All-Star Community for Sustainability InitiativeDubuque
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Masterpiece on the Mississippi 2007
NEWS RELEASE
Sept. 27, 2010 — For Immediate Release
CONTACT:
Randy Gehl, Public Information Officer
563 - 589 -4151
rgehl @cityofdubuque.org
Dubuque Named All -Star Community for
Sustainability Initiative
DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Iowa League of Cities recognized the city of Dubuque as a 2010 All-
Star Community at its Annual Conference & Exhibit, which was held in Coralville, September
22 -24. Councilwoman Joyce Connors accepted the award on behalf of Mayor Roy Buol and
the City Council.
The All -Star Community Award is one of the most prestigious honors presented by the
League to cities. Entries are judged by a panel of former city officials and others familiar with
municipal government. Judges determine winners based on innovative efforts in areas such
as urban renewal, development, preservation, service sharing or quality of life improvements.
This year, Dubuque was one of five of Iowa's 947 cities to be named a 2010 All -Star
Community. The project was recognized specifically for sustainability.
Sustainable Dubuque was "born" during the Dubuque City Council's 2006 annual goal -
setting sessions, at which it was identified as a top priority. Subsequently, the city created a
Sustainable City Task Force, which included representatives from throughout the community
and laid the groundwork for the initiative. The task force eventually developed a vision
statement and a sustainability model that focuses on creating policies and programs to
address three key elements: economic prosperity, environmental integrity, and social /cultural
vibrancy.
Because the sustainability model is used throughout the city, examples of its use in
Dubuque are numerous, but sometimes not all that obvious. Dubuque's year -round farmer's
market may not seem like a sustainability initiative until the costs of food transportation and
the impacts buying food locally can have on the area's economy are considered. Other
projects, like partnering with a local business to purchase and sell rain barrels or encouraging
efficiencies in energy and water usage, are more natural components.
Another tangible result of the initiative is the city's partnership with IBM on the Smarter
Sustainable Dubuque program. The program is the combination of Sustainable Dubuque and
IBM's Smarter Planet/Smarter Cities initiative. The goal of Smarter Sustainable Dubuque is
to give residents the information they need to make smarter choices related to how they use
resources such as water, electricity, natural gas, and oil. The initiative is engaging Dubuque
residents and businesses who, through advanced technology, will be able to actively
participate in managing their consumption of resources.
The other 2010 All -Star Community Award winners were Center Point, Le Mars,
Oskaloosa, and Prairie City.
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