earth Month tree planting event. The  Commission brainstormed and finalized a tree planting to be held April 5 th at 8am. Liaison Becker offered to create a flyer and add the event to the community-wide calendar of Earth Month events. 5. Report of Officers, Committees, and Communications a. Subcommittee Reports i. Nature | Joan Davis: J. Davis shared that the Native Garden Walk will be hosted June 8th . Joan shared about her experience at the Wild Things Conference. Joan asked Mark McDaniel if there was any opportunity to reduce mowing across city greenspaces. Mark expressed that there is. Liaison Becker asked a portion of the gasoline budget could be repurposed for the cost of labor + seeds/plugs to establish a native planting area. Mark expressed that could be done, especially given staff who are already familiar with establishing prairie. b. Sustainability Coordinator Monthly Progress Report (L. Becker, attached) c. Former Koppers Wood Treatment Site Report (A. Beck) 6. Old Business (None) 7. New Business (None) Save the Date! April 15th 5:00pm Earth Month “At the Table” Dinner & Dialogue Series - Asking that Sustainability Commission members attend and serve as facilitators for discussion. - The overarching topic of dialogue is Climate Anxiety and Climate Grief, with particular focus on questions of environmental justice, identity, sense of place, the term “home”, and the “balms” that can help make these anxieties manageable. 8. Announcements Open Meetings Act (OMA) Training https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/open-and-honest-government/pac/pac-training/ J. Davis shared that her son’s house has been funded for solar through the Bright Neighborhoods Program! 9. Adjournment (6:12pm S. Heyer moved, C. Rice seconded)  CARBONDALE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION Thursday May 15th, 2025 - 5:00PM Carbondale Civic Center – Room 103 200 S. Illinois Avenue, Carbondale IL MINUTES ________________________________________________________________________________________ Voting Members: Present Absent Comment Treesong (Chair) x Aur Beck (Vice Chair) x Excused – In Poland Jane Cogie x Kevin Clark x Excused – Hosting CEJ&JF Executive Director Rebeccah Sanders Sarah Heyer x Excused - Outpatient Vacant (CCHS Student) Chaya Rice (SIU Student) x Gayle Klam x Joan Davis x Ex Officio Members: Present Absent Vacant (City Councilmember) City Staff: Present Absent Lauren Becker (Staff Liaison) x Community Members Present: Laurel Toussaint, Pheral Lamb 1. Call to Order and Roll Call (5:08pm) 2. Approval of Meeting Minutes: No quorum, minutes could not be voted on. 3. Citizen Comments and Questions L. Toussaint shared that batting cages are being installed at the Superblock that pose risk to the health of eight Burr Oaks which were planted as a memorial. Prompted discussion regarding the importance of municipal projects being held to the same site development standards as non-municipal projects. 4. Presentations/Special Guests Chaya Rice, SIU Student Representative | Presentation of Projects - Chaya presented on food security in Jackson County, Illinois through the lens of transportation and population density. Particular attention was drawn to time and temperature laws the apply to restaurants, grocery stores, and food pantries. Earth Month 2025 Debrief | Chair Treesong April At the Table Dinner & Dialogue Debrief | Chair Treesong  - Chair Treesong opened discussion to highlight the significant success of the 2025 Earth Month events; especially the Climate Anxiety & Grief At the Table Dinner & Dialogue. The At the Table provided time and space for folks to acknowledge an often neglected topic and featured international perspective. These Earth Month events featured high turnout and provided space for community-building. 5. Report of Officers, Committees, and Communications a. Subcommittee Reports i. Nature | Joan Davis: J. Davis shared updates regarding the Sunday June 8th Bee & Butterfly Yards & Garden Tour. Folks are asked to register ahead of time. Volunteers are still needed. b. Sustainability Coordinator Monthly Progress Report (L. Becker, attached) c. Former Koppers Wood Treatment Site Report (A. Beck) 6. Old Business (None) 7. New Business Sustainability Coordinator Transition https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/carbondale/jobs/4935331/sustainability-coordinator - Discussion was had regarding significant interest in the position and transition process. 8. Announcements 9. Adjournment (6:17pm C. Rice moved, Chair Treesong ensured unanimous consent)