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| | 1. | | Roll call.
Minutes note: Meeting convened: 2:09 P.M.
Members present: Linda Frank, August Ball, Erick Shambarger, Janet Pritchard, Rafael Smith, Julie Kerksick, Ald. Kovac, Pam Ritger, Ted Kraig, George Martin, Pam Fendt, Sup. Moore Omokunde
Peter Goldberg might want to join one of the task forces. | | | |
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| | 2. | | Review and approval of the minutes of the April 9th meeting.
Minutes note: The minutes were approved with no objection. | | | |
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| | 3. | | Presentation by Milwaukee Water Commons.
Minutes note: This item will be on the next agenda. | | | |
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| | 4. | | Update from the Budget Office relating to the Promise amendment.
Minutes note: Ald. Hamilton introduced this a couple of years ago as a way of tracking investments that the city made and flagging and reviewing any item that dealt with poverty reduction. The committee wants to hear how this went and the committee might want to do something similar - track and account for it in the city budget as well. The question is whether the Task Force would want two parallel tracks or integrate climate and economic equity. This summer the city did complete a green house gas inventory and the city spends about $20 million a year on street lights, buildings, fleet and water work for energy costs. Ms. Kerksick said that the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. owns a software program called "Trim 3" and how changes impact the federal budget; she thinks the climate impact of what we now do and what we commit to do would be extremely important to get buy-in. There are a number of pension boards that have divested themselves of fossil fuel investments; the City of Milwaukee pension board feels that it couldn't do so due to its fiduciary responsibility. Mr. Shambarger isn't sure fossil fuels are a good investment. Ms. Ritger will share a link showing that fossil fuel companies have not been factoring in climate costs. | | | |
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| | 5. | | List of stakeholder partners and how to include them.
Minutes note: WE Energies is aware of this body and we should discuss how to invite them to our next meeting. Sup. Moore Omokunde said the larger pollulters need to participate in order to minimize climate damage. Mr. Martin said he has somewhat of a relationship with the CFO, but the pandemic has held that up. WE Energies needs to be at the table. Mr. Shambarger thought it would be worth inviting them to a meeting and to discuss their pollution-reduction goals. Ald. Kovac suggested creating a list of questions that the Task Force would like to pose to them. Mr.Gordie Bennett said the utility goals are wonderful but lack details on how they intend to attain these goals. Sup. Moore Omokunde wondered how open WE Energies would be to suggestions. Ms. Frank would like to go through the Task Force wish list and get their responses. Mr. Kraig supported bringing in WE Energies, but we should focus on what they need to do and what they plan to accomplish by 2030, as well as other time-specific goals. On-bill financing is a way to charge larger capital costs over a longer period of time, through bills, so it's not one large payment.
Ms. Fendt said that a group of unions are working with Alliant in Madison and do something similar, in finding common ground to meet on and also any leverage we might have. Ms. Ritger also agrees that establishing a work relationship is the way to go, rather than a hostile relationship and look for areas of agreement.
Ald. Kovac summarized that we need more details, re-visit on-bill financing, find out if there is a plan to phase out different parts of their coal infrastructure, energy justice in terms of which areas are being polluted (which tend to be high-minority areas), racial composition of their work force and do they have a plan for that for the future? Mr. Shambarger noted that some issues are being discussed before the Public Service Commission. Ms. Ritger said this body has an obligation to bring up more of the equity issues, such as the high energy costs that households of color face. Mr. Shambarger will draft a letter focusing on climate and other members will either draft or review a draft relating to racial equity and merge the two letters into one letter. Ms. Kerksick said this Task Force should take a strong stand as it is a city-county task force. Ms. Frank suggested a joint meeting between the Education Outreach and the Jobs and Equity work groups to create the letter. Sup. Moore Omokunde said agitators aren't good at coming to the table and negotiating, which the Task Force does need to do. The correspondence will be on the next agenda and how to invite WE Energies. Ald. Kovac said the goal is to get them to commit something and if they say "no" to switch to agitating.
Other stakeholders can be:
Milwaukee Water Common
Budget Office
Mr. Kraig suggested having a work group brainstorm to create a list and then return that to the Task Force.
Mr. Shambarger suggested organizing the work groups by subject areas and then list stakeholders from there, such as housing, transportation, etc. He also feels the need to create a web page that is easily accessible to the public. Mr. Martin said we should set up a subcommittee to decide how to logically set up work groups that will work well. Ms. Frank also asked how it would be determined what stakeholders would do versus consultants.
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| | 6. | | How to implement short-term goals.
Minutes note: Mr. Kraig noted there are 45 short-term recommendations and someone should create a table and we can then see where we are for each one and which ones are feasible and which ones are not. Mr. Kraig will create the table to the current work group chairs to review for the next meeting
Sup. Moore Omokunde would like to focus on the city-county budget and coordinate among both budgets and how to best use any funds. | | | |
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| | 7. | | Updates from work groups and addition/removal of members.
Minutes note: Mr. Bruce Wiggins said that he is trying to pick up where Barbara Richards left off in terms of citizen involvement and they both met and he would like to present a definite plan of citizen involvement to present to the Education and Outreach work group. He would like a meeting of the work group in the near future. He will forward any documents he has.
Linda Frank would like to be on the Emissions Work Group and join the Education and Outreach work group as well.
Ms. Frank would like to discuss the Green House Gas report and Mr. Shambarger noted it will be out on the city website, which can be used as a means of locating other people interested in serving. No members objected to the creation of a web site, hosted by Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO). ECO is fine putting out the work of this body on its social media. The consultant, ICLEI, can probably do a presentation to this group, which will be on the next agenda.
Mr. Hoffman would like the Jobs and Equity work group to have a skilled trades discussion to review documents created by Fred Royal. He would also like a meeting with Commissioner Crump and Sharon Robinson, Director of Administration as she was involved in creation of the Equity Impact Statement. Mr. Martin would like Mr. Royal to make current report, particularly in regards to this pandemic, as well as with Workforce Development. Ms. Frank noted that Nikki Purvis was selected to head the newly created Office of Equity and Inclusion and she could be invited to attend our next meeting.
Akura Mabon, known by Ms. Ritger, asked to join the Education and Outreach work group. Ms. Ritger will connect her to members.
Mr. Shambarger said the city is trying to figure out how to meet equity goals with city contracts as it's not city workers doing the work, but contractors. Ms. Fendt asked why residents preference program couldn't just be overlaying these contracts prior to issuing them?
Mr. Kraig said the Task Force should explore on-bill financing, either through water bills or the municipal services bill, so he would like that to be on the next agenda. Mr. Wiggins said the PSC wants to double the amount in Focus on Energy so that would be a source of funding.
Mr. Kraig said there may be some need for reorganizing and maybe someone needs to draft proposed work groups for the entire body to review. Mr. Martin proposed this earlier, but by a subgroup rather than one person.
Work group to create new work groups going forward is composed of George Martin, Sup. Moore Omokunde, Pam Ritger, Rafael Smith, Linda Frank and Ted Kraig. Mr. Martin will chair and will provide Ms. Elmer with the zoom/meeting information. The idea is stakeholders will be invited into those groups. Ms. Kerksick thinks that WE Energies needs to involve someone who has authority to act, rather than just take it back to the corporation.
Ms. Ritger would like to replace the Youth Council member with a new member. Ms. Kerksick would like to add more youth members.
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| | 8. | | Budget calculations and requests for the recommendations contained in the Preliminary Report.
Minutes note: Mr. Shambarger said that the green house gas inventory was completed and a second study has been funded to see where the city would be if nothing were changed. There are some funds available to hire a consultant, but what should that person do, specifically in regards to addressing technical questions, versus holding public meetings. The ECO office is willing to set up and maintain a web site. | | | |
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| | 9. | | Next steps for the task force to take. | | | |
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| | 10. | | Set next meeting date and agenda.
Minutes note: Presentation by Tom Herrod, ICLEI consultant on Green House Gas Emissions report.
Draft letter to WE Energies,
Table created by Mr. Kraig
Appearance by Budget and Management Division re. Milwaukee Promise
Appearance by Joe Fitzgerald of Milwaukee Water Commons
work group reorganization.
Next meeting in about 3 weeks. Ms. Elmer will send out e-mail.
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191923
| 0 | | Communication | Communication relating to the final report and activities of the City-County Task Force on Climate and Economic Equity. | | | |
Action details
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