Sustainability Committee

MINUTES SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE January 21, 2026 City Hall, 100 W. Woodstock Street, Crystal Lake, IL 1. Call to Order Amy Olson called the meeting to order on 6:20 p.m. Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at Crystal Lake City Hall. 2. Roll Call/Attendance Present were the following Committee members: Amy Olson, Dean Farr, Steve Platt, Terry Dieckhoff, 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 November 19, 2025 Meeting Terry Dieckhoff made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 19, 2025 Sustainability Committee meeting. Emilie Hoffman seconded the motion. Upon voice vote, motion passed. 5. Yearly Report Review Victoria Wojcik explained that the annual report is created to explain all of the accomplishments that the Committee has done for 2025. Dean Farr suggested to quantify how many pollinator gardens there are in Crystal Lake to add to the report. Emilie Hoffman also suggested adding a map that visualizes where the Committee’s chosen Adopt-A-Highway street is. Incorporating the Mayors Monarch Pledge Leadership seal was also suggested by Emilie. 6. Litter Clean Up Initiatives A. 2026 Earth Day Event Correspondence Results Victoria Wojcik announced to the group that she had met with the Chamber of Commerce to collaborate on the Chamber’s Community Cleanup Day on April 18, 2026. Victoria proposed having a table with an interactive quality at the event that can gain the public’s attention. Amy Olson suggested giving away seeds at the table along with providing information on litter pickup opportunities the City has, including the possible independent pickup opportunity as just discussed prior. Emilie Hoffman also suggested merchandise with the Sustainability Committee logo on it to advertise the group. Terry Dieckhoff and Dean Farr stated that providing coupons for restaurants in the area would also be an effective incentive for the public. B. Adopt A Highway Program Opportunity Letter Feedback  Victoria Wojcik shared to the group that one local business has applied for the Adopt-A-Highway program as a result of sending letters out in November. A few other organizations showed interest, but none had yet applied. The group agreed that the reason for this was due to the letters being sent out during the holiday season. Emilie Hoffman suggested the idea of providing supplies for an independent litter cleanup. This way, larger groups can rent trash pickup supplies provided by the City to clean up areas of trash within Crystal Lake and then return the supplies when finished. The group agreed that this method would be more attainable for certain organizations that cannot commit to a road for a long period of time. Amy Olson stated that the participants would have to sign a liability waiver, and that they would have to contact the City explaining where the trash bags were left. Emilie Hoffman also stated that some of the supplies can be provided at the Crystal Lake Public Library on behalf of the City. This can also increase the program’s advertisement to families or students. Victoria Wojcik said she will inquire with staff to see if this project is possible. 7. Mayor’s Monarch Pledge A. 2025 Report Results Victoria Wojcik announced to the Committee that the annual Mayor’s Monarch report was submitted to the National Wildlife Federation with 13 completed action items, bringing the Crystal Lake Sustainability Committee to a Leadership ranking. B. Vote to Decide 2026 Action Items The Committee reviewed the action items for the 2026 Mayor’s Monarch Pledge. The Committee went through each line item and discussed if each item was achievable for this year. Many action items were proposed as possible collaboration events with the Crystal Lake school districts, the Crystal Lake Park District, the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce, various local garden groups, and other City staff members. After review, the Committee chose twenty-two action items to recommend to Mayor Haig Haleblian. At a vote of 5-0, the vote passed. Victoria Wojcik stated she will review this with the Mayor and City staff. 8. Next Meeting: February 18, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. 9. Adjourn There being no further business, Terry Dieckhoff moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:57 p.m. Steve Platt seconded the motion. Upon voice vote, all voted aye. Meeting adjourned.