Sustainability Committee

MINUTES SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE November 19, 2025 City Hall, 100 W. Woodstock Street, Crystal Lake, IL 1. Call to Order Victoria Wojcik called the meeting to order on 6:12 p.m. Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at Crystal Lake City Hall. 2. Roll Call/Attendance Present were the following Committee members: Lisa McLaughlin, Dean Farr, Jen Oliver, Terry Dieckhoff, Steve Platt, and Emilie Hoffman. Members of the public in attendance: Community Development Analyst Victoria Wojcik. 3. Public Comment There was no public comment during this meeting. 4. Approval of Minutes from the September 19, 2025 Meeting Jen Oliver made a motion to approve the minutes of the September 19, 2025 Sustainability Committee meeting. Dean Farr seconded the motion. Upon voice vote, motion passed. 5. Amendment to the Sustainability Committee Charter City Staff Liaison Victoria Wojcik explained that at the October 7 th, 2025 City Council meeting, the Mayor and City Council adopted an amendment to the Sustainability Committee charter, implementing a precise direction for the Committee to focus on actionable objectives. This includes implementing projects, policies, programs and initiatives as directed by the Mayor and City Council. An Attendance Policy was also introduced to the Committee, which sets standards of attendance commitment from the Committee members. The Committee reviewed the amended Duties and Functions as well as the new Attendance Policy. Victoria Wojcik stated that the current directives from the Mayor and City Council are litter cleanup initiatives and the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge. Steve Platt expressed that the change of the direction coming from the Mayor and City Council feels restrictive in their ability to make an environmental impact on Crystal Lake. Jen Oliver agreed, stating that the members of this Committee bring environmental expertise, and that they should be able to explore certain issues within the City in the environmental lens. Emilie Hoffman and Lisa McLaughlin discussed how events and meetings in the past years have involved more City organizations beyond litter cleanup and Mayor’s Monarch Pledge. Such examples were meeting with the Engineering Department, and creating successful community outreach projects in the past such as Bike with Your Neighbor and the Green Business Designation. Jen Oliver stated that the Committee Duties and Functions are concrete ways to achieve objectives, such as finding relevant grants or gathering a list of volunteers for Sustainability  events. She further explained that since one of the Committee Duties and Functions is to submit an annual report to the Mayor and City Council showing the achievements of the Committee, the report is a way to show the Committee’s accountability to participation in sustainability efforts. Emilie Hoffman further stated that future litter cleanup initiative and Mayor’s Monarch events should be planned at the beginning of the year in order to successfully complete these projects at their scheduled time. 6. Sexual Harassment Training Reminder Victoria Wojcik explained that in order to be in compliance with the Illinois Human Rights Act training mandate, Committee members must review the annual sexual harassment training presentation and ordinance adopted by Crystal Lake. On November 12, 2025, an email was sent to the Committee members to review the documents and submit a completed Certificate of Participation to her by December 15, 2025. Victoria Wojcik then gave the Committee members the option to review the printed documents and sign the Certificate in person after the meeting instead of via email. 7. Litter Clean Up Initiatives A. Litter Cleanup Event Victoria Wojcik gave an update on the Sustainability Committee Adopt-A-Highway litter collection event held earlier on November 19, 2025. The Committee discussed choosing the next litter collection event date for 2026. Dean Farr suggested that due to snow in the winter, the next event should be held in the spring. Emilie Hoffman suggested the event should be around Earth Day, April 19. Lisa McLaughlin mentioned that the Chamber of Commerce holds a litter cleanup event around Earth Day that includes multiple businesses and organizations around Crystal Lake. She suggested that the Sustainability Committee should reach out to the Chamber to get involved in the 2026 event. Steve Platt also suggested that another litter cleanup event can be held throughout the walking trails at Three Oaks Recreation Area. Creating these litter cleanup events can also include Mayor’s Monarch Pledge action items such as seed giveaways or community art projects. Emilie Hoffman further discussed that these events should be posted on social media or in the City newsletter to spread the word to the Crystal Lake Community. B. Adopt-A-Highway Opportunity Letters Victoria Wojcik explained that multiple opportunity letters will be sent out to businesses and organizations in the community encouraging them to participate in the Crystal Lake Adopt-A- Highway Program. Dean Farr stated that he collaborated with Victoria Wojcik to send out these letters to Crystal Lake Central High School National Honors Society, Crystal Lake South High School Environmental Club, and Prairie Ridge High School Environmental Club the week prior, and had not received a response yet. Emilie Hoffman suggested Marvin’s Toy Store and PTO groups from the Elementary School District 47 are other possible recipients. Lisa McLaughlin also suggested reaching out to Boy Scout Troops in the area. 8. Mayor’s Monarch Pledge A. Johnny Appleseed Festival Victoria Wojcik presented the pictures from the Johnny Appleseed Event in September located on the back of the agenda packet. When she asked if there was any feedback from the attendees,  Lisa McLaughlin said that she appreciated the tent as shelter from the sun during the hot day. She also suggested that the Sustainability Committee booth should hold a game for next year so families would interact more with the table. The other Committee members agreed, and they collectively discussed that they would come up with game ideas early in advance before next September. B. 2025 Action Item Review Steve Platt asked if the three incomplete Mayor’s Monarch Pledge action items for 2025 were attempted or still in progress, but the Committee discussed that these items were not attempted. Emily Hoffman suggested that the incomplete action items can be focused on the 2026 pledge since many action items are part of ongoing projects. Victoria Wojcik stated that the Committee members should review the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge action items and come prepared to choose the action items for 2026 in the next scheduled meeting. 9. Next Meeting: December 17, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. 10. Adjourn There being no further business, Lisa McLaughlin moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:36 p.m. Dean Farr seconded the motion. Upon voice vote, all voted aye. Meeting adjourned. emili