City of Bloomington, Indiana Commission on Sustainability, 9 Jun 2020

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From YouTube: Bloomington Commission on Sustainability, June 9, 2020

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meeting agenda: https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/download?meetingFile_id=5907

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I'll go ahead and call to order this meeting of the bloomington commission on.

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Sustainability for tuesday may 10th 2020.

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Right now we have four members of the commission which does not meet quorum.

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Which, I think is that I forget from last time, was there a specific way that we.

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Did roll call or anything from last time, lauren.

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We can just go around and call roll, we won't be able to vote.

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On a proven agenda or anything, but that's all right.

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Okay, I'll just go through my zoom and or I guess how should I call the whole.

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List or what should I do here, you can just call.

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The names on the side of the screen- oh that makes sense.

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uh Okay, so commissioners in attendance, we have.

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Ethan horvath jared alexander.

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Corbin baird also joining us is lauren travis and.

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Marnina, patrick.

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So I guess moving on since um we do not have a quorum. I guess we'll.

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Just kind of go through or kind of move ahead.

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Past the approval of agenda and approval of minutes.

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uh And we'll go to public comment. Is there anyone on.

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Zoom or facebook that would like to.

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Participate in public comment.

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I don't see anyone yet but I'll I'll check the comments.

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And let you know if there's anyone else that has a question.

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uh Right along numbers, let's see the report from chair.

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So I do not have anything to report at this moment.

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So again we can just move right along uh and then so. The report from economic.

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And sustainable development uh lauren is anything you'd like to share with the group yeah sure so um this year and I think we had.

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Mentioned it briefly in the last meeting, but we were planning.

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On doing our climate action plan and even though there's been some.

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Delays um we had initial kickoff meeting of.

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Some stakeholders um that happened last week so that will.

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Be happening from now and to a draft report in.

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October and as things come out, um I can present.

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Them to the group so next meeting, if we can.

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Set aside some time there was a climate survey that was sent out to.

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Residents and we are online, but we had about.

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400 some responses, both in people's awareness and perception of climate.

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Change and then support for various policies and public investments that the.

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City might make, and so I think we can, if we get that aside, like maybe 10 to 15.

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Minutes for next meeting and I can just walk through what those were.

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For the commission, but that will be finalized by the end of the year, which.

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Is important during this period of time and moving.

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Forward to establish priorities for 2021, so this was a goal.

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Of the sustainability action plan under the section about both having.

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Greater public awareness in the community about climate change, its effects and what we can do about it.

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And it will be really specific to the ways that bloomington will be affected.

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Locally um to the level of you know, which.

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Neighborhoods are most vulnerable, which populations within those neighborhoods.

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Have vulnerability to different types of climate impacts, whether it's heat or.

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Flooding etc. So that's happening and I think it'll be.

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Great to tie this group into that and then beyond.

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That, um in terms of what's going on at the county environmental commission, they did delay their june meeting. But there will.

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Be a presentation at their meeting from someone from the.

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Environmental resilience institute, um and so I can send out details of that.

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It's on zoom as well for those that are interested and I'll report back on that as well, but they're gonna have.

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Their july meeting, which normally is summer recess for them.

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I just because they're also behind with scheduling they had to cancel a couple meetings. um Aside from that.

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um The budget process will be happening this summer, something to keep an eye on.

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To establish funding for uh 2021 and.

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Each department will be presenting their budget, but that's kind of an ongoing.

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Process and I think that there's still a lot of uncertainty about impacts from the pandemic to local funding. But.

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um We will see how uh the both you know- property tax.

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Assessments, sort of local business impacts.

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Will continue to play out over the coming months, so it's.

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A little bit unknown um how that will affect the city budget, but we're.

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Getting some early indications of where there's going to be shortfalls just from.

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The last couple of months- so hopefully it won't be too severe, but it's just.

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Something to keep in mind, um and I think that's about it. I think.

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Things are moving forward.

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Obviously, looking a lot differently than everyone thought it would be.

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But I hope that um able to continue to meet and continue to.

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Work on some of the things that the subgroups were working on and I.

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Understand if, if people have um unpredictable.

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Schedules right now, but I think that continuity is important wherever possible. So that's about it! For me,.

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um If anyone has any questions about any of those topics, just let me know.

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Yeah lauren, you had mentioned that you're envisioning because being a part.

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Of in some regard, the climate action plan.

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um What role or roles do you envision a.

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Yeah, well, I think it depends on what people's availability is. So we already.

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Have you know, draft versions of a solar.

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Potential study, we have draft versions of vulnerability.

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Assessment so getting feedback on those particular.

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Documents is helpful before they're released to the public.

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There's also things like we'll be coming up with.

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Specific strategies within different sectors um and then.

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During the summer there will be public engagement, we don't know exactly what.

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That will look like traditionally it's meant holding a public forum in city hall, so it will be in some way virtual.

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I think um engaging and participating in the public forum will be important.

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But to the level I think it could range from if people want to give specific.

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Feedback on drafts to just encouraging people to attend or.

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Participate, um the objective of all of this is to be.

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Able to have more data that we can make informed decisions about not only the role that city government can help in.

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Preventing future impacts, but also helping.

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Individuals become more informed about how they can be part of the.

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Conversation or what things that they can do individually, because I have a lot.

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Of people contact the city and say what role can I play um and it.

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It helps to be able to have more locally specific data to say, like.

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You know here's areas of bloomington um that you know.

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Are experiencing more rainfall like maybe, if we're going to have a citizen.

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Tree planting initiative for incident, for instance, um that would be a great.

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Place to start um so yeah, I think that I can follow up.

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After this call, as well with with where we're at, we have a project.

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Website that I can share with all of you- and it has things as they're finished,.

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I'm sensitive to everyone's differing amounts of time, but I would.

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Say if you check that out and let me know um you know, do you want to.

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Be part of the active planning effort, or would you just like to see things as they're finished?

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um You could have a eco sub group like the one that the udo could switch.

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To climate action planning subgroups since there's not as.

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Much going on with the udo right now, um I don't think we've had pam on the.

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Last couple of calls, so if there's someone else that wanted to.

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Step into that role and kind of facilitate that, as like a policy.

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Subgroup not specific to the udl, but just a policy subgroup that.

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Looks at things whether they're coming from.

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Within our department or council came last time to talk about subcommittees.

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Basically, you know, as things are coming in draft forum.

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For the commission to provide feedback to them.

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And voice their support as they as they move in front of city council. So.

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One example, like the transportation demand management plan was just adopted.

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Last week as an advisory document, um it was important to get feedback.

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From various groups in order to have council feel.

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Comfortable to support the recommendations of that plan, I could see.

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A similar thing playing out towards the end of the year as it moves.

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To adoption to have because have a statement of support for the.

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Recommendations of the plan.

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Awesome sounds good. I I was on that um udo working group with pam and I never.

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What I never was the uh driver of it I I was always a um willing participant.

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But not like the leader of the cause, but.

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I think that with pam gone, I don't think we have anyone who wants to take on the.

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Role of advising on the udo in as much detail as.

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She was doing uh you know as far as future udl concerns.

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I think we should, um you know as those come up.

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Look at them sort of, as you were saying more of.

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As you know, do we have a position one way or another.

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I don't feel the need to to go into the ethios in as much detail, and I like the.

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Idea of rolling over that working group, possibly into climate.

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Action yeah, I think I don't know who else in.

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Here was on that working group. I don't think anyone was.

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It was pam and well at the time matt um matt, flaherty, yeah and.

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Well, chris reinhart was like the first: wasn't he the first leader of it. I feel.

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Like chris was yeah, while he was here yeah and then it.

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Passed on to matt and then pam and no I'm not I'm not.

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Gonna, do it I'm not I don't. I don't, have the passion.

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That pam had for going through the details of the udo.

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Sorry and and one thing that I could do in order to support.

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um You all is, I got obviously the council packet.

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So, on every um as I come up, I can send an email to the.

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Group and say you know, here's what's up for consideration.

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um If it relates to the goals of this group, so I mean there's.

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Various ordinances and resolutions that are always coming up, some of them are.

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Like towing, which I um I mean, there's a whole.

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Range of things, but I think, as it relates to things that you might want to.

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Provide feedback directly on that's a useful.

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So yeah, that's where that is, I'm excited it's moving forward.

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It is behind schedule, but it didn't really make sense to try to push for.

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Public engagement, at a time that people's attention was justifiably.

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Elsewhere, I mean that's still true um in a huge regard, but.

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We do need to keep moving forward to be able to be finished.

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Anytime close to the end of the year, since it is a long-term planning effort.

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um I'm excited it's not going to be duplicative.

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Of the sustainability action plan and that its focus is specifically on.

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Strategies for reducing carbon, um which the sustainable action plan is.

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A bit broader than that, um so.

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Yeah, it's action. Oriented we've got a great.

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Small planning firm, that's assisting we're looking to make the.

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Engagement more equitable, but also putting a pause on seeing what other.

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Cities are doing to try to connect with citizens during this time.

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And things like social media engagement, etc,.

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Are changing rapidly how studies communicate with people during this is.

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Changing so um it will hopefully look a bit.

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Different than traditional meetings, but there's.

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Probably not going to be as much in-person input so trying to make sure.

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We can still reach um folks at online interfaces, not.

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Their preferred method of communication as well so.

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I think it'll be a challenge, but um we're all.

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Adopting and trying to be adoptable and that's part of.

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The the challenges of climate change will be being adaptable to.

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Changing circumstances so.

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All right great, thank you. Lauren.

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uh Next item is working group updates um for the waste reduction.

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uh I do not have any updates. There was a web seminar. This past.

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Week for the um I don't know the full name of it anymore, but it was a.

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Composting grant project from the usda urban agriculture section division. I.

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Forget I set in on that and I think a couple.

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Other commissioners did as well I'm going to.

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Say I have set on it, I had it playing in the background. While I was working as well, you know, because I have to work so I'll have to go back and be re-look.

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Over that powerpoint presentation that was provided, but um I believe they had a deadline by the end of june for.

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Submission or june 26th, so if that is something that you know, we.

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We do want to pursue, we we, we do have a timeline, a tight.

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Timeline on that one.

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uh So, for do we have anyone from the sustainable business.

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uh Working group in the call.

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Okay, uh and are there any updates for the well the udo? I guess with.

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Pam not here, there won't be too much to update on that one.

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Or at least a high level of detail.

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uh Okay, so moving on from working group updates.

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um It has a new business on the agenda, but I'm gonna go ahead and just open the.

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Floor to anyone who would like to add any new business or comments.

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So uh for the rest of commissioners, if you have any other thing, you'd like to share with the group, please feel free to do so now.

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If we do end up changing the udo subgroup to the policy subgroup, that's.

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Something I'd be interested in being on.

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Great thanks, ethan.

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Wait is that I'm confused. Is that the same thing as climate action, or is that.

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Different yeah, I think we can talk about what it's.

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Named but if it was named policy, then we wouldn't need to keep changing the name.

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Oh, I see and it would and then and then it would sort of be.

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uh A working group that would just actively.

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Address whatever the most current pressing policies were.

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Yeah, so, if like, for instance, sue and matt came to visit last time and.

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They talked about the the climate action sub committee.

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That they created for council and then also the sustainable development one. So I was envisioning I could send out to the group.

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When those packets are put up, if it relates to.

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B coasts, letting them know you know, when's the next meeting.

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um What kind of legislation or ordinance is being.

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Reviewed and then there will be ongoing planning efforts that are a bit longer.

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Like the climate action, um so it could be either a specific.

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Resolution or ordinance that someone wants to time and give.

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Comment about or input or a longer term planning effort that.

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Would require digging further in and providing.

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But it's basically a short list: prepar a short list prepared by you for our.

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Sub group to review every whatever every month or whatever.

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Yeah, okay, that gives something pretty.

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Tangible that I think um you know.

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According to your availability, if it was something that.

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You felt passionate about either because they prepare a statement or someone.

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Could arrive and provide public comment on that particular issue, often times when something comes in front of council.

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Especially right now, you might only have four public comments or.

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Yeah, I'm also interested in serving him on that working group.

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B

All right! Well, if there are no more comments from commissioners, I.

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Guess we'll go ahead and adjourn this meeting? Oh, I have another comment. I'm.

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Sorry I didn't realize you had asked us if we had any last.

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Comments sorry.

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Yeah, I'm sorry! Oh um so uh lauren, were you saying that.

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In the climate action they have a tree planting program.

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Like planned, in that, I was just giving an example of one.

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Possible strategy or recommendation that might come out of it.

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um As an example of why we're done well, you know that's an interest of mine.

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And uh I would like to invest I'd like to work.

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On that further, if possible, yeah definitely.

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um That could be another possible collaboration with the environmental.

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Commission as well.

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Are they doing do you know the environmental commission.

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Well, that's right! Well, I know there's a specific tree commission, but we've talked about this. That's not their job is to make sure like how many there are.

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Their job is to make sure the ones we have are healthy.

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And then so do you know what the environmental commission.

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Or do they have specific, like uh you know,.

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Pre-Planting, community programs: I think they were working on green.

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Infrastructure, generally, with trees being a component of that.

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Oh, I had not even heard the term green infrastruct infrastructure.

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I I I'm woke now to that.

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Well, yeah! No, that would be awesome to I'd like to join to co-collaborate with.

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Them on that or if, if we can have some official.

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Yeah, I don't know what you would recommend or if anyone else on the council would be interested. But that's one thing: I've been wanting to to.

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Get this commission to do more of is to pay.

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Attention to um just adding treats since that's one.

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Of our that's one of the um biggest ways we can.

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Combat climate change and- and it serves so many.

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Other purposes yeah, I think I can send you so the.

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Chair of their commission is andrew, gunther I'll, send you his contact and then, let's see um ways that we might be able to work.

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Together because I think that's a great point of intersection, okay, thank you.

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Are there any other final comments from the commissioners.

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Okay, so we'll go ahead and adjourn, and our next meeting will be.

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On july, 14th.

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Thank you. Everyone.

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