The Finance Committee is meeting later today and will be discussing the request to take $107,625 of funds left over from the 2024 Park Pavilion Roof Replacement Project and direct it toward hiring a consultant to create a sustainability and climate action plan for Appleton. This item was initially recommended for denial by the Finance Committee. The members did not necessarily believe the proposed use of the funds was unworthy, but there was at least some desire to have more information about the proposal before approving it.
During the Common Council meeting on 04/02/2025, the item was referred back to the committee for further discussion.
Additionally, at the Common Council Appleton Sustainability Advisory Panel member Ron Jones spoke in favor of hiring the consultant. Although he did not take a strong stance of the timing and method of moving forward and funding the project, he did note that using the carryover funds now as originally proposed would allow the city to “get a year’s jump on the process of developing a sustainability Master Plan, which will enable Appleton sustainability advisory panel to advance actionable sustainability projects to the for the council […] at a sooner pace.”
I have included a transcript of his full remarks below:
Ron Jones (Appleton Sustainability Advisory Panel): I am here tonight to speak to the Finance Committee minutes item number 25-0300, that is the denial of a request to utilize carryover funds from a capital project to hire a consultant to prepare a sustainable—sustainability master plan for the city of Appleton.
I am a member of the Appleton sustainability advisory panel, and I would like to go on record supporting that proposal to fund a hiring of a consultant to develop the sustainability master plan for the city. You need to understand that Appleton sustainability advisory panel is made up of volunteers with varying experiences and expertise in environmental and sustainability issues. We meet for one hour a month and then individually spend time between studying, working on various issues. Steve Schrage, the staff-person who relates to our panel, has his time limited to 20%. Not much. The panel has come up with some great ideas for projects that will not only enhance our environment—environmental efforts in the city, it has also had a great potential to save on taxpayers expenditures, saving tax to taxpayers dollars.
What we lack in the panel is the time and expertise to put together a comprehensive plan with realistic specifics on the sustainability projects. I believe in contracting out for the development of a sustainability master plan is in the best interest of our city at this time. It will help us to define and lay out a path forward with projects for our city to reduce greenhouse grass—gasses emissions, create a healthier ecosystem, and a more livable community.
I defer to you, the Council, as the best to determine the best method or process for funding such a plan. If the initiative is funded this fiscal year with carryover funds, I’m sure it will be put—if it is not funded this year, I’m sure it will be put in next year’s budget, which I will suspect this council will support. The advantage of utilizing these carryover funds now rather than waiting for the future budget, is that we will get a year’s jump on the process of developing a sustainability Master Plan, which will enable Appleton sustainability advisory panel to advance actionable sustainability projects to the for the council at a sooner and a much—at a sooner pace.
In my view, time is of the essence in climate change. 10 of the warmest years on record have occurred in the last 15 years, with the last two years being the warmest on record. As you are well aware, the federal government is taking huge steps backwards on climate change initiatives. I think we at the local level need to step up our game. This is why I think it makes sense to me to utilize these carryover funds now for this initiative rather than waiting for a future budget. With that, thank you for your attention and your time and your effort helping making Appleton a cleaner community. Thank you.
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