Attendees:
Scott Tess, Urbana
Andi Dierich, DuPage County
Alyson Wright. Evanston
Celia Burke, Peoria
Kumar Jensen, Evanston
Becca Cottrell, Peoria
Martha Dooley, Schaumburg
We discussed the results of a participation survey I sent out in December. That survey is attached separately.
Resource needs
- Webinars – every other month. We will use a zoom platform going forward so we can share slides and see each other.
- The new website is up, although the content is not complete. The URL is https://publish.illinois.edu/sustainabilitynetwork/
- We will put up a director of those willing to have their names and contact information listed on the site. We will also explore a place to list tools and presentations people are willing and able to share with the group.
- Google group – seems to be working well for sharing information.
- Lisa will see if we can define uses of the LinkedIn group to determine whether or not we want to continue to pay for that.
- We will consider a face to face meeting in the spring of 2020 depending on user interest and participation.
Membership
General membership specifications will remain largely unchanged with the following exceptions.
- Lisa will review applications to join and if they meet the Network Participation criteria below the applicant will automatically be added. If questions arise, I will seek guidance from the group.
- Extension will facilitate all calls, distribute minutes, and maintain a directory of members.
- There will be no term limits, although we will occasionally review the membership for people who have changed positions.
- Participants will not be required to take on administrative tasks. Extension will provide all administrative support.
Below is what the participation language will look like. NOTE: I edited it a little more after our call to emphasize inclusion, so please review.
- The Network is directed entirely by the members.
- Network participants will meet these criteria:
- Local government employees or employees working for a local government association in Illinois, including counties, districts and commissions
- Actively engaged in departmental planning, programming, or implementation for one or more of the following: “triple bottom line,” sustainability, resource management, and climate mitigation, adaptation or resiliency
- Participants will:
- Participate in conference calls as scheduled by the Network
- Recommend discussion topics and secure guest speakers
- Lead discussions on pertinent topics during meetings as determined by the Network
- Share perspective. expertise, questions, and barriers with the group as they arise
- Bring enthusiasm and a collaborative spirit to the Network
April call
We will talk again on April 17 at 10am. Lisa will try to find someone from the Pritzker administration to talk to us about the environmental agenda for the state. We might also have someone talk about any new and proposed legislation.
Member updates:
Martha Dooley, Schaumburg
Looking at incentives for solar on businesses. Asked if there was a good source of information for incentives
Scott Tess, Urbana, commented that there isn’t a good public facing site. Installers usually know. There is a state law that gives local authority regarding property tax breaks related to solar.
Scott Tess, Urbana
Doing the 4th bulk purchasing program.
Asked about experience with solar ready building codes. Martha said she would check. Right now is optional, but Scott is concerned about being seen as overly stringent in the three city market he is operating in.
Urbana is also working on EV ready = cheap but important.
Alyson Wright, Evanston
Evanston has just initiated a sustainable business pilot program targeting restaurants and small office retail spaces. 11 pilot program, businesses are participating in Sustain Evanston. They have a checklist of actions that balance between being sufficiently rigorous, but not too time consuming. https://www.sustainevanston.com/
This effort is more locally focused than the Illinois Green Business Association program and it doesn’t cost anything.
Kumar Jenson, Evanston
Evanston has developed an EV ready program, recommending developers include charging stations and encouraging 20% of parking spaces to be EV ready.
Kumar also shared a Pathways to EV program and some tools from the USDN.
The City Council in Evanston has adopted a climate action plan. He will share strategies as it rolls out in March or April. Wants to learn from each other and share what works and what doesn’t.