Minutes_Resilient Community Advisory Commission 02.02.23 Copyrighted
March 6, 2023
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 01.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY: City Council Proceedings of 2/20/23 and 2/21/23; Civil Service
Commission of 2/8/23 and 2/20/23; Resilient Community Advisory
Commission of 1/5/23 and 2/2/23; Proof of Publication for City Council
Proceedings of 2/6/23.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
City Council Proceedings of 2/20/23 Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings of 2/21/23 Supporting Documentation
Civil Service Commission of 2/8/23 Supporting Documentation
Civil Service Commission of 2/20/23 Supporting Documentation
Resilient Community Advisory Commission of 1/5/23 Supporting Documentation
Resilient Community Advisory Commission of 2/2/23 Supporting Documentation
Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of Supporting Documentation
2/6/23
CITY OF DUBUQUE-COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
GOVERNMENTAL BODY: Resilient Community Advisory Commission (RCAC)
DATE: February 2, 2023
TIME: 5:00 pm
LOCATION: Jule Operations and Training Center(JOTC) Circle Conference Room, 949 Kerper Blvd.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Dean Boles,Josh Chamberland, Steven Drahozal, Sandra Evans, Adam Hoffman, Lalith
Jayawickrama,Jake Kohlhaas
MEMBERS ABSENT: Robin Kennicker, Katharine Connolly
STAFF PRESENT: Gina Bell,Amanda Lewis
Chair Kohlhaas called the meeting to order at 5:01 pm.
TEST AGENDA
MINUTES APPROVAL: Boles motioned to approve the January minutes. Evans seconded. Motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Jake Jansen— Resource Management Supervisor—City of Dubuque
- Applying for SWIFER grant via EPA to improve recycling, diversion, and participation. Grant to automate
recycling collection. Currently offer 96-gallon carts and many people who want them but lack funds to supply.
$2.2 million available for 18,000 carts of different sizes of recycling and automated trucks. Is open to ideas
because grant has not yet been submitted. Grant is specific to infrastructure.
Questions: What about streets that only have on street parking for collection?
- Go via street-by-street basis and some areas might have to get out to collect
- Bi-weekly recycling collection was proposed as an idea.
- Suggestion from Boles about education for how to prevent waste.
o PAYT system—larger carts cost more. Grant is only focused on infrastructure.
- Automatic collection—idea is to contact other agencies that already do this
Deadline to apply is February 15
Ken Bichell—No Mow May
- 150 Facebook members currently with many people interested in putting signs in yards. Active group meets on
monthly basis.45 municipalities in region are involved with No Mow May. Will be approving final version of
signs on Sunday, February 5. Working with Loras college and professional designers. Biggest concern is what to
do with complaints that the City receives about No Mow May.
NEW BUSINE55
a) Budget Discussion—Sustainability budget request improves Climate Action Plan outreach (Circles Book Club,
Tree Giveaway, Bike ride, etc.). Use money as part of Justice 40 to build coalitions to address community needs.
Establishing City fleet policies. Research and development of energy benchmarking policy and to draft ordinance.
Question: Are we looking to hire a consultant?
Answer: Will have interns do a lot of legwork because they are included in our budget. Will roll over money.
Question: Are there budget priorities?
Answer: All aforementioned items are budget priorities.
Question: Are letters of support helpful?When is it submitted?
Answer: Setting date to improve increase in property tax, but budget hearings start February 21. A letter of support is
great because it shows commission supports work. Public input at budget hearing is allowed.
Discussion: Kohlhaas motioned to send a letter to council in support. Drahozal approved motion. Lalith seconded.
Boles volunteered to write a letter of support. Motion approved.
OLD BUSINESS
Livestock 2.0—Commissioner Chamberland
Commissioner Chamberland found guide to urban agriculture guide for lowa. Guide was last updated in April 2022 and
needs updating. Chamberland suggested to finish making edits to be able to put on webpage. Document divided into
personal growing food,growing food to sell at farmer's market,food growing business.
Discussion: Kohlhaas motioned to start a subcommittee to finish document and draft a sample code. Drahozol seconded
motion. Chamberland, Hoffman, Kohlhaas, and Evans volunteered to start committee. Motion carried.
Will want to have health department approve (waste management and animals) and then have P01 make it an official
document.
Proposal to have document finished in April and invite Dubuque County Food Policy Council to that meeting and
consider Public Health and Planning to May meeting.
Parks and Trees Bud�et Support Letter
Had recommended urging Council to have more consistent tree data collection and larger budget to help with more tree
planting. March 8th for budget hearing for parks and rec.
Dean volunteered to write letter of support to bring to Commission at meeting on March 2.
Tree Discussion
Urging Council to create consensus of street trees or tree canopy survey to see if Dubuque is gaining or losing trees.
Prior discussion about grants for tree rings to help water trees planted. Gina discussed with Laura Roussel and
mentioned Sustainable Dubuque grant as a possibility. Boles discussed companies that provide canopy surveys for
$5,000-$10,000. Boles suggested that it might be possible for City to request a specific number of trees in each parcel
City owns.This might help narrow down how many trees are needed. Grants available via Solid Waste Agency to buy
and plant more trees in conjunction with Parks department. Boles will send email to Commission with tree canopy
survey company.
HOW DID I SHOW UP? COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
• Kohlhaas—Class in sustainability ethics and reassigning project for bike trail project. Some existing bike trails exist
more in theory than reality and students will give suggestions on how to improve them. Suggested that students can
suggest at Commission in May.
• Boles—$2 million carry over from HUD from previous year. Individual LMI tax prep can make appointment at Saint
Matthews on White Street for people to do taxes for free.
• Chamberland—Alma Mater partnering with groups to do real world study and looking for environmental projects.
Would have to be remote work and start soon and go until April/May. Gina will ask PIO about Dubuque app for
collecting data about biking. Dean will ask GDDC if they buy any aggregate data. Pocket Prairie Plants have been
ordered and 4 campuses are using the grant and currently prepping site.
• Staff inember Bell shared Renew DBQ solar program and first install was from pilot year. Gina called and told people
that program is paused for now. Installs will finish with round one of Renew DBQ and hope that additional funding
sources will be coming.Teen Resiliency Corps needs adult mentors to help with resiliency and disaster preparedness
efforts. In process of applying for lowa Community Partnership Grant. Application is due at the end of the month.
Next sustainability conference is April 2024 that will coincide with Julien Dubuque International Film Festival.
NEXT MEETING:The next commission meeting will occur on March 2, 2023, at 5 pm at the Jule Operations and Training
Center(JOTC) in the Circle Conference Room, 949 Kerper Blvd.
ADJOURNMENT:The Commission adjourned at 6:26 pm.
Minutes approved by:
Jacob Kohlhaas, Commission Chair
Prepared by:
Gina Bell, Sustainable Community Coordinator