Minutes_Resilient Community Advisory Commission (RCAC) 01.11.24 Copyrighted
April 15, 2024
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 01.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUM MARY: Airport Commission of February 27, 2024; City Council Proceedings of
March 25, 26, 27, 28 and April 1, 2, and 4 2024; Community
Development Advisory Commission of January 17, 2024; Equity and
Human Rights Commission of March 12, 2024; Resilient Community
Advisory Commission of January 11, 2024; Zoning Advisory
Commission Draft Minutes of April 3, 2024.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
City Council Proceedings 3/25_5:15 PM Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings 3/25_6:30 PM Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings 3/26 Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings 3/27 Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings 3/28 Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings 4/1 Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings 4/2 Supporting Documentation
City Council Proceedings 4/4 Supporting Documentation
Airport Commission Minutes Supporting Documentation
Community Development Advisory Commission Minutes Supporting Documentation
Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes Supporting Documentation
Equity and Human Rights Commission Minutes Supporting Documentation
Resilient Community Advisory Commission Minutes Supporting Documentation
CITY OF DUBUQUE-COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES
GOVERNMENTAL BODY: Resilient Community Advisory Commission (RCAC)
DATE:January 11, 2024
TIME:5:00 pm
LOCATION: Jule Operations and Training Center(JOTC) Circle Conference Room,949 Kerper Blvd.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Katharine Connolly, Steven Drahozal, , Dean Boles, Sandra Evans,Josh
Chamberland, Jake Kohlhaas, Robin Kennicker
MEMBERS ABSENT: Adam Hoffman, Lalith Jayawickrama
STAFF PRESENT: Gina Bell
Chair Kohlhaas called the meeting to order at 5:05 pm.
TEST AGENDA
MINUTES APPROVAL: Kennicker motioned to approve the December minutes. Evans seconded. Motion
carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Paul Schultz, 1030 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, IA 52001 shared two issues.
1. Solid Waste Agency is conducting public outreach related to their 5 year strategic plan but they
have already set the budget. Online comments will be available as well as a series of in person
meetings. Plan should align with CAP and Imagine Dubuque and they should develop a 10 year
plan that integrates collection and processing. He proposes a joint solid waste division in Public
Works and an advisory commission.
2. Update to the compost situation at DMASWA—still operating without a permit but DNA is okay
with it.There are no tonnage caps for food scraps so theoretically they could take more and
meat and dairy should be considered.
NEW BUSINESS
1. COP28 Takeaways from the Mayor and Gina Bell
Bell gave background on the conference and location and shared photos. Mayor Cavanagh shared
background about invitation from Bloomberg and the Local Climate Action Summit.
Takeaways:
1. Global/High Level
• Wording in the final agreement IS historic and not enough! May be the most
significant COP ever!
• Global Stock Take (GST)
• Inclusion of the language "transition away from fossil fuels"—first time oil and gas
have been included in a COP agreement!
• Loss and Damage fund establishment!!
• Call to triple renewables deployment
• Actions on methane emissions
• Grounding in truth—is it truly aligned with keeping climate change to the 1.5
degrees mandated by Paris?Transition fuels is a reference to natural gas, less
harmful than coal but still carbon intense,fossil fuel.
2. Individual Observations
• Major focus on people-centered climate action and the role that gender plays
worldwide
• Push for nature—based climate action
• Youth were a major focus as well
• There are some great national initiatives that we should get involved with
• We need BIG, BOLD Action moving forward
3. What Dubuque has done in terms of climate action has a global impact! All local action is
important and significant.
4. Funding and financing will be more readily available to small cities in the near future.
5. We must take care of our people, so our people can take care of our democracy, so the
government can care for the planet.—Mayor of Bogota
OLD BUSINESS
1. Policy Work—Review ordinances and policies as they relate to Climate Action Plan and
determine subcommittees and where to focus plane height, urban agriculture, and tree
canopy. (Reports from Commissioners regarding Climate Action Plan (CAP) activities)
a. Urban Agriculture Guide- Reviewed updated guide after staff input. Primary change is
that traditional livestock was taken out. Additional revisions will move some restrictions
to best practices, some spelling errors will be addressed. Request is that City staff will
put on website and use as guide. Kennicker motions to accept and move forward (to city
staff)the document after the above changes have been made. Chamberland seconded.
Motion carried.
b. Paired Recycling— RCAC can reach out to discuss with management companies what
they are doing, but currently it is not a requirement as a part of their contract with the
city. Bell shared that GRC management company is being proactive in their approach and
RCAC is interested in finding out what they are doing and why they are doing it. After
gathering this information, RCAC will determine how to approach other entities. (Should
they advise Council for contract revisions? Mayor suggested they do the research before
advising Council and ensure they know what each entity is doing, what their plans are
and is a contract revision necessary.) Discussion veered to reviewing contracts or
creating a system to review contracts for sustainability efforts.
HOW DID I SHOW UP?COMMISSIONER REPORTS:
Chamberland requested an update on roundabouts on University Avenue from city staff as it relates to
bike and pedestrian improvements.
NEXT MEETING:The next commission meeting will occur on March 7, 2024, at 5pm at the Jule
Operations and Training Center(JOTC) in the Circle Conference Room, 949 Kerper Blvd.
ADJOURNMENT:The Commission adjourned at 6:40pm.
Minutes approved by: ; ���
Jac b Kohlhaas, Commission Chair
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Prepared by:
Gina ell, Director of Sustainability