Park Ridge Sustainability Commission Meeting – April 1, 2026

The Park Ridge Sustainability Commission met on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 7:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting covered routine approvals, calendar planning for upcoming community events, and detailed work items on waste/recycling, mobility, education, and climate/energy initiatives. Key decisions included approval of prior minutes, submission of an EV readiness memo, and discussion of funding for community composting and reusable bags.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes – The minutes from the March 4, 2026, meeting were approved unanimously without discussion. (Motion by Commissioner Arwadi, seconded; all in favor.)

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the Citizens Wishing to be Heard portion.

Discussion Items

• Calendar – Commissioners reviewed upcoming events:

  • Earth Day Fair – April 18, 2026, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the Main Park Leisure Center. Commissioners Vanessa, Tracy, and Michelle will staff the table; an educational game on composting will be updated to align with the new waste hauler contract.
  • Brownie Troupe Visit – April 10, 2026, 3:30–4:30 PM. Tracy will lead a short composting activity using the game.
  • One Earth Film Festival – Hosted by Park Ridge Community Church (date not specified). Commissioners encouraged attendance and noted other screenings in nearby suburbs.
  • Bike Month Proclamation – May 4, 2026, being prepared by Commissioner Carolyn.
  • Farmers Market – Season begins Memorial Day weekend (late May). Commissioners will staff the sustainability table once per month; the July 4 weekend date was removed from the sign-up.
  • Other Events – EV Expo (June 27), Sustainable Yards Walk & Bike Ride (July 12), and Solar Tour (end of September) were noted.

• Work Item 1: Mobility – Commissioner reported outreach to Drew regarding the bike plan and scheduling community bike rides. Coordination with Go Green for a bike-themed discussion in July is underway.

• Work Item 2: Waste and Recycling

  • Community Composting – Funding for the current program (Urban Canopy) is expected to run out in May due to increased pickups. Commissioners agreed to track spending and request additional funding from the city. They also considered whether to continue with Urban Canopy or seek a quote from the new waste hauler (SBC) for farmers market compost collection, as SBC might include it under the municipal contract at no extra cost.
  • Farmers Market – Discussion on purchasing reusable bags for promotion. Budget for educational materials is $1,500; a design with a single-color city/sustainability logo could yield about 300 bags. Commissioners also discussed including waste hauler flyers in the bags and coordinating with the city on plastic bag ban outreach (ordinance passed, effective January 1, 2027).
  • New Waste Hauler Contract (SBC) – Commissioners noted SBC’s expanded recycling list and the need to update educational materials. Questions arose about sticker requirements for yard waste bins and whether old bins can be reused. Free stickers are available at City Hall.

• Work Item 3: Education and Outreach – No new items, but commissioners agreed to revise website content to reflect the new waste hauler contract, including composting options and sticker information.

• Work Item 4: Climate/Energy

  • EV Memo – A revised memo highlighting three main recommendations was reviewed. Commissioners reached consensus to send it to City Manager Joe for further action. The EV Readiness Program application deadline is June 15, 2026; the commission will seek a lead staff member.
  • Municipal Aggregation Grant Funds – Commissioners discussed possible uses (bike engineering study, LED streetlights, renewable energy credits) but decided to wait until the issue returns to City Council before formally amending their original recommendation for a grant.
  • Community Solar – A memo on the MC Squared community solar clearinghouse program was circulated for review. Initial steps may include adding a link to the Citizens Utility Board on the commission website, requiring only commission approval; a full program adoption would need council approval.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes approved – Unanimous.
• EV Memo approved for submission – To be sent to City Manager Joe; commissioners will also pursue the EV Readiness Program application.
• Community Composting funding – Commissioner Anderson and Vanessa will track expenditures and prepare a budget amendment request.
• Reusable Bags – Commissioner will seek a design and cost quote within the $1,500 budget; flyers from the new waste hauler will be requested for inclusion.
• Next Meeting – Scheduled for Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Commissioners were reminded to discuss budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year at that meeting.
• Adjournment – Motion by Commissioner Klein, seconded; all in favor.