CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Meeting Date: May 3, 2022
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich on behalf of Zero Waste Committee and Climate Action Committee
Kari Svanstrom, Planning Director
Subject: Direction to Staff regarding Merger of the Zero Waste Committee into the Climate Action Committee
Recommendation: Approve the Merging of these Committees Funding: Currently Budgeted: _______ Yes _______ No ___X__ N/A Account Code/Costs authorized in City Approved Budget (if applicable) _AK (n.a)_______ (verified by Administrative Services Department) INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE:
The item is to request Council provide Direction to Staff regarding Merger of the Zero Waste Committee (ZW) into the Climate Action Committee (CAC).
BACKGROUND:
The Zero Waste Committee:
The City Council approved and adopted by resolution 6214 a goal to achieve Zero Waste by 2030. The City encourages the pursuit of Zero Waste as a long-term goal in order to eliminate waste and pollution in the manufacture, use, storage, and recycling of materials. This goal can be achieved through action plans and measures that significantly reduce waste and pollution. These measures will include encouragement of residents, businesses, and agencies to judiciously use, reuse, and recycle materials, and motivation of businesses to manufacture and market less toxic and more durable, repairable, reusable, recycled, and recyclable products.
The Climate Action Committee:
Formulate a Work Plan for the committee
Prioritize Climate Emergency Resolution
Research composition and duties of other cities committees Create Climate Calendar
Develop a Climate Action Framework for the City
Create Volunteer Appreciation Events/Climate Events
DISCUSSION:
Councilmembers Rich and Gurney have participated in both of these Committees since their inceptions, due to our assignments on the SCTA/RCPA and Zero Waste Agency, respectively. We have witnessed the appointees on each Committee gain experience and expertise in their public roles and responsibilities.
However, having noticed some overlap in the two committees’ interests and efforts, we talked to ZW Chair Sunny Galbraith about modifying the committees’ structures. Our discussion covered the impact of the pandemic, the long-lasting vacancies on the ZW Committee, and possible changes to the current arrangement. The favored Agenda Item Number 12 Agenda Item Number 12
City Council Meeting Packet of May 3, 2022
remedy was to create a ZW Working Group on the CAC and invite ZW’s seated members to continue as volunteer members of a new ZW Working Group on the CAC. This would mean the ZW Committee would be disbanded.
The full ZW Committee then discussed the possible merger and agreed with the suggested proposal. The new ZW Working Group intends to continue to meet on the first Monday of each month. After the merger, these open meetings would be informal, meaning not publicly noticed and recorded by minutes. Chair Galbraith offered to continue to coordinate these meetings.
Additionally, the ZW Committee recommended the addition of one seat, dedicated to ZW, on the CAC. There was support for the appointment of Ambrosia Thompson from Recology to that new CAC seat. ZW Member Michael Siminitus also expressed some interest. The ZW Committee supported the appointment of Youth Member Argus Brent to the vacant Youth seat on the CAC.
We then discussed the merger issue and possible remedies with CAC Co-Chairs Kenna Lee and Josho Somine, during the Leadership Facilitation meeting for the CAC. They placed the issue on the next Agenda. The full CAC held a long discussion and invited Chair Galbraith to attend the next CAC meeting on March 8, 2022, to answer questions. Following that discussion, the CAC voted to have us bring the same recommendation to the Council.
Both the ZWC and the CAC believe that the merger of their two groups into one CAC with a new ZW Working Group will enhance collaboration and synergy. The merger is anticipated to increase the number of volunteers on the various Working Groups.
This item is to update the Council on the discussions and recommendations of both groups, to seek Council’s direction to Staff to modify the existing rosters and documentation as needed to reconfigure the committees, and to confirm the appointments to the ongoing CAC.
GOALS:
This action supports the following City Council Goals and General Plan Actions:
Goal 5 - Provide Open and Responsive Municipal Government Leadership, including Goal 5.1.4 Enhance the use of the City of Sebastopol Committees, Commissions and Boards.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
As of the writing of this staff report, the City has not received any public comment. However, staff anticipates receiving public comment from interested parties following the publication and distribution of this staff report.
Such comments will be provided to the City Council assupplemental materials before or at the meeting. In addition, public comments may be offered during the public comment portion of the agenda item.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to schedule meeting date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None. Staff time will be reduced if the committees are combined. The CAC is currently staffed by the Planning Department, and would continue to be staffed in this way. The Zero Waste Committee isstaffed by the Engineering Department, who would no longer be involved in committee staffing.
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City Council Meeting Packet of May 3, 2022
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the merger of the two committees; add a Zero Waste seat to the CAC Committee; appoint Youth Member Argus Brent to the vacant Youth seat on the CAC; and, appoint Ambrosia Thompson from Recology to the new CAC Zero Waste seat.
Additional Information:
List of Committee Members for Each Committee
Climate Action Committee Members
Diana Rich City Councilmember/Zero Waste Representative Sarah Glade Gurney City Councilmember/SCTA/RCPA Representative Kathy Oetinger Planning Commissioner liaison
Liselotte Pierce Sebastopol Climate Action/Climate Group representative Dena Allen Sebastopol Climate Action/Climate Group representative Alex Goodman Sebastopol Climate Action/Climate Group representative Gerald Glaser Sebastopol Climate Group / climate background representative Sunai Shanti Sikand Rights of Nature background
Woody Hastings Climate background
Kenna Lee Climate background
Josho Somine Climate background
Debbi Burnes Sebastopol business owner
Jesenia Garcia Youth Representative (ages 17-23)
Zero Waste Committee Members
Diana Rich City Council Member
Sarah Glade Gurney City Council Member
Larry McLaughlin or Mary Gourley City Manager/Assistant City Manager Dante Del Prete City Public Works Superintendent
Sunny Galbraith City Local AB939 Task Force Representative Ambrosia Thomson Franchise Hauler Representative
Michael Siminitus Commercial Entity Representative
Vacant Commercial Entity Representative
Vacant Citizen Representative
Judy Morgan Citizen Representative
Argus Brent Student Representative
Vacant Student Representative/Alternate
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City Council Meeting Packet of May 3, 2022