City of Bloomington, Indiana Commission on Sustainability, 12 May 2020

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From YouTube: Bloomington Commission On Sustainability, May 12, 2020

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meeting agenda: https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/download?meetingFile_id=5783

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Hello, everyone so getting call the order. The tuesday.

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May 10th meeting of the bloomington commission on sustainability, so yeah.

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This is my first time ever running a virtual meeting, so I'll probably stumble.

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Through it hope, that's okay with everyone. So, let's see looking at the.

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Agenda called order, roll call, I'm not quite sure of an effective way to go.

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About this I mean we can kind of see who's all here, laura.

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Do you know of a efficient way to go about batter? Oh, if you could just read.

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Through the participant list, I'll make a note of that in the notes, sir.

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Okay, so we've got myself lauren travis catch is here ethan.

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Horvath corbin baird anna abernathy, joe jarrett alexander.

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Samantha ginter nolan herndon, hindon bronson.

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Bosch and councilmember seuss campbell larry it's at corinne fantastic arms, so.

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We'll move on to approval of agenda has everyone had the opportunity to review.

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The agenda and are there any suggested, edits to be made? Okay, then, uh then, I.

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Move that we approve the agenda as written.

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Second, okay, all in favor waiver say aye.

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Great. Thank you.

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The next item is approval of minutes and we do not have the minutes available.

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From the last meeting I believe so we will go ahead and move on from that. We.

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Have this next section is public comment.

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Do we have some members of the public that have called in that want to provide.

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Any comment: I don't have anyone in the waiting room from the public, so I think.

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This is all crushed members and all right so item 6 is report from the chair.

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That'll, be me, I see so since our last meeting and will.

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We're fortunate enough to get some presentations or discussion later on in.

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The agenda, but I believe on february 29th there was a resolution 20-0 1, where.

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It formed new committees, the sustainable, let see state sustainable development.

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Committee and the climate action or resilience committee- and we have the.

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Chairs from both of those city, council committees, here with us this evening and.

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They'll kind of talk to the roles of those committees, but other than that I.

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Don't have anything really to to report from the chair perspective, 4b cost.

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So moving to item seven report from economic and sustainable development.

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Thank you, everyone for tuning in. I have a couple of announcements, so the county.

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Environmental commission missed one meeting but was able to have a special.

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Session on monday- and I had a couple of things that they wanted to share with.

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You one was that the youth for environmental sustainability group, which.

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Is a group of high school and college students that helped pass a city council.

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Resolution last june and is working to try to pass a similar resolution at the.

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County level to help frame the conversation about incentivizing.

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Sustainability and climate action at the county level, so I can both send out the.

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Ordinance that they passed last june at the city, but they are having a.

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Presentation of their draft ordinance for the county tomorrow evening on may.

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13Th and I consent it's at- let's see what.

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Time it's at 7:00 p.m. and the purpose of their presentation will be to present.

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What they intend to share with the county commissioners and then ask for.

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Feedback and recommendations about things that they might have missed or.

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Things that they that the commissioners or any other biko's members might.

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Recommend, including so I'll center on the zoom link. For that the other thing.

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That occurred is that dave warren will still be on the environmental commission.

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But he will no longer be our b coast liaison is going to be no.100 who's on.

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The call right now, no one, also works utilities as the energy conservation.

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Manager, I think, is its title, so he'll be a great resource and the county is.

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Filing suit against the four service over the logging project, houston.

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South projects that will be an ongoing lawsuit that the county, environmental.

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Commission decided to be party to the suit, so those are just some updates at.

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The county level and it's been crazy components of the city city hall- is.

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Still closed and will remain so, at least until the 15th we're all waiting to hear.

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New guidance from the hosta partment as to how to safely reopen. But in the.

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Meantime I have been part of a working group on food access, emergency food.

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Safety net and there's been a lot of good progress around trying to increase.

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Snap enrollment supplemental nutrition assistance program because there's.

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Additional benefits available for those that may have lost their jobs or having.

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Trouble accessing healthy food during the pandemic so I'll continue to work on.

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That advisory group and be able to share any findings with you all, as that.

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Progresses and then the last thing was that I was forwarded, a funding.

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Opportunity around compost, pilots and that's a grant and there's a webinar and.

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In my piece of something that, because would pursue as a group, you are able to.

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Work on grant proposals that could then fun pilot projects for things that.

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You're researching so I'll send it up in the following table email. It would be.

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Due june 26 but it'll be fun a two-year project that would go from october, 20, 22.

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September of 2022, so I know the work we've done in the waist group to look at.

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Potential composting models, and so that's something that we could talk to if anyone's interested in doing grant research as follow-ups for some of the.

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Things that are coming out of your subcommittee ideas, so that's essentially.

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We will be moving into budget season this summer, so there's a lot of.

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Uncertainty ron, but that will play a big role in what.

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Fundings available for various programs in 2021.

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And then, if any of you have any questions, you're able to unmute yourself.

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Or else be done in the chat, yes, sir, do we have any questions for lauren all.

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Right, thank you very much for that lauren. So next on the agenda is the.

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Introduction to the city council committees, with sustainable development.

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We have with us tonight is councilmembers and mallory. Who is the.

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Chair of the sustainable, the city council, sustainable development.

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Committee, thank you very much for being with us tonight I'll go ahead and turn.

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It over to you for now. Thank you all very much and I appreciate a chance to.

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Sit in joe, how long do I have I mean I'm not gonna go nuts, but I mean.

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So I mean I'd, say: you've got up to ten minutes or so, if you can, if you need to.

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Go longer, that's fine, but this meeting it goes and so what it's scheduled to go.

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Until 7:30, okay well and I turn into a pumpkin at 7:00 cause- I have to be in.

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Another zoom meeting, sir: do you all get that reference of turning into a pumpkin.

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Like cinder, okay, good yeah, it would be again I'm steve campbell larry. This is.

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My first year on city council, I represent district 2, which is the north.

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In your north side, among my appointments, I chair the two things I think relevant.

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To this group, first of all, I chair the sustainable development committee and.

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We'll talk about that in a second I'm also a liaison to iraq. On behalf of.

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Council as well, so I think those things kind of intersect with where we are.

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Right now I know some of you, but not most of you, so it would be helpful to me.

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May I just go around, and have people introduce themselves to me is that okay.

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Joe yeah yeah, that's good, but you can I'm just gonna go left to right on my.

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Screen lauren we've worked together great to see you again.

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I look forward to actually seeing you in the same place so ethan. Could you.

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Introduce yourself yeah sure, I'm you and horvath graduated spea and 17. I was.

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Actually, on b coast from 15 to 17, previously then moved to in decide to.

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Resign that position, but now I'm back in bloomington and back on the commission.

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You're a bloomerang say I am what got you interested in these issues. uh I've.

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Always been interested in like environmental and sustainability based.

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Issues my mba concentrated in sustainable development. So, okay is there.

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Anything in particular you'd like me to talk about tonight my generalist self.

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And anything you could talk about would be great. Okay,.

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Thank you ethan joe, and thank you for being patient with us, because I know you.

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All know each other, but it helps me kind of calibrate my comments, joe yeah, so my.

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Name is uh joan I come and I was let's see I started on because I think either.

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August or september of 2019 and then elected chair in december, when the.

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Current chair had to step down for graduating and moving on, and then I my.

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Interest and sustainability started again like like ethan. I've always been.

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Interested in sustainability, my background is in environmental and.

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Natural resources, engineering, I've worked in the solid waste community and.

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Right now, I work with energy storage systems. Okay,.

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That's fascinating! That's bessie! This is my thoughtful look. So thank you, joe.

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Corbin yeah corbin bear blue tear and bloomington. Since 1997. I actually moved.

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To bloomington, to be a professional forest activist did that for a few years.

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Also did some work around the pcb issues in bloomington good. Thank you for that.

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Now primarily focused on work, I'm not wild about smallwood, but I appreciate.

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That it replaced semuc on so that's something how'd you get.

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Interested in forestry work just really like the woods and don't like people.

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Cutting it, do you live, do you love me, did you grow up here? Would sir yeah yeah.

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Okay, where'd, you grow up where you from in a cornfield near crawfordsville,.

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Indiana in an actual cornfield yeah credible, it's a bean field on opposite.

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Yeah, okay, okay corn, is very hard on soil understand. I wasn't raised on the farm.

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But okay corbin! Thank you. Thank you. Anna.

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Okay, nice to meet you sue. My name is anna abernathy. I am currently working in.

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Recruitment at the o'neal school /vf for those of us who know it as via I'm new.

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On the commission, and I'm also new to bloomington august 2019, just wanted to.

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Get involved, I'm obviously passionate about the environment and sustainability.

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And kind of how everyone can make a difference and make a small impact in.

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Their own way, so I wanted to get involved in here. I am so I'm originally.

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From nashville tennessee, but I've a lot of living in bloomington so far where.

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Did you come from? I moved here from texas college station.

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But I much more of a midwestern er than I am a texan, so I'm excited to be.

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Exploring a new part of the world well welcome here, but it affects a lot.

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Of us in just like even y'all kind of find her, I actually did my undergrad.

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Will purdue, I did my graduate work here, lived in massachusetts for a few years.

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And then came back so I'm the section line thanks anna good to meet you.

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Jarrett hi, I'm jared alexander, I'm a rising sophomore. I you I got. I joined.

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The commission about it less than a year ago, but I think in august 2019, I'm with.

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The youth for environmental sustainability and we helped write and.

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Pass the council resolution last summer for sustainability and after that I.

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Wanted to get or stay involved, I guess, and so I joined.

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Commission anything in particular you'd like me to talk about or you want to.

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Talk about mmm no I'm just interested to hear what you have to say: okay, good to.

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See you again hi so nice to see you again too.

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Congrats on your council appointment, that's exciting.

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This I'm also pretty new to the commission here. This is my second.

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Meeting I think, since we missed the last month, but I just got involved as a.

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Result of having a public health background and, as you know and my.

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Current job at ventures, I don't really use that very much so was looking for.

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Ways to be involved with programming and impassionate about sustainability and my.

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Personal life so felt like this was a good in-between to get involved with.

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Anything you want me to talk about, or no I'm just interested to hear about your.

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Committees, you're working on and if we can be synergistic with them and all.

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They'd be great okay. That would be great thanks. Samantha yeah nolan ice to this.

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Introduction virtually welded me. This is my first meeting and I don't know anybody, except for lauren, so good to meet everybody.

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As lauren said, I've been on the monroe county environment commission for about.

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A year and a half now and yesterday I was appointed president and I also found.

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Out that I was supposed to be part of this group as allies on so I'm here very.

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New to the group and excited to learn what y'all are doing and I'm a speedo.

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Graduate also- and I've been working at the city of bloomington utilities for about seven years now. What do you do? Utilities? I do energy and water.

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Conservation projects so a little bit of public outreach a little bit of working.

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With their operators or plants, so what does outreach? Look like you ready fire.

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Yeah we're focusing more internally recently, but it's been we've done like.

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School events, we've done just sweet, pears and all sorts of things. Okay, I'd.

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Like to talk about that a little bit when we get back, who did I miss all your.

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Pictures rearranged per second, I have an errand just myself yet so go ahead. I'm.

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Sorry, it's okay, I know sometimes there's like multiple screen.

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My name is bronson bass. I'm a current graduate student at the o'neil school at.

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The dual degree working on public affairs and environmental science for.

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The concentration energy and I'm really passionate about what local governments.

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Can do to impact sustainability? I think they can do a lot, especially on the.

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Social side of things and last summer I worked very closely with the city of.

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Goshen on their climate action plan and greenhouse gas inventory, so I'm here up.

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In goshen mm-hmm, I think oceans really cool. I didn't know.

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Much about it before I went, but I was very impressed by a lot of things. There.

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Particularly how the religious community is a very strong midnight faith.

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Tradition and it was very cool to see those values are very strong and pushing.

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For environmental change and for like climate action and that's something you.

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Know good to see a lot of places they have one of the highest per capita solar.

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Generation in the united states, like they beat out places like phoenix just.

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Because everyone's trying to do what they can and so it's yeah it's a very.

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Interesting place, even though it's a rather small town, so I actually for.

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Those of you don't know, I'm a fundraiser and I need you, I'm a major gift officer dye you in my gauge now and I actually worked with a professor in earth and.

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Atmospheric sciences, who is working with religious groups in the middle east so.

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The local muslim community, the you know, to fight climate change or to prepare.

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For climate change, because those are the patterns of influence and those are some.

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Of the values at work, it's fascinating stuff, what they did so, okay, anything you.

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Want me to talk about, in particular, oh yeah. If you could talk about many.

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Developments with the sustainability investment fund or your perspectives on.

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That, and that would be great okay, matt will know more about that than I will.

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But yeah I'm having to talk about that. Okay, I'm just gonna kind of dive in and.

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Wave or yell or or let me know if I'm getting too far out in the weeds or not.

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Far enough a little bit of background and why I even got my flow.

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Let me back up even further. First of all, thank you that does not give you all.

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Extra hours in your day, just to play roles like this, but they're important.

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And so I'm just I'm grateful that I have you to learn from at the very least and.

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I'm grateful that you serve a town that I care about, so thank you for that. So.

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Why did I get involved in this? I grew up in gary indiana. Does everyone know where.

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That is okay. I was born in 1965, so I saw gary indiana during its mid-century.

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Prosperity when all the steel mills were doing really great, they also did a lot.

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Of bad they trashed the lake and jim left, I think, but starting in the late.

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70S and into the 80s I also watch the steel mills go from employing about.

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30,000 to about 7,000, the area was economically devastated. Families were.

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Economically devastated, and in the years after that, I essentially I watched my.

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Hometown die and I don't ever want to see bloomington get anywhere near that.

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Condition and people will say: oh that can never happen to us, because we have.

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Iu well, northwest indiana had the steel mills and they would have thought it foolish to think that they were vulnerable. So.

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For me, a lot of this work is personal. I want to see bloomington be resilient and.

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Strong, so that's what got me interested in this and that's why I care about a.

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Lot of these issues, so let's take that and set that aside for a second, you talk.

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About committees, city council, there are a lot of good things about how its.

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Structured and how it operates- and there are some things that kind of dumb up the.

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Works more than they should. Okay, the creation.

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Of standing committees was a way to respond to that, so we now have 10.

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Standing committees and our job is essentially triage for legislation.

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So, whenever a piece of legislation, a resolution or an ordinance comes to us.

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It's assigned to a particular committee that committee.

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Researches it here's public comment, here's comment from staff and then.

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Submits a report and a recommendation of the full council on what happens to it.

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One of the other things we can do that I think, might be relevant to this group. We.

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Can also, we can also hold hearings and meetings on topics that are not the.

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Subject of legislation so historically stuff comes to council because it's.

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About legislation: well, there are a lot of things going on and important events.

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An important project that don't necessarily require us to pass anything.

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But that are really important for us to know about. In the context of all the.

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Work going on in the community so, for example, one of the things we've done in.

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Like um at 19, I serve as liaison to the working group laird hamilton, created on.

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Economic stabilization and recovery, so our committee, the stable development.

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Committee could actually hold hearings on the work they were doing, what their.

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Plans were for the 2.5 million dollar loan fund that we assembled and so forth.

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So hearing legislation and triaging legislation is part of what we do also.

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Making sure council is informed and had the opportunity to hear reports about.

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Different topics that aren't the subject of legislation so does that make sense.

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Is that okay, anything more? You want me to talk about there and you know: okay,.

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Couple things that I think aren't interesting to me: economic development.

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You know yes, my early thinking about economic development influenced by.

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Having grown up in gary and watching that town die, but I care very much about.

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Hey matt, I care very much about our having the right kind of development in.

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Bloomington, once upon a time, any city would have been glad to have factories.

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Of manufactured t-shirts and flip-flops, and that's not who we are now, that's not.

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One of the as a community, so I think certainly it's critical- that we worry.

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About job make sure we have a vibrant community, but I think we also need to incentivize the right kind of development and you.

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Need to attract the right kinds of companies that are sensitive to the.

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Environment that build sensibly and enhance greenaway, it's possible when.

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They do build and I think those are the kind of values we need to bring to bear.

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So those are the kinds of things I think they're important, I'm also just.

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Personally, it hasn't really caught up in our committee, but I'm just personally.

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Interested in a lot of the messaging around environmental issues, I yeah, I was.

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Elected last november and like most council candidates, I canvassed and I not.

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Done 1500 tours environmental issues was straightening to me. Guess how many times.

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Environmental issues came up, probably a lot one. What else any other guesses.

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I would guess, maybe half a dozen was one at one person. I asked where the.

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Recycling plant ones or the recycling centers were another asked where they.

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Could find more information about composting and I find I was concerned.

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About the omission, and so I started asking people well, are there.

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Environmental issues that are important to you or are there particular ways in.

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Which your family tries to respond to climate change and one of the things.

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That really struck me is over and over and over again I got really sheepish.

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Looks of people who said you know yeah. I really should do more about that. You.

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Know but yeah, it's just you know it's on page 8 of my list of priorities and so.

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What kind of crystallized in my head is just the attention we might pay to.

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Messaging and who we're nolan, I think you talked about doing outreach for.

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Utilities I I have come to believe that that's really really important, because.

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Some of them gic can concern me at times. You know if.

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There's someone who is generally a good person. They don't really pay that much.

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Attention to climate issues, mostly because they're busy, because they have.

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To get their daughter to speech therapy and their son to tennis practice and.

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They're caring for aging parents and everything and it sounds they don't want.

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To work on on the claimant, they just it's not top of mind for them and then.

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One day they decide, you know alright, that's a new year's resolution, we're all.

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Going to start recycling our newspapers, let's at least start there, that's not.

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The time to yell at them, because they don't also compost. Okay, that's the time.

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To reinforce that behavior and say you know, could you do one more thing? Could.

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You add one more thing to that, and so I think there are messages that create.

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Urgency- and there are messages that create changes in behavior and sometimes.

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It's overlap and sometimes they don't and so that's kind of what I think about.

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Life does that make sense? Okay. What else do you want to talk about or what.

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Questions, do you have everybody get this and have a chance to look at it would.

B

You like me, no sir, sorry thank you. Lauren.

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I would be interested in hearing what kind of projects you all will be.

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Involved in this year, what kinds of things you might like to bring before.

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Council and how I can be helpful, it's also really really important to me to.

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Have council stay out of the way when that's relevant to you, so I would be.

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Interested in your taking your feedback on what's next.

A

I'll go ahead and provide some feedback on that. So I think from the commission's.

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Point of view, I would really like to see us become more active with and.

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Legislation that is going up before council and get a sustainability.

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Perspective during one of the either like the initial or second reading to.

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The council that way we're kind of involved from the beginning of the.

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Legislature latest the the legislation being presented to council okay. So how.

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Do you do, are you what do you feel like you're, able to find legislation online and find the resolutions that are coming to us.

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And everything, so I can find them pretty easily for like like online when they.

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Have the packets and stuff for the weeks that they're being presented, but I I.

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Have I've had troubles finding them any any earlier than that.

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Before they are like their first reading, I don't know if that's something I can.

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Do or if I'm just bad at looking stuff up, um no you're, not bad at looking.

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Things up, I think a couple of things are going on. First of all, there are times.

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When we'll always have a piece of legislation in front of us before its.

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First reading, but sometimes that may not be more than.

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A few hours before an actual meeting, and so there's that in place second issue, is.

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That our packets are at best kind of confusing at worst kind of impenetrable.

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How many of you have looked at packets for city, council meetings laura and you.

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Don't count on this one, yes, okay, interesting, and I see him every week if.

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It's any consolation but yeah. Look. Let me think about that I'll actually talk.

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To you council office to you, because maybe there is a way to be more.

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Proactive about sharing with sharing a commission that high these pieces of.

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Legislation are coming up in two weeks or whatever the big things that I think.

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Are going to be interesting this year, the sustainability lit is still on the.

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Horizon and matt can talk more about that. We are also looking at.

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Mapping, which is in the sense where the rubber meets the road on a you, do.

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The unified development, so we need to think about that, but I think those are.

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Their two points, at which I think the commission and certainly have a very.

C

Helpful boys, thank you. What else is there any legislation? You would like to.

C

Bring technically a council member doesn't need to sponsor legislation.

J

And I guess like, as as the salette moves forward and we're starting to see some.

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Proposals put forth on how we might want to spend some of the investment fund. It.

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Would be good to try to tap because as a resource to get additional input from.

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The public to do some research on proposals to you know assist in that.

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Process and then, when that legislation you know or those approvals to do, go to.

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Council that you know we make sure that any endorsements or considerations from.

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Because are taken seriously, I think, that's you know what we talked about.

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Being something that, because wants to try to focus on and something we'd like.

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To all be involved with, I didn't fight you all that think about the last week.

C

Of august lauren mona's budget, when is that that.

C

We can budget hearings that we do august 19th with sticking out in milan. I think.

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That's right, bad! Look at this! Whatever that week is in august, every.

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Night for four nights: there are typically about four or five or six.

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Hours with meetings every single night and we essentially walk through the.

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Entire budget for 2021 money follows mission. There is no clear reflection of.

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Our community's priorities and budget- I think you can say all we want, but what.

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We actually invest our money in this, I think very telling. So I think you might.

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Also want to take a look at budget. We had a preview last week. I think we'll.

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See a draft budget, probably at the beginning of august, so I think that's an.

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Opportunity for the commission to actually take a look at it and see you.

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Know what are we missing or what haven't you thought of so.

C

Ronson, thank you for that. That's a good suggestion, too. So, thanks for mentioning.

J

Though yeah, what else might help with.

C

Matt knows more about the sustainability lit than any ten people. I know combined.

C

So I'm actually going to turn it over to him and just take a step back. You know.

K

I'm unmuted, I was already unmuted the whole time.

K

Apparently, hello y'all, just a quick note: that's right.

K

August 17th 18th 19th 20th, our budget departmental budget hearings, each.

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Department, like has like a 20 minute presentation or up to that with.

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Questions so that's 18 years to explain that, like way better than I do.

C

And then um it looks like a yeah, okay, that's it and, and hopefully all goes.

K

Swimmingly with that, obviously we're nod times here. Sorry, I just sort of started.

K

Without introducing myself or anything else, I'm matt they're, a former member of b costs. Lots of new faces great to see the those of you who have who I knew.

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When I was on the commission and those of you who are new, welcome, I yeah so as.

K

Them first sue explained: the council has started using a committee structure to.

K

Handle more of its work this year there are, I think, nine or so committees.

K

Initially, there was going to be a climate sustainability committee that.

K

Was that has sort of been disaggregated into two and one of the motivations for.

K

That was that the mayor put out a proposal on january 1 that the council.

K

As part of the local income tax council, which is actually made up of multiple.

K

Physical bodies from alex ville, stein's bill, the county and the city, the mayor.

K

Proposed that we consider changing the local investment, I'm sorry local.

K

Income tax by a half of percentage, point or sorry, yeah, half a half a percentage.

K

Point right or uh maybe 0.25, I'm sorry exactly. It's.

K

Giving my mind at the moment to fund a sustainability investment fund and I.

K

Know joe put out information about that, I think a number of you attended.

K

The meeting that we had mill on march 5th to talk about that and we thought.

K

That a separate committee to handle that issue might be useful and just other.

K

Climate related asian issues, because it's a difficult organizational.

K

Challenge actually- and I know lauren deals with this as well- it's been a.

K

Matter of discussion in the past at the city, last year's budget hearings for.

K

Instance, because climate touches on so much about the built environment, about.

K

Our operations about utilities is about. You know, a public works everything we do.

K

At the city, it's it's difficult to know how exactly to organize that so lauren.

K

You know interacts with a lot of folks at a lot of different departments and.

K

Similarly, there's aspects of transportation or land use, for instance,.

K

I'm on the land use committee, I'm not on the transportation committee, though that's certainly an interest both of those committees. You know almost every.

K

Matter they handle will have fairly significant climate implications as well.

K

As other implications, so it's hard to know whether it's good or bad, maybe they.

K

Have a focused committee working on this and I think, we're all still figuring out.

K

A little bit on council to how to work on using the committee structure the most effectively that we can. But I will say it was very helpful to have a.

K

Committee of folks, as we started the engagement process for the proposal for.

K

For a sustainability investment fund and it changed the local income tax rate to.

K

Support that, as you probably know, that effort that got underway is sort of been.

K

Put on pause, in fact, next steps are still very much up in the air.

K

I made a council report a couple of months ago to this effect that basically.

K

During the midst this pandemic, when there's so much so many people in economic crisis and and the difficulty of meeting and engaging in person anyway,.

K

That it didn't make a lot of sense to continue considering that proposal at.

K

The time and the rest of the climate action and resilience committee members.

K

Felt that way as well, that committee, by the way, is myself.

K

Council member rosenberger council member rallo, who is, I believe, on the.

K

Commission on sustainability and then also council, member and pete moss smith.

K

And so that process has kind of been paused. You know the idea, certainly.

K

Hasn't gone away, we know very well, and I imagine most of you know very well that you know it takes big.

K

Ambition and and really a sea change and a lot of the way we organize our cities.

K

And towns and society to meet this very real and looming climate crisis threat.

K

We've, you know squander most of the last few decades, not really doing much so.

K

We're very much running out of time to drastically overhaul some of the systems.

K

That we in really all aspects of our life, there's only so much we can do with.

K

The city, of course, but you know that we're committed to doing our part.

K

The mayor has signed on to any number of pledges, including the the mayor's global.

K

Mayor's climate shoot, what is it lauren climate mayor's? I mean that's like the.

K

Shorthand but it's it's the mayor's covenant on climate energy yeah. My.

B

Mirrors and then it was the mayor national clown agenda, which became.

B

Climate mirrors, but but we're very much, you know in multiple ways that included.

K

Also were in the we're still in delegation on or coalition to saying,.

K

That we've committed to the paris agreement, I think maybe jarrett- was on.

K

Here but I had to step off, we passed the yes resolution last year as a council.

K

Committing ourselves to that, pat ourselves to that path as well, and it's.

K

It's gonna be difficult, it's gonna be difficult to me. We had our greenhouse gas emissions inventory last year. I think we are due for a back casting.

K

Update soon, but one you know notable negative trends that I've noted a few.

K

Times in conversations for transportation is that our vehicle miles.

K

Traveled per capita have gone up over the last decade and that's that's you.

K

Know not going the right direction. We've got a goal of being a platinum from the.

K

Bike city and shifting mode share to biking and walking and transit more that.

K

Takes investment it might take investment in transit. I might take greater investment in inside sidewalk infrastructure in bike lanes. Some of.

K

It's just policy decisions and choices and prioritization, but um it's almost.

K

Certainly true that dedicated funding beyond what is really available by kind.

K

Of trimming the fat around an already lean city budget is necessary if we're.

K

Gonna get serious about tackling our our climate goals. That said, taxes aren't.

K

Generally popular the meeting on the 5th you know actually went quite well. People.

K

Were were hesitantly supportive, I think waiting to learn more information, and I.

K

Think it's it's an interesting thing that I'm still trying to learn from it's.

K

There's there's a balance somewhere to be struck between having a fully fleshed.

K

Out proposal that you offer to to offer up and have people say this is good or.

K

Bad or having people have buy-in by developing, you know with you that a set.

K

Of proposals, so I think there are challenges in either case but we'll.

K

We'll continue to try to get buy-in from folks and there's other ways we can do.

K

That and lauren you know, I'm sure again, it's kept you all up to date that the.

K

Climate vulnerability assessment the city is conducting this year is continuing at least more more or less apace. We've got a lot of feedback. We've.

K

Got you know, feedback in our in our adopted city plans, the sustainability.

K

Action plan that is really still fairly young, so we've got a lot of resources.

K

We're in our community has been engaged to show us, you know and tell us what.

K

What we need to be doing so, I don't have a lot to offer in terms of what that.

K

Process will look like going forward around the idea of a sustainability investment fund if it will still manifest in the exact same way. I mean.

K

Those are conversations that are are yet to happen. In fact, I'm overdue to send an.

K

Email about what I meant to last week, but I'd be happy to speak with any of.

K

You at any time, including now about about what you think about that.

K

But happy to have meetings, you know or call zoom or otherwise or hopefully.

K

Eventually, in person to talk about all things related to that proposal, I guess.

K

I'll just put it for the moment open it up. If there's questions specifically.

K

About that now, but then there were a few other ideas or topics. I wanted to talk.

K

About anybody have any questions or thoughts or concerns. I wanted to relate.

K

To that and may I just interject matt and I are going into another meeting at.

C

7:00- or at least I am I'm guessing that lil as well. So if you want to talk with.

C

Us not here that'll, be your yeah yeah, very, very open and happy to meet.

K

Anytime, obviously be kostas near and dear to my heart, and I think I.

K

Appreciate joe's perspective and what he brought up in bronson as well, I think in.

K

My time on, because we weren't too involved with the legislative process.

K

And what was going before, council and, of course, part of the mission that be cost is to be an advisory body to the council. I was dave rallo, who, I think got this.

K

Don't wayne you know 15 years ago or so so if we could find ways to work more.

K

Collaboratively and and enhance that relationship that would be great, and I I.

K

Think it'll take just ya some brainstorming, some kind of iterative.

K

Work to think about how to do that. I think the environmental commission.

K

Does does a little bit they've they've kind of weighed in formally they do.

K

Weigh informally on most development proposals, I think that's done at least.

K

In part linda thompson, the development planner, but also the commission itself,.

K

So we don't want to duplicate work exactly, but but because does have a sort.

K

Of broader scope of interest and mission- and I think the you do- and the mapping.

K

Discussion around that, so the unified development ordinance, which controls.

K

Zoning and land use decisions in the city.

K

I think the certainly the idea was sustainable. The investment fund, as we.

K

Work on that going forward and to bronson's point, I think, think yeah I.

K

Think we need to do a better job on council of figuring out how to get b cost involved in a more active role in that process. Whenever something like.

K

That proceeds also the hospital hospital site redevelopment, is that engagement.

K

Process will will start soon to develop a master plan for that 23 or so acres. I.

K

Think where the iu health hospital is and will be, being torn down next year, so.

K

There's, at least you know, that's that's a handful of bigger projects that I.

K

Think would be great for folks from be cost to to weigh in on and get involved.

K

With in in in various ways to joe's point, yeah, there's really no better, it.

K

Short of when council is developing legislation and.

K

Kind of in the draft phases any legislation we I mean we're seeing it.

K

For the first time at first reading as well, if it's something that the administration has developed so first reading the packet, you know we don't.

K

Actually hear discussion of matters at the first reading, we wait a week and.

K

Then committees or of committee of the whole, when all nine members meet that's.

K

When we hear actually have discussion around legislation, so there is a time.

K

Gap there from when the packets first published and when we first hear about it up about eleven day, twelve days or so and in I know joe you and I have spoken.

K

About this before, but let's, let's figure out how to make sure developing.

K

Communication channels to highlight any issues that might be of interest to be.

K

Cost so that you all can circulate it with members and get people to weigh in.

K

Obviously, there's a lot of things that have the impact, economic, social or.

K

Environmental sustainability, so I would love to see our commission's generally.

K

More involved in advising council and and commission on sustainability.

K

Especially finally and sue kind of mentioned this as well.

K

I think commissions they're an interesting body. It's it's sometimes. I.

K

Think they don't realize their power and it's it's it's something that kind of.

K

Can just be it's it's incumbent on on folks and they don't realize that.

K

Perhaps, to just do what they want and run with it. So like there was a major.

K

Overhaul of our parking policy, for instance in 2018 a whole lot of things.

K

That had sort of been ignored were updated, and that was an ordinance that.

K

Came before council that was essentially, it was developed and written by the.

K

Parking commission, so it's not the normal path for legislation to come to.

K

Us necessarily, but if there's a particular issue, including issues.

K

Related to what the working groups are working on, where you think a legislative.

K

Fix is part of you know our solution here. Work with council members work with.

K

The route you know the reach out to sue or myself or the relevant committee.

K

Madam chair and and work with council staff to develop you know legislative.

K

Legislation that that might work to make our city more sustainable in the in the.

K

Ways that you all are working on so that that option is available and.

K

um Even if not used that much, it can be really powerful. If, if we choose to do.

K

That so we just encourage you all to be proactive in pursuing things like that.

K

And again reach out anytime, if you're not sure about how to pursue something.

K

Like that or have questions about things happening at the city and how they.

K

Relate to be kostas mission, please please do email or call so any any.

K

Additional questions about kind of those topics or further ways that council.

K

Could be of service to be costs or work better with you all happy to hear hear.

K

Your thoughts yeah, it's good question. Yes, I'm curious as to how why is lauren.

C

Laughing at me, you're entirely doing something else. How do you all interface.

C

With the public, how does this commission spend time with the public gathers.

C

Feedback are there particular ways you'd be there. I'd say mostly our main way of.

A

Gathering feedback is if, when people show up to our monthly meetings, okay.

C

Something else to think about matt, and I both have constituent meetings.

C

Mine, our first first saturday of every month, 1:30.

C

Currently, we assume, but those dates are always on my website, so you for city.

C

Council comm and they're on the council's web page and the city calendar.

C

And everything you're more than welcome to come to those. If you ever want to.

C

Share ideas or hear what people are thinking and get some public input.

C

Because I think it's helpful to know it's helpful to talk with people for.

C

Whom these issues are top of mind? I think it's also really informative to.

C

Talk about talk with people or whom these issues are not top of mind. I think.

C

They're the ones very often that we're trying to change behaviors. So please.

C

Feel welcome to do that and matt. I'm not sure how you're I'm not sure when your.

C

Meetings are scheduled tuesday night. I know I'm.

K

Third saturdays, actually, this saturday at noon also via zoom links on the.

K

Council page- and I usually post it three or four days in advance on my council.

K

Facebook page as well, I don't want to come and do like a presentation. You know.

C

I had paul mcdevitt come into a presentation on parks because there's.

C

Some really interesting changes being discussed in lower cascades, which.

C

Affects our district, but if you ever want to come and share ideas or do a.

C

Mini presentation, I'm very open to that. So let me know: okay thanks sue and I.

H

Just wanted to mention, I remember last time we got to meet in person a couple.

H

Months back, laureen had suggested there were a couple events that we could go to.

H

That I'm sure got moved to remote. Unfortunately, so I think it seems like a.

H

Lot of us who were there at that meeting where at least involved you're.

H

Interested in getting involved in those events and trying to meet with the.

H

Public or in person and become more outward-facing, so hopefully we can do.

H

That sooner rather than later in person but yeah, I've got to know that you and.

H

Matt also both help those constituent meetings that we could drop in on so.

H

Thank you and my my public, the public that will be at my meeting. I will see my.

C

Public for district to you, um so you may hear us focus on those issues. Quite a.

C

Bit but matt isn't at large, I think, would even be a better resource. You know.

C

But you're welcome to mine, but just isn't that large represented like he.

C

That matt covers the universe. Okay, great thanks. All right.

K

um Yeah I'm a step off then yeah. I have another call. um I appreciate jo reached.

K

Out and the a chance to chat with you all and again say hello to the new folks.

K

Newark folks and yeah, please do reach out anytime, where you're kind of point.

K

People for counsel, I suppose, along with council member allah as a long time.

K

Because member, so thank you, you don't know how to find us and how to find our.

C

Contact information, everything; okay, all right,.

K

Thanks. Thank you one more question just about curious and matt's day or not.

C

As you please, what do you think people least what do.

C

You think, counsel least understands about this conditions, or I guess another.

C

Way to say that is what do you want most want me to learn from this conversation.

C

And go away with tonight I would say just elite, at least with past counsels,.

D

When I was on a few years ago, there is a mindset that we were just an.

D

Environmental sustainability commission, instead of also touching on economic.

D

Development and social equity, so I would say just like keep that in mind, as maybe.

D

If you guys see any bills, come up that might cut in those areas as well. That.

D

You feel as though our input would be good on. I kind of think you touch all of.

C

That every go right, yeah, okay, anything else! You want! You know.

C

Especially remember as I go away, I guess to follow up on that question since matt.

I

You've been on both sides of it. What does the council not understand about us.

I

What is the me costs not understand about the council? That's to me yeah. I.

K

Think you know, ethan's point is probably at least part of it that that there's.

K

Just an assumption- maybe that is about in the environment, when it's really much.

K

Much different kind of frame than that, I think I think I already spoke a little.

K

Bit too, I think that the commission 10, at least in my experience, had been.

K

Tended to realize that they can just get active with the legislative process and.

K

Just get it now, though, you could certainly do that. Council members, I.

K

Don't know we a part, a part of it, I will say the committees, you know part of the.

K

Part of the hope for committees is that we can develop better council board and.

K

Commission relationships because the way we have historically appointed community.

K

Members to commissions and boards was by randomly assigned interview, committees.

K

But by these standing committees like the sustainable development or the climate committee, we kind of develop areas of.

K

Some expertise and become like the the kind of point person on council for for.

K

Issues related to this, and then we'll also eventually be the people.

K

Interviewing the community members for the commission's too so hopefully that a.

K

Little more continuity there and a little more intention in terms of the subject matter can help to develop relationships a little more, but I think.

K

That's you know, really an open question and a good one about how how council.

K

Could do a better job of understanding what all the boards and commissions do.

K

And keeping up with them, we occasionally have I mean we do have annual reports.

K

From a number of commissions and and boards, but I think that's a question to.

K

Continue to meditate on certainly thank you again for the invitation. Yeah thanks.

A

Thank you for coming. Okay. Moving on to the next agenda, it's the working group.

A

Updates so I'm going to start off with the waste reduction. We have not met.

A

Since our last meeting, so there really isn't much up to update about that one.

A

For that for the waste reduction working group, we do look forward to seeing that.

A

Grant that you talked about earlier lorne.

A

So we'll keep an eye out for that. It's a quick question, since I'm new to all this.

I

Is that waste reduction for the community as a whole, rather than the.

I

City government itself for the most part, yeah yeah. It addresses the community of.

A

Hold not just the the city government, okay, but you do do a little bit of both.

I

I guess yeah yeah, okay and then next would be.

A

The sustainable business working group do we have a update from them. We have.

J

Not met either and with coronavirus, stuff businesses, priorities on things.

J

Sustainability is kicked down a couple of notches, I think so that was kind of.

J

The reasoning between putting a little bit of hold on that, but it might be.

J

Interesting to highlight- and I know there's been a lot of businesses that have stepped up recently from the coronavirus, so there actually might be.

J

Some opportunities, either soon or towards more at the end of the situation.

J

Where we could highlight some of the great work that's going on in bloomington and also look at things for more like a social and social lens, so I.

J

Don't know could have some discussion on that at some point, but other than that.

J

No update all right, thank you, bronson and then the next one would be the you.

A

Do pam is typically our you do work working.

A

Group head but she's not here today, so I guess we'll go ahead and move on.

A

Unless anyone has something that they would like to share about the you do.

A

Okay, the final bullet new business. Is there any new business that anyone or.

A

Any topic that anyone like to bring up to the commission. What, since we're all.

A

Together, I just wanted to mention and it sort of been alluded to, but I think this.

B

Is an opportunity to really be cognizant of, what's going to become the new.

B

Default after we get out of this situation and there's there's the.

B

Possibility that some things might backslide, I mean a lot more. People are.

B

Using plastic- and I think people are going to get somewhat concerned about.

B

Public spaces and public transportation but at the same time, what opportunities.

B

There are for like a greener recovery that as different cities craft their.

B

Plans and their intentions for moving forward and recovering economically.

B

Making sure to integrate sustainability principles within that, and we don't know.

B

Yet if there's gonna be stimulus, funding that will be coming down the line, but a.

B

Lot of the things that we talked about a beaker sandin sustainably in general meat, not only an environmental but also economic and.

B

Social equity principles that will help the resources, the community as a whole.

B

So I think that it's hard to anticipate what the rest of the year is. Gonna look.

B

Like in terms of what's coming in front of council, but really the multi-faceted.

B

Blaster, which sustainably offers will be helpful when deciding how to allocate.

B

Funding priorities or how to allocate policies, so um I think that this group.

B

Is particularly well positioned to have a more multifaceted view of what's.

B

Coming down the line, thank you or quick.

J

Concurrence with that, I know I've seen some localities in europe and other.

J

Places that every opens look to reopen some of their streets with less priority.

J

Given to vehicle traffic, so I guess you know something we could discuss and.

J

Consider but you know anything from kirkwood, that's currently under.

J

Construction, even if like for a little bit after we reopened. If we wanted to.

J

Pilot some days of the week or times where it was closed to vehicle traffic.

J

There might be some opportunities to to like add in something cool like that.

A

Okay, if there are, if there's no more comments, our next meeting is scheduled.

A

For june 9th we'll wait to see if it'll be an in-person resume, I'm probably.

A

Guessing will be another zoom meeting and with that, can I get a motion to.

A

Adjourn and a second all right, meeting adjourned. Thank you very much.

L