Sust Commission Minutes 1-16-25RICHFIELD COMMUNITY SERVICES ADVISORY COMMISSION
DRAFT MINUTES UNTIL APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION
REGULAR SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING
Thursday, January 16th, 2025
Heredia Room, City Hall
PRESENT
COMMISSIONERS: Amanda Kueper, Craig Heinen, Helen Burk
STAFF: Rachel Lindholm (Sustainability Coordinator), Zach McCarty (Solid Waste Specialist)
Incoming Commissioners: Chris Danner, Katy Boone, Alexa Wozniak
ABSENT
Adam Burnside, Matt Dobratz, Kris Anderson (CSC), Rori Coleman-Woods (City Council)
Call to Order
Kueper called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm.
Approval of Minutes/Agenda
Heinen motioned, Burk seconded, approved by all.
Public Comment
None
Staff Reports
Lindholm and McCarty reported:
The EECBG project has been started with contractors brought on for both the lighting and the federal wage reporting requirements.
Richfield submitted an interest for Centerpoint’s networked geothermal pilot project. Lindholm showed a diagram and explained some site ideas the City submitted.
McCarty presented on the 2024 organized collection statistics (specifically trash and recycling tonnage and trends as well as organics program tonnage and participation), the MPCA waste
reduction grant, and the MNCC plate-to-garden program. He mentioned that commissioners with ideas on organizations that might be interested in the latter two programs should talk to
him.
Lindholm gave an overview of the three positions up for election next month – Chair, Vice-chair, and Secretary. Commissioners should consider if they are interested in running for any
position, but don’t need to inform staff of their interest until next meeting.
Discussion Items
2025 Workplan
Commissioners each identified ideas from the 2024 list that they were interested in pursuing and some added new ideas to the list. Kueper asked commissioners to review the list before
the next meeting and identify specific project(s) that commissioners might like to be the lead on. Lindholm will send out the list to commissioners and it will be discussed at the next
meeting.
Heinen suggested farmers market tabling about backyard fowl and other commission-related topics (Burk and Wozniak also interested).
Boone wants to research/talk to multi-unit buildings near City Bella to learn what sustainability efforts they’ve taken.
Wozniak wants to create an organics participation survey and/or focus groups of participants and non-participants (Kueper also interested).
Wozniak is also interested in creating a reuse/donation campaign for RHS student room supplies and conducting a BPI certified compostable product check for farmers market vendors.
Danner expressed interest in engagement around the new community center as it could potentially relate to a resilience hub.
Kueper wants to continue working on homeowner awareness re: EAB, and partnering with master tree stewards to table at the Farmers Market.
Kueper is also interested in seeing a tree canopy preservation policy written.
Burk wants to organize a youth-focused trash-walking event around/on Earth Day.
Action Items
None
Committee Reports
There was no CSC report as the liaison was absent.
Other/Next Meeting/Adjournment
Next Meeting: <Thursday, February 27th, 7:00 pm in the Heredia Room.
Adjournment: < The meeting was adjourned at 8:28 pm