Sustainability Commission — Agenda Packet

AGENDA SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION Members • Alderperson Lang • Alderperson Birr • Heather Phelps • Gregory Knight • Robert Michitsch • Erin Redman (Alt. 1) Date and Time: September 3, 2026 5:30 PM Location: Community Room 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI Opening Section: 1. Roll Call. 2. Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific agenda items must register their request at this time. 3. Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific agenda items must register their request at this time. Discussion and Possible Action on: 4. To approve the Minutes of August 6, 2026, Sustainability Commission Meeting. 5. Heather Phelps and Alder Birr update on the Sustainability Commission public engagement survey questions available August 11, 2026. 6. Report on meeting with Portage County Executive Eric Olson. 7. Commission discussion on the Sustainability Commissions report and recommendations presentation to the Mayor and City Council meeting November 16, 2026. 8. Discussion of Sustainability Commission 2026 meeting calendar updates. Closing Section: 9. The next meeting is scheduled for October 1, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room Page 1 of 8 at 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI. Discussion on sustainability commission report and recommendations presentation to the Mayor and City Council. Discussion on the public engagement survey results. 10. Adjournment. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that any person who has special needs while attending these meetings or needs agenda materials for these meetings should contact the City Clerk as soon as possible to ensure that a reasonable accommodation can be made. The City Clerk can be reached by telephone at (715) 346-1569 or by mail at 1515 Strongs Avenue, Stevens Point, WI 54481. Copies of ordinances, resolutions, reports and minutes of the committee meetings are on file at the office of the City Clerk for inspection during normal business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00p.m. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a quorum of the Common Council may be in attendance at this meeting. Page 2 of 8 CITY OF STEVENS POINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MINUTES August 6, 2026 - 5:30 PM Community Room 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI Opening Section: 1. Roll Call. PRESENT Heather Phelps, Greg Knight, Allison Birr - District 5, and Erin Redman. Robert Michitsch could not sign into the meeting Zoom. Sam Lang – District 9 was absent. OTHERS PRESENT Speakers: Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning Administrator City of Stevens Point. Members of the Public: Bill Fisher, resident and Andrea Olson, District 4. 2. Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific agenda items must register their request at this time. Andrea Olson, District 4 participated in questions and discussions about the Greenhouse Gas inventory and the public engagement survey questionnaire and survey timeline. 3. Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific non-agenda items must register their request at this time. There were no people who wished to address the Commission on non-agenda items. Discussion and Possible Action on: 1. To approve the Minutes of June 4, 2026, Sustainability Commission meeting. Heather Phelps moved, Alderperson Birr seconded, to approve the meeting Minutes of June 4, 2026. Call for the Vote: Ayes: All Nays: None; Motion Carried Page 3 of 8 2. Presentation and discussion with Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning Administrator. Preliminary results of the City’s 2023 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory and potential uses for sustainability planning. Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning Administrator, presented preliminary results of the City’s 2023 greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and discussed how the findings may inform future sustainability planning and the Commission’s climate action planning work. • The inventory was funded through the Public Service Commission’s Energy Innovation Grant Program and conducted with consulting support. • The GHG inventory used 2023 data to maintain consistency across sectors. • Major sectors reviewed included stationary energy, transportation, waste, industrial process and product use, and agriculture/forestry/other land uses. • Stationary energy accounted for the largest share of emissions, approximately three- quarters of the total, with commercial and institutional uses identified as a key opportunity area. • Transportation was the second-largest source of emissions, primarily from on-road vehicles. • Waste and industrial processes represented smaller shares of the total GHG inventory, though industrial process emissions (other than GHG) were noted as potentially significant because of the types of pollutants involved. • Recommended transition strategies included building heating, cooling, and lighting efficiency, electrification, heat pump adoption, transportation electrification and infrastructure, land use planning, mass transit investments, waste diversion and composting, landfill gas management, and targeted refrigerant management. Commission discussion focused on how the city can lead by example through energy improvements in municipal buildings, potential partnerships with institutional and business stakeholders, available funding sources, electricity generation and renewable energy options, city resilience during extreme weather events, and the value of conducting future greenhouse gas inventories to track trends and measure progress. Commission members and guests discussed opportunities related to Focus on Energy, Department of Energy resources, state agency funding, collaboration with the county, University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point, Mid-State Technical College, local businesses, WPS renewable energy programs, microgrids, solar energy, battery storage, cooling centers, emergency operations, public safety facilities, and potential sustainability improvements connected to new public facilities. 3. Heather Phelps and Alder Birr lead commission discussion on Sustainability Commission public engagement survey tool and survey questions, timeline and approval/implementation process. Heather Phelps and Alder Burr led a discussion regarding the Sustainability Commission public engagement survey, including the survey tool, survey questions, timeline, approval process, and implementation process. Page 4 of 8 • The draft survey was modeled largely on the City of Appleton sustainability survey, with edits to reduce length and adapt it to Stevens Point. • The Commission discussed using Microsoft Forms as the primary survey platform, with paper copies available for accessibility. • Members discussed revising wording to keep the survey accessible to respondents with varied views on climate change, including using language such as “environmental risks” and “extreme weather preparedness.” • The Commission agreed that one question should address investment in preparing for extreme weather events and community resilience. • Members discussed asking respondents to choose their top three priorities within each action category rather than ranking all options. • Potential questions included renewable energy in city buildings, WPS NatureWise or renewable electricity purchase options, and clearer “I would support…” phrasing for survey question choices. • The Commission discussed whether to include optional contact information for respondents interested in future Sustainability Commission involvement or follow-up. • Potential distribution channels included the city website, Clerk’s Office, senior housing, Riverfront Arts, UWSP message and faculty networks, downtown businesses, the Business Improvement District, the farmers market, QR code displays, community events, and paper copies in public locations. The Commission discussed a tentative survey timeline: launch in mid-August, keep the survey open for approximately six weeks, close it on September 23, 2026, summarize results for the October 1 meeting, and use the results to inform the November presentation to the Mayor and Common Council. 4. Commission discussion on reporting and recommendations presentation to the Mayor and City Council meeting November 16, 2026. The Commission discussed its planned presentation to the Mayor and Common Council on November 16, 2026. The presentation is expected to include discussion with Council members and should be 20 minutes or less, with additional time anticipated for questions. The Commission plans to begin outlining the presentation at the September meeting, discuss survey results at the October meeting, and refine the presentation at the November 5 meeting before presenting to Council on November 16. The chair also reported discussions regarding administrative support for the Commission and the potential creation or sharing of a sustainability coordinator role with Portage County. The Commission identified ongoing administrative support, recordkeeping, meeting agenda and minutes support, data sharing, and continuity for future commission members as important needs for the effective operation of the Sustainability Commission. The chair noted that these topics may be included in the November presentation as part of recommendations to strengthen the Commission’s long-term effectiveness. Page 5 of 8 5. Discussion of Sustainability Commission 2026 meeting Calendar updates. • September 3, 2026: Regular Commission meeting; discussion of the Council presentation outline, public engagement survey implementation, and potential presentation by Eric regarding county sustainability efforts. • October 1, 2026: Review survey results and continue preparing recommendations. • November 5, 2026: Finalize or polish the Council presentation. • November 16, 2026: Present Commission report and recommendations to the Mayor and Common Council. Closing Section: 1. The next meeting is scheduled for September 3, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Room at 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI. Discussion on the commission report presentation and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council members. Discussion on the community survey tools and results if available. 2. Adjournment. Heather Phelps moved, Erin Redman Seconded, to adjourn the Sustainability Commission Meeting at 7:15 p.m. Call for the Vote: Ayes: All Nays: None; Motion Carried Page 6 of 8 Meeting Calendar Sustainability Commission 2025_2026 Meeting Calendar and Presentations September 3, 2026 Sustainability Commission Date Presentation Description January 21, 2025 Organization & Elections Mayor Wiza Sustainability Commission organizational meeting. March 6, 2025 Public Works Scott Beduhn, Director: Streets, Fleet, Facilities, Resident garbage, compost, recycling. April 3 Community Development -Planning & Zoning Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning: Wis Local Gov Climate Coalition, GHG Inventory. May 1 Public Utilities and Central Transportation Joel Lemke, Director. June 5 Parks, Recreation & Forestry Dan Kremer, Director July 10 Field trip Public Works. Scott Beduhn Chris Johnson Garbage & recycling, Garage facilities planning & Sustainability. 5:30pm at 100 6th Avenue. August 19 Field trip Public Utilities. Joel Lemke Waste Water Treatment plant; Bio-gas, heat pumps, solar, E-gauge operations. September 4 Community Development Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning Zoning code revision update. Green House Gas inventory status update. October 2 Fire and Police Moody and Kussow Fire, EMS, Police departments sustainable projects and plans. November 6 UWSP office of Sustainability Dave Barbier & Michelle Gullickson, Climate action planning and opportunities for collaboration. December 4 Focus on Energy program Sylvia Lopez, N Cent/N East Energy Advisor 2026 January 8 No meeting February 5 City of Middleton Middleton Sustainability Committee Zoom meeting, planning process and projects March 5 Recycling Connections Susan Schuller Executive Director and Rylee Mullikin. Downtown recycling program. April 2 Meeting Cancelled Ice storm May 7 Commission work session Report outline, timeline for report, internal & public review, Work assignments. Sustainability road map & plan development Katie Livernash, UW-Extension Caity Carmody, DOA office of sustainability June 4 Portage County Landfill Organic waste recycling Kelly Haffele, Director Portage County Solid Waste. Kelly Adlington, Bucket Ruckus Page 7 of 8 Meeting Calendar Sustainability Commission July 2 No meeting August 6 GHG inventory preliminary results, use in planning. Public Survey tool. Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning Administrator. Clear path tool GHG. Heather Phelps, public engagement. September 3 Commission report recommendations. Public engagement, survey tool. Heather Phelps, Alder Birr, Greg Knight October 1 Public engagement survey results. November 16 presentation & recommendations to City Council. Discussion of public survey report. Develop November 16 presentation. November 5 Finalize Report to Common Council & Mayor. Sustainability Commission members. November 16 Common Council meeting Sustainability Commission report and recommendations presentation to Mayor and Council members. December 3 2027 Potential Presentation and/or Topics for future Meetings 1. City facilities/buildings master planning for LEED. 2. Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) site visit. ❖ Portage County Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan (safe streets, etc.) • Planning meeting(s) to develop Sustainability Commission report, recommendations, road map, timelines, etc. o Caity Carmody, DOA Office of Sustainability & Clean Energy, sustainability, resilience, climate action planning. o Katie Livernash, Community Development UW-Extension Portage County, Community engagement tools. o Austin Holland, UWSP Center for Land Use Education, community sustainability and regional cooperation for sustainability, resilience, climate action planning. o Dave Barbier & Michelle Gullickson UWSP office of sustainability. Page 8 of 8