Community Sustainability Advisory Board Regular Meeting – July 22, 2026

The Community Sustainability Advisory Board (CSAB) of Golden, Colorado, met in regular session at City Hall, 911 10th Street, Golden, beginning at 6:04 p.m. on July 22, 2026. Board members present were Todd Collins, Jill Engel-Cox, Martha Gerdes, Jillian Matheson, and Adrienne Watts; Carrie Atiyeh and Claybourne Clarke were absent. Staff included Sustainability Manager Theresa Worsham, Sustainability Coordinator Samantha Neumeyer, Fleet Manager Richard 'Dick' Meikle, and Deputy Director of Recreation and Golf Megann Lohman. The board approved the agenda and the June minutes, then discussed planned 2027 fleet purchases, drought response, the June strategic planning results, and staff project updates. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ken Jacobs submitted written public comment on the updated 2024 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory; the board agreed to discuss it during current projects.
• No in-person public comment was offered; public comment closed at 6:07 p.m.

Discussion Items

• 2027 City Fleet Purchases: Fleet Manager Richard 'Dick' Meikle reported that the city maintains about 350 vehicles and pieces of equipment. Planned 2027 purchases include three Chevrolet Silverado EVs replacing V-8 Ford F-150s in Streets, Facilities Maintenance, and Water Utilities; one Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid; three hybrid patrol vehicles; and electric utility carts. Two heavy-duty trucks will remain diesel because electric alternatives are not currently available in those classes. By the end of 2027, the entire patrol fleet is expected to be hybrid. In 2026, seven EVs are scheduled to arrive by September, including the Police Department's first EVs (Blazer EVs). Meikle described existing EVs as operationally reliable with no significant repairs; increased tire wear is the main issue. He estimated the fleet is roughly 30–40% of the way toward its 2030 municipal electrification goal. The board recommended preparing a total-cost-of-ownership comparison of EVs versus internal-combustion vehicles, including fuel, maintenance, and resale value; sharing that analysis with the community; and recalculating progress toward the city's municipal fleet electrification goals. The electric street sweeper grant remains about $424,000, but the sweeper ordered in February 2024 is still delayed; staff are exploring alternative models. An electric fire truck grant was returned because available funding was insufficient.
• Drought Update: Megann Lohman reported a 19% reduction in Fossil Trace Golf Course water use during May and June, achieved through daily evapotranspiration-based irrigation adjustments, moisture-sensor data, and focusing water on tees and greens while allowing less-critical turf to dry. City parks reduced water use by roughly 33% in June excluding new turf establishment at Ulysses Park, and remain on track for the 17% reduction target; a systemwide irrigation audit is planned. The board encouraged stronger public communication about these efforts, including posting the city's drought plan online, carrying lessons forward, and exploring lower-water golf course practices or certifications. The amended Stage 1 Drought Order, effective July 19 through October 31, limits outdoor irrigation to two events per week per property, defines an irrigation event as 6 p.m. to 10 a.m., prohibits irrigation between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and now applies to hand watering and drip systems. Lohman also noted Clear Creek has exceeded 71.1°F, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife threshold, prompting talks about voluntary fishing restrictions; no tubing ban is planned.
• June CSAB Planning Meeting Follow-Up: Staff reviewed priorities from the June planning retreat, ranked by board dot voting. Top energy priorities included a downtown microgrid with backup power and solar, existing-building efficiency and commercial energy benchmarking, and rebates. Water priorities included studying water-use drivers and water budgets, municipal accountability, and wastewater improvements. Waste priorities included construction waste diversion, expanding multifamily and commercial diversion, and a reuse program or tool library. The board will keep all ideas in the broader strategic plan; staff will draft a 2027 work plan with assigned funding, with additional board discussion before the work plan is due in February 2027. Board members also suggested collecting community feedback on drought rules during lessons learned.
• Current Projects and Staff/Board Updates: The 2024 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory totals 330,995 metric tons CO2e, a decrease of 50,703 metric tons (about 13.28%) from 2019; adding new 'additional sectors' brings the 2024 total to 365,882. Commercial energy is the largest sector at about 45% of emissions, followed by transportation at 39% and residential energy at 12%. Board members noted most of the decline appears attributable to Xcel Energy's cleaner electricity grid and agreed to prepare a short takeaway summary for City Council and the city website, while addressing Ken Jacobs's comment about estimating excluded commercial natural-gas accounts rather than seeking actual usage data. A proposed downtown microgrid study involves the City, the Downtown Development Authority, the National Laboratory of the Rockies, and Xcel Energy; the study is estimated at about $50,000, with $30,000 from the DDA, and funding is still being explored. The 2026 Sustainability Rebate Program closed on July 22; $74,212 had been disbursed and pending applications are expected to exhaust the $100,000 budget. Solar and battery rebates dominated, and the board discussed directing residents to other incentives and improving future budget design. Staff also reported that a grant-funded Community Energy Coordinator position has been moved up to January 1, 2027, and that Helios received state approval for DC fast chargers at the Clear Creek lot.

Key Outcomes

• The agenda was approved on a motion by Martha Gerdes, seconded by Jillian Matheson.
• The June 24, 2026 minutes were approved with a correction to the greenhouse gas inventory section; the agenda listed the minutes as June 26, 2026, while the minutes document and discussion referenced June 24, 2026.
• The board directed staff to produce an EV total-cost-of-ownership comparison, share it with the community, and recalculate municipal fleet electrification progress.
• Staff will incorporate the June planning priorities into a draft 2027 work plan with funding assignments; the board will discuss it before the February 2027 due date.
• The board agreed to draft a one-page summary of key greenhouse gas inventory takeaways for City Council and the city website.
• The August 26, 2026 agenda will include the Universal Recycling Ordinance and budget items.