Climate Action Plan Standing Committee

Public Meeting Minutes Climate Action Plan Standing Committee December 15, 2021 Attending: Robin Paone, Karin Hilding, Ben Davis, Casey Lewis, Liz Records, Kate McMahon, Lydia Fahrenkrug, John Phelps, Tara Osendorf B. Ben moved to approve minutes from November 17, 2021 Meeting. All voted in favor of motion. C. Communications/Outreach/Education • Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee chair, John Phelps provided history of the committee, the river trail and the remaining missing trail sections. Karin brought up the role of the committee to also improve safe routes to school. Kate. suggested that the CAP committee could assist with education/outreach on safety issues. Karin discussed the history of the Connect Whitefish group led by Carla Belski. This group has assisted the city with education and outreach events including safe routes to school (Bike and Walk to School events). Kate M. discussed tactical (or gorilla) urbanism active transportation efforts in Missoula. Karin noted that city staff attended a 2-day tactical urbanism workshop 6 years ago in Great Falls. The Public Works and Parks Department followed up with a tactical urbanism project on 5th Street and Kalispell Avenue creating a temporary separated bike/ped path during a Bike to School event. The event had a very large turnout. Tara mentioned there is a video of the Missoula tactical urbanism project. Kate expressed interest in having the committee watch the video at a future meeting. Or the link could be sent to committee members. Kate discussed adding educational signs along the trail, including by the wastewater treatment plant. D. Coordination with Climate Action Plan • CAP Vacancy – Karin noted that the CAP committee ordinance revision is scheduled for the Jan. 3rd Council meeting. The ordinance revision will change one city staff committee position to a member at large. Karin will prepare a staff report for the Jan. 3rd meeting. • Council Goals - Kate reviewed council goals related to IT and Planning Departments. She requested that Tara help engage the CAP committee during the future Growth Policy update. Karin was asked to forward CFW 1.1 and 1.3 (see p. 89 of CAP) actions to the IT and Admin departments. • Budget Proposals – Karin, Robin and Kate to meet concerning both the budget survey for department directors. This must be sent out in early January. Also, they’ll discuss a memo to the directors about CAP actions related to current council goals. E. Project Updates • Existing Projects  o Recycling – Karin discussed that the mandatory curbside recycling resolution passed at the last council meeting. Discussion of the recycling contract with Republic was postponed until the Dec. 20th meeting. The city has received a letter from Evergreen asking that the recycling contract be rebid since bear proof containers have been added. Republic’s proposed monthly cost and contract time period have changed significantly. Ben noted that the 2nd reading of mandatory curbside recycling may be pulled from the Dec. 20th meeting. o Community Solar Project- At the last CAP meeting the committee made a motion to approve the city moving forward with a community solar project with FEC at the WWTP. Karin explained that there will be a council work session on the community solar project on Jan. 18th. Ashley Keltner from FEC will attend. Karin will prepare a staff report and will mention support from the committee. Casey asked that the staff report remind the council that the CAP stated that installation of solar PV is required to meet the emission reduction goals. Ben noted that the city should consider buying some of the panels to meet its emission reduction goal. He noted the council may have concerns about the highest best use of the WWTP property. Karin noted that the solar PV/FEC project would use about 1 acre of the property. There was a question of how many panels will be available for the public to buy and how many people are already on the waitlist at FEC. o Montana Facility Finance Authority – Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Financing - Kate will either schedule this for a future meeting or provide a link to the video during a lunch hour. F. Upcoming January meeting – Karin will ask Joe Page to attend the January meeting to give an update on the Fire Master Plan.