CITY-COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY

200 E. Wells Street City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Meeting Minutes CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY Ald. Nik Kovac and Marcelia Nicholson, Co-Chairs August Ball, Bialk Tha Hlawn, Pam Fendt, Linda Frank, Julie Kerksick, Ted Kraig, George Martin, Janet Meissner Pritchard, Pamela Ritger, Erick Shambarger, Rafael Smith, and Supreme Moore Omokunde. Staff Assistant: Linda Elmer, lelmer@milwaukee.gov, 414-286-2231 Legislative Liason: Luke Knapp, luke.knapp@milwaukee.gov, 414-286-8637 Google documents for this body can be found at : http://bit.ly/CCTFCEE Monday, February 15, 2021 3:00 PM Virtual Sustainable Consumption and Waste Work Group Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83963654737 Meeting ID: 839 6365 4737 One tap mobile +19292056099,,83963654737# US (New York) +13017158592,,83963654737# US (Washington DC) Attendance: Janet Meissner Pritchard – CoChair, Bruce Wiggins – CoChair, Members Erin Keleske, Stevan Keith, Kurt Baehman, Samantha Longshore, Rob Zimmerman, Guests Melissa Tashjian, Nathan Jurowski Meeting called to order by CoChair Janet Meissner Pritchard at 3:05. A quorum was present. The meeting was recorded on Zoom. Minutes of the Feb. 2 Work Group meeting will be available at the next meeting Mar. 1. 1. Introductions (5 minutes) City of Milwaukee Page 1 CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON Meeting Minutes February 15, 2021 CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY 2. Review Agenda (5 minutes) Clarify key goals and outputs desired for this meeting Pritchard reviewed the process that was spelled out in the agenda. Of particular importance is the idea that each brainstormed idea will need a champion or person to write it up and analyze it so we will have good information about it and can vote knowledgeably to create a short list for further consideration. The short list ideas will be further developed and analyzed before we vote to pick one or two big ideas for the final plan. All AGREED this process is workable. Wiggins said that ICLEIs greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions report will be basic for our (and all) work groups. The report is on ECO’s home page: https://city.milwaukee.gov/New-- -County-Intranet-Files/docs/CommunityGHGInventory_Milwuakee_2018_FINAL1.pdf ICLEI has produced a 34 min video of its presentation to the Task Force and included a “wedge diagram” analysis of future emissions. CoChairs will send the link and the Work Group AGREED to review this video on their own time before the next meeting when we will discuss it. Here is a download link https://vimeo.com/icleiusa/download/511437753/241a6d214a Here is a view link https://vimeo.com/511437753/c0bba52df9 On the discussion of criteria we will use to evaluate ideas or proposals, Keleske will do a first draft, which we will discuss at our next meeting. Pritchard reported that the Jobs and Equity Work Group will be doing a first draft of the equity criteria that all work groups will use. 3. Process for brainstorming and vetting potential “big ideas” (15 min) • Initial brainstorm • Fleshing our brainstorm idea – basic concept o each idea assigned to a WG member • Vetting to select shortlist o Criteria for evaluating ideas • Developing short list ideas o 1-2 WG champions per short list ideas o Criteria for evaluating short listed ideas o Bringing in relevant stakeholders, experts, consultants 4. Resources and Existing Programs (30 min) On the subject of resources and cataloguing existing programs to build upon: Pritchard and Kaleske will investigate the means to share resources and documents in view of open meeting law requirements. This will likely involve talking with the City Attorney and City Clerk’s office. A shared Google drive might be listed in minutes and viewable by the public to satisfy legal requirement. We began listing and discussing are some programs or initiatives that we need to be aware of: • Baehman is working with a group to investigate a program of green and returnable/reusable take out containers at restaurants and stores. • Keleske described efforts by Plastic-Free MKE, now a large coalition rather than City of Milwaukee Page 2 CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON Meeting Minutes February 15, 2021 CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY its own nonprofit. The biggest program now is the lake-friendly certification program. • Tashjian said that Compost Crusader will soon open its own composting site. • Tashjian observed we need to get the waste audit DNR has done of (City?) (County?) waste. Longshore will try to get the DNR audit report. • Longshore reviewed the history of the City’s Organic Waste Collection Pilot project, started in 2019 and now ended. In August, Blue ribbon Organics, the composter, found PFAs in the waste and had to make changes in what it could accept. Towards the end of the pilot, the City issued an RFP hoping to make the program citywide within 5 years. The City has decided not to proceed with a citywide program for now, and hopes to work in 2021 more with EPA’s food waste hierarchy. Tashjian and Longshore had comments on both needs and lessons learned. Zimmerman commented that Wauwatosa has a successful program – people are cited if they do not comply with rules. A big challenge is handling the large volume of both food waste and yard waste. • Longshore mentioned a report done with a federal grant by UW Extension that looked at organic waste in the City with a systems approach (“SARE grant”) Pritchard observed that each of these programs or projects needs to be written up and entered into our records. Wiggins has started a list of resources and programs and will send it to the Work Group. 5. Sharing relevant documents and links – Google folder (2 min) 6. Additional members for Working Group Turning to the subject of new people who might be added to the Work Group or brought in as knowledgeable consultants, people made suggestions: • James __?__ from Blue ribbon Organics • Someone from NRDC, which has had a food campaign • Someone from the Health Dept. • NARI or other contractors – construction waste in landfills is a problem • Wiggins observed we need people with knowledge of circular economy concepts in manufacturing. • Wiggins has communicated with Matt Howard, former Sustainability Director at the City, now with the Water Council. He is willing to contribute his knowledge but does not have the time to be appointed a Work Group member. • Pritchard has talked with Jessy Servi Ortiz of the WI Sustainable Business Council. She, too, is willing to be involved as a consultant but not as an official Work Group member. Members were encouraged to send names of others to CoChairs Pritchard or Wiggins. 7. Brainstorming (30) Baehman suggested a new idea: plastic film collection. Keith observed that purchasing power of public agencies is important in our work. The City and the County have large purchasing power – especially if County agencies such as the zoo and airport are included. City of Milwaukee Page 3 CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON Meeting Minutes February 15, 2021 CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY Reminder: Milestones for work groups and C&E plan adoption, per Project Charter: • Jan 2021 – Work group memberships finalized and begin work • March 2021 – Produce “menu” of financing strategies • May 2021 – Prioritize financing ideas and coalesce around one big idea • Aug -Oct 2021 – Prioritize and refine financing proposals • Dec 2021 – Bring Climate & Equity Plan framework to City Council and County Board for adoption • May 2022 – Government agencies request funding for proposed programs • July 2022 – Plan drafted • Sept 2022 – Plan adopted • Nov 2022 – Plan elements funded as part of City and County Budgets • Jan 2023 and following – Programs and policies implemented Regular Work Group meetings will be 3- 4:30 every second Monday starting today. Next meeting is March 1. Pritchard will be using her Zoom account for these meetings and will record them. If Group members miss a meeting and want to get the recording, contact her. Minutes provided by Janet Meissner Pritchard City of Milwaukee Page 4