Or Seth.

No, I'm just saying we don't have anyone to there's no backup for us.

Yes.

I need your background.

You're my bad.

No, I mean we can't look at the I love the cot.

We are working.

All right.

You got just going to be a second guess you know.

Yeah, we're all here for you.

Thank you.

Right.

Uh so it's um 4 30, and we're gonna call to order the sustainability and resiliency commission meeting.

Welcome everyone.

Um, we're going to start with a roll call for attendance.

Seth Barons is absent.

Amy is here, Amanda Holloway is absent.

Karen Kinsey here.

Casey McQuay.

Here, Edward Cohen, your Brian Morgan.

Absent.

Liam Arroyo.

And Stuart Ross Rossier.

Ross here.

I practice that.

So basically.

And just a quick introduction to Chris.

This is Kristen O'Brien, she's our new sustainability associate.

So she'll be with us for 2026.

Very long time.

Christine?

Yeah.

Great.

Okay.

Um we're gonna move on to the January minutes.

The January minutes were in the package under item two A.

Um approval.

Is there a second?

Second.

All in favor.

Aye.

Great.

Let's do we have anyone on the call.

We have one here to sign.

Okay.

Okay.

Um we now have an open comment period.

This is an opportunity for the public to provide comments to the commission regarding items not on the agenda.

The commission will not discuss or take action on them.

According to the advisory boards, committee and commission rules of procedure and operation, each speaker is limited to four minutes, and there is a 15-minute time limit for open comment period on the agenda.

Do we have anyone wishing to make an open comment?

No.

Okay, then we'll move on.

Um, under old business, I don't believe we have any old business today.

Everything's taken care of at the last meeting.

And so we are now going to move on to our new business.

And the first item 5A is Healthy Air and Homes initiative.

Uh, we've allocated 40 minutes for this discussion, and we're gonna turn this over to Kayla.

Okay.

So here's kind of the the flow of how this will go today.

So I'll start with the presentation.

Please hold your questions until the end.

We'll do some QA and then move into discussion.

So I think we've kind of created questions that I'll read right now to kind of keep in mind for when you move into the session.

So, what ideas or opportunities does SRC see for building connections and helping get the word out about this new program, especially among seniors, renters, or residents who may not already be connected to city or utility program.

Um, based on the overview that I'll provide, are there any gaps in the proposed navigator onboarding, in-home assessment process or partner list?

And then what types of data stories or indicators would be most meaningful for demonstrating program impact, both for participating households and the broad community and use both for future planning and for funding decisions.

And so with that, I will have the overview document.

Okay.

And so just a little bit of background about this project um before I get into into the project itself.

So this um initiative is something that I started working on when I came to Rochester in 2024.

At that time, there were um were several different federal grants available.

Um, and I believe before I was on board with the city, we had, I don't know if it was through a different grant opportunity or um something like that, but I think several years ago, they had put together um a list of items that could be included in a healthy homes kit if funding ever became available.

Um, and so the idea was kind of floating out there when I came on board and then um you know through conversations with different departments and decided to put together some grant applications um to go after funding to make this program uh reality.

Um, and so one was an EPA community change grant, and another was an EPA down through um more of a local organization called uh Thrive, and it was a thriving communities grant.

It was through Minneapolis Foundation, but it was federal funding.

Um throughout 2024, we put you know the partner list together, we put a budget table together, a timeline, basically kind of designed the whole program, submitted these grant applications, and then you know, at the beginning of 2025 with the change in the federal administration, um, a lot of that grant funding was put on pause or just you know was kind of a claw back.

Um, and so at that point we were moving into the budgeting process for the city's budget for 26 and 27.

And so I started thinking, you know, is there a way that we could try to fund something like this locally?

Obviously, a much more scaled down version than we were applying for for federal grants, but is there a way to fund the work locally so that you know it can be more stable and sustainable funding-wise long term?

So I put in a budget request um to fund some of it.

Um DMC has offered to um kind of match some of the funding to support the program.

They have um initiatives specifically for workforce development goals, and so that's kind of how it ties into DMC priorities.

And then I have also um received uh been awarded a cert uh community energy resource team, one of their seed grants.

Um, I've also applied for an FPCA grant to fund this program, and I'm waiting to hear back on that.

So if we receive that funding as well, um, it would greatly enhance the program.

It could mean that we could hire more navigators, and it will just increase the funding for future years of the program by allowing us to purchase more supplies this year and things like that.

But we have we do have the seed grant secured, and that um seed grant will 100% of that will go to fund the navigator stipends, and I'll get into that in just a minute.

So that's kind of the background of the project and how we got to where we are currently, and then I've spent the fall of 2025 really putting together, you know, building partnerships, kind of pitching the idea to different folks, seeing who might want to fund which items in the kit and how they want to participate in training navigators and and so you'll I'll show a partnership list and talk through that in a minute here.

But that's kind of how I started to put together partners for this program.

So, okay, so it's a new sustainability um City of Rochester sustainability program.

And I do want to mention too, throughout today, we're referring to it as the Healthy Air and Homes Initiative.

This is just something that I came up with and started calling it, but we are going through a public rebranding.

Um, so publicly it will be called Healthy Home Helpers.

And so when you see the branding and the logo and the marketing for the program come out in a few months, it will be Healthy Home Helpers.

But historically enough, Mr.

Raj's neighborhood.

Yeah, well, I think it is, I think it's a really you know great and lighthearted program, and it's providing direct benefits to the community.

And so um, and so yes, publicly that that's the new name.

But in in here, it's still Healthy Air and Homes Initiative.

So it's a new sustainability program launching in in the spring of 2026 with the goal of improving indoor air quality, lowering utility costs, and making homes safer and more energy efficient.

So really bringing together energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

Um also building a green workforce.

And so the program um kind of has three components.

It's workforce development with the training the navigators, um, the uh uh the actual kids themselves, and then at home consultations of the navigators will be doing with residents.

So part of let's see, let's see if I get into I think I'll just talk a little bit about the components because I don't think in this overview document I really get into that as as much.

So, first is the is the workforce development piece of it.

So the positions are open now.

We have funding.

I'm comfortably have funding right now to hire four.

Um, and I should know about the MPCA grant before I move forward through the interview process.

So if I'm able to hire five or six, I mean, I think we all know there's um you know some concerns just about attrition with things like this.

So I think to be able to hire more in case you know, folks aren't able to stay through the full year would be ideal, but it will depend on the MPCA funding.

Um so hiring healthy homes and energy navigators, these are limited term appointments um April through the end of this year.

Um it is limited hours, and so that's how we can keep them on for longer than 67 days.

Um, and so they'll be working about 13 and a half.

It's a city, I think it might be a state.

It's 67 work days, and it doesn't matter if it's like a full work day or if you just work one hour.

If you work over 67 days, um, you have to be full-time with benefits as a city.

That's interesting.

Or unless you're like in, I think there's some other regulation saying like if you're in school full time, then it's extended to 88 days or something like that.

But either way, we're trying to keep these folks on longer than either one of those.

And so they are limited hours.

And so the um, and it's listed in the job description.

Right.

It'll be 9 a.m.

to 1 p.m.

and/or 1 p.m.

Yeah.

So we're trying to build different time blocks throughout the week.

No evenings.

No evenings to start.

And I can talk a little bit about I've um been in contact with a program in the Twin Cities that's called Good Energy Connections.

Found out about this program after I was planning this just a few months ago and I got connected with them and they have created a very similar program.

Um it's not connected to local government whatsoever.

It's just some collaborative groups that have come together in the cities and created a navigation program.

And I asked them that question.

I said, should we have nights and weekends available?

And they said they don't, and it really seems to work.

Mainly just going after return pH.

Well, I think we do have enough people that work unique schedules here in Rochester that you know we're gonna try it out, just having it be um the nine to five.

And then I think if we're getting, you know, requests or feedback that those hours don't work for people, we can look their spending in, or you know, um, not necessarily extending, but maybe shifting some of the hours.

Okay, so we're on board, we're hiring in in March the these navigators, onboarding them in April.

So they'll go through training with all of the partners, and then in May, they'll be earning their uh a building science principal certification um through um is it is it, the building principles institute.

It's a BPI certification, I believe is the organization that it's through.

I have to double check.

Building the science principles, yes, CSP.

What is the organization?

Uh building science uh it says building science principles.

Is there an over this in the target of metrics?

We see what's in your document.

Can you Google that though and find the possible send the partners?

And I'm just going to put it.

Um so they'll be earning that certification in May.

And this is something that the Minnesota Department of Commerce is very interested in.

And so they're one of the partners and they're funding all of the costs associated with um the certification for the navigators.

So I think it's really really great that the state's um commerce department is now a partner on this project.

And they also submitted a letter of recommendation or uh a letter of support for our our state grant.

So I think that that's it's really great to have a state agency on board.

Um so that certification is a nationally recognized credential that provides foundational knowledge of how energy, air, and moisture interact in buildings.

And so um they'll be they'll be really learning about these things before they go out into the field.

And um the county department is also paying the costs um for Center for Energy and Environment, who are our partners on electrify everything for 2025.

They're paying for their staff to come down and to kind of do some prep um with the navigators in May around um energy auditing in homes.

What do you need to know?

How to install aerators, kind of all of the nuts and bolts of um of just prepping them to go into homes.

And there is also some cultural um uh cultural um awareness training that's kind of in that.

So a breadth of information um because CEE runs the home audit program on behalf of XL Energy.

So they have teams of people in XL Energy territory that go out and do these kind of baseline home audits, and so we don't have that here because we don't have Excel Energy, but they're kind of bringing all that knowledge down here and training at the navigators.

So I think that's really great as well.

And that's supported by the Department of Commerce.

So the navigators actually do the work in the homes of updating too.

I think if we have maybe yeah, maybe if it's a clarifying question, but a lot of that at them will I think the answer.

So they'll be trained in May, go out in June, and then the navigators will um be so kind of getting into the second piece.

They'll be bringing these healthy home and energy kits to homes.

And so these kits include everything from um moisture absorbing packets if there's um uh concern about mold to we're just talking about this today, the list of things, green cleaning supplies, um uh a lot of energy efficiency.

So spray foam insulation, window kits, weather stripping for doors, um, outlet insulation and outlet covers, um, LED light bulbs, we have hot water heater pipe insulation, we have aerators, uh first sinks and shower heads.

And those are being provided by MERC.

They have an indoor water conservation kit.

Wow.

So we are covering the cost of an Omstead County Public Health radon test kit.

And also the navigators would bring the test out to the home.

And then we have vouchers so that that becomes free.

We also have we have budget right now to cover the cost of the RPU energy audit.

So if someone goes through the neighborhood energy challenge program, um they're able to receive a reduced price energy audit through RPU and Merc.

And this program will reimburse the cost of that.

So that's a 75 value in and of itself.

I think I missed it on them for kids.

Smoke detectors.

Yes, we're partnering with the fire department for smoke detectors.

And so that and the kids as well.

They're not installing all of these things, they're just leaving them on the table there.

For the smoke detectors and carbon detectors, they will they will have the opportunity to install, but not all of the items.

Um we are training them on how to install aerator, then I think it's something where someone really needs needs the help, then they can do the aerator piece, but certainly not like window weatherization or or um door um weather stripping or anything like that.

More talking through the items in the kids and kind of explaining and increasing awareness just because they've you know, because part of the assessment is giving out the items to the kids.

The other piece is understanding um what the resident is is interested in when it comes to the energy efficiency of their home and then what programs they might be interested in.

So they'll be providing step letters and rolls and then everything.

Yeah.

Let me bring this up quick.

We're gonna do all that an hour, yeah.

Here, here's our files.

Um, I'm gonna show, yes, and so that's the kits, and then the third piece is the actual at-home assessment.

And so I'm gonna show this quick.

This is not, we haven't updated this with Rochester information, but the program that I talked about in the studies, the good energy connections, they were gracious enough to share this um with us.

And this is was made in Canva, but it walks through um what the assessment is.

And so we will have paper versions of this updated with Rochester specific programs and initiatives, and our GIS department is creating a software-based system that reflects this.

And so the navigators will have iPads and they'll be entering the data into this software platform when they go out to homes, and then they'll be able to send a report back to the resident.

So it'll show them a report of everything that the all the data that they've collected and links to these kind of next step um programs.

So just kind of going through what this um workbook looks like.

You know, first it's asking people what goals when it comes to energy, what goals do you have for your home?

So is it reducing energy use, making your home more comfortable, using more renewable energy?

And then it's some information, collecting some information about the home.

So do you rent your own?

Yes, this is available for renters.

Um, you know, some information collected about um their utility bills if they have those, and we will certainly encourage folks to have utility bills on hand.

You can also help them figure out how to read their bill if that's something that they um could use.

Um, some information about their thermostat settings, and then some commitments here for um do it yourself uh items.

So lowering your thermostat or installing the LED light bulbs, things like that.

The next piece of this is about what fuels they're currently using.

And so this is something we're, you know, just data that we're interested in collecting.

Um, so what type of furnace and mechanical system, what's the age and efficiency?

Uh, same for AC.

Same for water heater.

And then some appliances here.

I think on the appliance one, I recognize this is a lot of information.

And so I think we probably will just maybe collect um the fuel type for the stove and then the efficiency.

So our people using energy star radiate appliances.

I don't know that we're gonna do ages of all of these.

I think it would be too much.

You know, instead of saying high efficiency, could you stay and star meaning?

Energy star because people might know when they say they are I bought North Store, but I really don't think it's that high efficiency.

And also I believe so we'll connect it to the RPU standard.

And so for, you know, we want to make sure that we are encouraging people to purchase an item that RPU with everybody.

So, you know, to connect it to the RPU programs.

People might think even if the primary start is going to high efficiency enough to high efficiency.

So I think specifying their name that people are.

No idea of how any of the appliances are.

And there is, you know, research that shows that just becoming aware of these things in your home really does lead to energy conservation and efficiency.

So I think it's like one to three percent reduction in energy use can be tied to just awareness about your furnace and about your appliances and you know, the efficiency of them and the age.

Like a lot of people don't know about these things until it's failing.

And so I think part of this is bringing that kind of engagement to your own home energy.

And it was called high efficiency.

And part of the conversation around electrification is you know, planning for it.

So if you want to, if you are interested in potentially decarbonizing, you know, be looking at and be kind of preparing for an electric heat pump a few years in advance, right?

So if you know your furnace is 18, 19, 20 years old, maybe that's the time to start kind of thinking through what it would be like in a few years to transition.

Okay, so then we have um utility programs here.

Um, and this we all have to update with register information.

And then really the end of this workbook is the action steps.

And so this is uh kind of getting specific about what that next step action item is for the person.

So it could be a rate-off test through Ulstate County Public Health.

It could be an RPU, the RPU um neighborhood energy challenge and kind of moving through the process to get to an RPU energy audit.

It could be maybe they said I just installed this and I really just need the rebate for it.

And then maybe the job of the navigator is helping them to complete that rebate application.

There's also for income qualified folks.

I mean, we have several energy efficiency programs that are based on income.

So there may be people out there that qualify for energy assistance or qualify for RPUs for you two program, which is an income qualified program, but just are not connected to it.

So part of the role for the navigator will just be understanding if the person is willing and wanting to provide their income range.

Um, we can let them know what programs would be available to them.

So that is an overview of what the assessment itself will look like.

So again, the three big pieces of this program are workforce development and the training and certification of the navigators, um, the healthy homes and energy kits, and we do have a limited amount of those.

And so um I spoke with the credit energy connections folks, and they said they don't have kids, they just have items on hand um that they you know leave with a home if there's a need for it.

So I see this program long-term transitioning to something like that, where we don't always have funding for kids, but we just have some things like LED bulbs and whatever it may be on hand.

And then the third piece is the consultation and that data collection piece and supporting um the increased awareness of energy in the home.

Are you ready for questions?

Um, I'm almost done here.

Let's see.

I'm gonna go through the rest of this.

We talked about program goals.

This is um uh a specific tactic in the sustainability and resiliency plan that has not been started.

And so it does directly relate back to sustainability plan and builds that green workforce.

We kind of talked about the timeline, um, beginning assessments in June and working through the end of the year and then evaluating program outcomes in January.

Um we talked about target and metrics, and then the last piece here, I wanted to just highlight our partners.

So sustainability division is leading.

We also have OC public health um training and supporting healthy homes aspects.

SEMCAC community action agency is one of our um partners.

They're helping with navigator recruitment and they run energy auditing programs, weatherization programs.

So they've been really great in saying, yeah, we can have navigators do job shadowing and things like that.

Um RCTC and UMR are partners on the program um helping to get the word out about the um the jobs I just presented to an a UMR class um this week.

And they are both allowing this to be considered an internship credential.

So for students that need an internship, um, this is an option for your students.

We have RPU and Merck, obviously um helping with training on their programs and both contributing to kit supplies.

We talked about Minnesota Department of Commerce, Center for Energy and Environment, Clean Energy Resource Team is always involved, and we have the seed grant that we're we're administering.

DMC is helping with the funding, and then other city departments are community development, our fire, and then our DEI for training.

So that's an overview of the program and kind of the idea for the program.

I would say, you know, we're definitely still in the planning phase right now.

There's a lot to still kind of put together.

And so that's kind of what brings me back to you all.

Um, and really interested in hearing your thoughts and any suggestions that you have.

Before we do that, are there any clarifying questions?

Because then maybe we'll go around the room and ask for feedback.

Do you ask the age of the furnace that they have now?

Yes, that is part of it.

You ask them how often do they change the filters?

Ooh, I don't know if that was in the work bottom.

Yeah, and I we thought about furnace filters as an item in the kids.

There's so many different varieties on my top.

So it's a great point to add.

Any other questions?

Yeah, just not exactly a question, but I did quick look it up.

Um, and it looks like there's two places where you can get the um BSP.

Yeah.

So building performance association and building performance institute.

Institute.

Is that BPI?

Yeah.

Yeah.

So Building Performance Institute is the the um organization that administers the BSP certificat.

I know you want to go with people in the certain um census block, but are you looking at um how are you gonna get the word out?

I can see how you would how it would be easiest if you work through realtors and people who are new to the house and then got a good deal, and of course we need a room replacement, a million other things, they might really be receptive to this a first-time home buyer from getting getting all this information in pre-start.

But I, you know, I don't know how many houses turn over in those sections.

Yeah, I would say the um the focus on census tracks one through three.

Um, you know, is that we know that it's an older building stock in those areas.

Um we also know that it's it's lower income.

It's also the DMC district, and so their funding, you know, needs to be spent in that area.

Um, but it certainly is open to everyone across the city.

You know, it's funded through, you know, our city um internal funding, and so it is open to everyone.

It's also open to renters, which I think you know, there's a lot of conversation, I think, around these programs that are only available to homeowners and renters are knocked out.

And so this is definitely something that renters can benefit from.

Um, you know, even a radon test.

I mean, as a renter, you can get a radon test done.

You could have a conversation with the landlord about the results of that test um afterwards, but ultimately then you would have more information about the hub that you're looking at.

Um multifamily is a different kind of topic.

I think, you know, I need to evaluate, could you know, I think duplexes, yes.

I think we would need to limit it though, because a lot of these supplies wouldn't necessarily be useful for people in apartments.

So we wouldn't have access to your firms and well, yeah, be a shared firm as an apartment, I think.

Um yeah, for yeah, sometimes it's yeah, shared.

So any other clarifying questions?

Maybe one just clarifying as far as the certificate science will Google um this, the specific one, the building science principles.

So it looks it's like a not like general, not not general knowledge, but general knowledge in this space.

So it's not a sort of technical application skills.

It's more all energy audit basics, energy efficiency, home of the system and renewable energy is kind of as described.

So it's yeah.

And again, this doesn't take the place of an RPU energy audit.

It's not, you know, a floor or door test or an in-bird camera or anything like that.

It's really just enough to be able to be aware of the whole systems and then connect to the next step.

But there is funding from commerce to support these navigators in earning the BAT certification, which is also through BPI.

Yeah, building analyst technician, is that what it is?

And so that would be available to them in the fall.

So if the navigators are really excited, engaged and they want to continue kind of progressing in this field and really leaning into the workforce development aspects, there's also funding for that.

And you're confident that that level of knowledge is enough to for a navigator.

I think so.

Cool.

On a personal note, I um was my first job out of college was in America, and we did water and energy assessments in homes out in Colorado.

And we were trained up in a few weeks, and I don't even think it was to this level, and they sent us out into the whale.

So, you know, I think um it's enough to to kind of start the conversation and then connect with resources.

And we certainly will have like binders of cheat sheets for the navigators where um we were just talking about this where they can look up a topic or a program and essentially read and then connect the person with resources.

So they're really not expected to be the experts.

All right.

So let's do round table.

Um we have the three questions from Kayla, plus for any other um specific comments or feedback that anyone wants to get from the start of the key base.

I can come back to you.

Yeah, come back to me.

I mean to think about it.

Uh couple of questions slash response.

One, it's specifically I was spending a lot of time thinking about impact.

So like on the workforce development, you know, often a lot of those impact measurements were thinking about um like salary hourly, those types of things, and or how it leads to like future future opportunities or ongoing opportunities.

Um thinking potentially about that.

I think on the impact side, as far as the kits, if we could once we establish what the kits are and what's in them, maybe there's some work we could do with if certain items in that kit are implemented, like what is the average impact, right?

And we can then take that and sort of multiply it back, right?

So if we switched right on what is the impact of that, multiply it by 200 homes.

I will say we did quantify all of that for that ECA grant.

So we do have the metrics.

Um, Sarah did an analysis of the greenhouse gas um reduction of this program if we assume like I think we assume like 60 to 80 percent of the materials are because I think that would hit that would hit that use of it, and then on the on the consultations, right?

So it's sort of like I think maybe if there's a way to get a baseline, like what is your baseline awareness of energy efficiency before and then after?

Okay, right.

That's something we can think about for impact.

Yes, and I think you bring up a good point about um post-assessment surveys, you know, and maybe it's something where they have a QR code just right there and they just try to get the person to do it right off the spot within the thing, yeah.

But ask or handle the iPad.

Yeah, what's your knowledge like before you started?

Like, what is your knowledge of like how how aware are you of your energy efficiency at your homes?

How would you describe yourself novice to advance and then at the end and then the end, all right?

How are you feeling how comfortable?

That could be something simple, it's quick.

Yeah, that's a good that's a good point.

Could we have information that we average?

I don't think we get this sometimes.

You get total fair or good comparison.

Oh, the person, yeah.

If you could tell people that here's where you are now in case they haven't been noticing that, or if they're new and they haven't uh gotten their first bill yet.

Yeah, that's a huge motivator.

How do you compare it to the Joneses, right?

Yeah, that's motivator.

And then the other not related to any of the questions, but just a thought that I had is as we're going through the the toolkit, so it's pretty comprehensive.

Um, it would make a ton of sense for uh with a navigator, someone who knows this walking you through.

Um, but I do see a lot of opportunity potentially making it a much more um pared down version of it.

You could really turn it into more of an interactive like way for an average person to do a quick assessment um of their their homes and it and it can turn into you build this 15 questions and then it spits out here some things to consider.

Same process the navigator's going through, but as a future iteration or or to get more exposure to it.

Hey, it even could be like a 15 15 questions you answer, like want to learn more, um, have uh healthy home helper come join you.

So you're saying like a self-assessment first, not necessarily not in before this, but just like there's a lot of great content there that you could turn into a self-assessment, it could be online to find different ways to get more people beyond 200 people to do it.

There's a lot of breaks.

Yeah.

Um, I worked on a program like this in Fort Collins, and actually they've turned it into that.

Yeah, where now you because I looked at their website and it's different than it used to be.

And it's not just set up for an assessment.

It's it's a whole online thing.

And then it's like congratulations to our goals.

Yeah, they want to get to flatten out.

And maybe that is something for the future with the funding, you know, if if the yeah, just dependent on funding where it's a pair back.

Yeah.

Um, so do you plan is 300 kits that says 300 homes or 200 homes?

300 kits, and the goal of the difference between the kits and the consultations is that there could be a scenario where it's like an HOA or like a community uh like a neighborhood association meeting where we're bringing more kids, but we're not doing the assessments at every single hall.

And I I'm also considering um an option for a resident.

You know, I think we've we're just in this moment in Minnesota right now where there's a lot of just you know feeling of being unsafe, you know, and distrust of government and things like that.

And I think if if there were a scenario where someone is really interested in the kit or interested in being connected to resources but didn't want to meet at their home, I'm thinking that we need an option like that, you know, because ultimately the goal of this program is to reduce barriers and connect people with resources.

And so if we don't walk through the home and do all of that, I I think that that could also be an option for someone that might not be comfortable.

Would uh two of them something like that.

Or meet at the library or something like that, um, and go through the items in the kit but not be walking through some at the home.

Okay.

Or a virtual consultation or towards tech savvy, which might not be as good for the less tech savvy individuals, but for my generation, that wouldn't be a bad.

If I didn't want to leave my home or invite a stranger in, yeah, we can have a FaceTime conversation.

We can go look at the light bulbs, we can go check the smoke detectors.

Or you could drop it off on their porch and then you could have a virtual walking through it.

Like, what do I do with this?

How am I gonna check this out?

So that would be another option.

Yeah.

Um so you and I'm just trying to make sure the logistics make sense to me.

Um so the plan is May through December.

You're having people do it.

How many how many hours are they allowed to work, right?

And how many consultations?

Three four-hour shifts, and it would be two consultations in every four-hour shift.

So that'd be six per person per week.

Um, but then they're gonna be in groups of two to start.

So they're 12 per week to start.

I haven't done the math out on that.

I originally saw 648 slots, um, but then if they're in twos, then it would be less than that, obviously.

And that's not in twos the whole time, just that's but not in the beginning.

I yeah, and that's clear that was well more than covered then if you have people you have uh yeah, that there's there's definitely enough time to do all of it.

Yeah, that's why I was trying to figure out how much time and I think it'll be a pilot, it's a learning, you know, it's a learning lesson.

Yeah, it's not gonna be that efficient.

Uh, that was a very efficient like just an hour and a half, hour in between.

So we're gonna cap it an hour and a half, and it's gonna be like you're out the door after 90 minutes so that you have 30 minutes to get to your next one.

So you'd be doing two a day.

Yeah, okay.

Gotcha.

Okay, I think so, yeah.

Edward.

Um, I'm always concerned about uh training at the front end and uh walkthrough on the back end, or do we know if the uh how many hours of training are gonna be provided to yeah?

I would say the first, you know, all of April will be training.

Um every day is the so it'll be you know up to that third, so it's about 13 hours a week.

So I would say over two to three week period in April, then they'll move into assembling the kits and working towards that building science principle circuit.

13 hours a week or I haven't put it all together yet.

I mean, I'm still working on the the onboarding curriculum, but it's bringing in all the partners.

So there'll be utility day and and you know, bringing in all of the partners, and then they're working towards that prep for field work in May.

You said a pre-assessment will they uh we're gonna be interviewing the people who are interested, will they get uh something to understand you're gonna be expected to do X, Y, Z.

Yes, it's in the yep.

So that's all listed in the job description, and it is clear the um the time frames for the shifts, and then they'll need to select a shift.

You know, they can select three shifts, but but then they'll need to stick with that kind of um each week.

Yeah, because the last thing you want is crucial.

I know that's that's that's the thing I'm I'm already thinking about, and again, if I'm able to hire five or six, I would like to.

Yeah.

Um will they this maybe over the weeks, but when I was training people to do something like this, uh you pull up and you get out and you try to see as many of the sides of the home as you can.

They do that, they may be able to see other PVC pipes coming out of the basement wall.

So now they know that what their furnace is.

Um they then get an idea of what kind of uh glazing exposure they have.

Do they have uh good southern exposure?

Um or is it all tree block?

Um maybe good in the winter, but now you're having lots over you gain in the summer, not so good.

So rather than needing to wander through the house, you already know where their south and west exposures are like and then I have another one that's a big we have a couple minutes, so maybe we'll still have a minute to get it back.

Amy, uh I'm glad you brought part of them about safety.

Um I I'm thinking when I think of how many people don't even want to go out to the grocery store these days, uh, having a way for them to get something on their porch or just remember meeting at the library, trying to keep it under an hour so that if they're driving, they can kind of free parking, especially because you're not doing things Saturday and nights.

Any other suggestions on this that we could meet?

We could set up.

I mean, you could do like a coffee shop and you could maybe a church would be willing to partner with us.

Some recent United Methodists, uh they're pretty much they do everything.

And they have a huge parking lot too.

So that's easy for people to park.

Or ones that are communities that are further out so that you don't have to worry about the parking lot being uh rented out or community edge.

People who grow up always works for certain things.

Oh, people's I use that a lot for this and avoid going out into the expensive suburbs and stay where our or our people are.

Because asking people, you know, that may be working two jobs and barely pick by and well, you know, if you want to do it in Southeast, author in school does a lot of things for these immigrants, and we might have space to label that she do this soon too.

Um besides safety, I hope we have road training for the people that are going to somebody's house that never occurred to me before because you know, I think the visiting nurse comes to mothers involved, that kind of thing.

But I know the public health people as well.

So of course the probation agents always tell you never let anybody come between you and the door.

You never know, there might be somebody who's crazy or attack you in these houses and never take your shoes off.

So in case you have to get out of there.

Wait, I thought, what are you talking about?

You're so un so untrusting.

Well, you're gonna be untrusting.

You don't know who uh even if if you were going and offering the service, you don't know who is inviting you in, and they don't know either.

And so I think the people that are coming in with these kids should have some way to identify themselves.

So you're not a nice agent.

Right, a city badge.

I mean, if they're gonna be city employees, right?

They should have city identification.

Are you gonna be providing them with shoe covers?

I don't know.

I mean, I just maybe so maybe the point us.

We had those when I used to do the program so that we wouldn't have to take our shoes on.

Yeah, and the other question I just had was about how you're gonna market this.

Yeah, I mean, I it was easy for the visiting nurses in those days.

They used to be able that was published in the paper within your mothers were, and then they came out to your house, and how wonderful that was.

Not only did you get a bag of pre-stuff, but somebody told you where I never realized when I had my baby shared that there was free public health.

At least in Rochester, all the shots for babies for free if you have public health.

I would go I would say relying on the partners to help us get the word out is a big piece of it.

We'll be doing direct mailers in those census tracts.

Okay, um, and then maybe you know, we can talk about does it make sense to bring this back to maybe the main meeting or something like that and talk through additional the you know, we've done that before in these meetings where we're specifically talking about marketing.

I feel like there's a lot of info that I discovered, so maybe we'll come back and talk about marketing and comms for the program in the future.

Well, maybe something we could all think about is where our places so we did post flyers for the electrify everything.

Yeah, we have a list of places where we could put up flyers and those of you that weren't on the committee.

We took them and put them in Starbucks, or they can't put them in the NARDs and things like that, but also what community groups would be good for getting it out.

This, you know, some of the groups that that we know would benefit from this that are living in older homes, maybe renters that are renting the you know, these older homes, which is a lot of the rentals, you know, they they may not be out and about and you know, but they may have a community group or a restaurant or something.

You know, they they may not be out and about and you know, but they may have a community group or restaurant or something.

So you're targeting three specific census groups.

Um I would say we are yeah, targeting, but not um, you know, it's not like it's not open.

Yeah, yeah.

I would say, you know, sending up mailers and and just trying to make connections if there's any houses of worship in those license products, or there may be organized neighborhood associations or representable outposts.

I do have the neighborhood association list, and so I have all of the contacts and lots of people.

Are you they could be your call really big help for you?

Are your census they also build awards same?

No, census checks are um like the 2020 US census.

So we uh just saying, are those?

It's so one, two, and three are like okay.

This is Rochester, it's like downtown a little bit northwest of downtown and then southeast, like east side of south coast a little bit.

It's really like around the downtown corridor.

So it's Cut Street Park.

I think that's a little bit far west.

Yeah, I think you're right.

Southeast does have at least one neighborhood association, too.

Uh depending on how far south that we should go.

Yeah, we're actually so I think it overlaps a few different awards.

Yeah.

All right, any last thoughts?

In the interest of time, I think we I do it, but I can share later in the interest of time, which will find out.

And I will say, you know, I am still fully um developing this program.

So if you have any additional thoughts, you know, about any of the questions here or thoughts about the assessments or any of that, um, definitely reach out to me.

And we probably should, yeah, maybe continue to talk about this program as I move through the creation of it because truly this is like really the first big sustainability program that the sustainability division will end and operate in the community.

So I think it's an opportunity for all of us to you know really put our best foot forward and and support um its success.

Great.

Next I know five B.

This is just a brief update, right?

On the natural gas fee engagement.

Yes.

Um real quick update, and then we'll discuss.

Yep.

And so the discussion question for this one is how can SRC members best support community awareness and participate in the natural gas franchise fee engagement process.

And so just quick here, I'm gonna show the website.

So Rochester Mn.gov slash franchise fee is the website that we've created, and we are kind of in the midst of the community engagement for this project right now.

So we have both virtual and in-person um events and opportunities to gather feedback on the feed.

Um, so at each of these, you know, we kind of go through an overview of the project, the fee types, the fee um levels that we're kind of socializing and and um gathering feedback on, and then opportunities for people to engage with poster boards and things like that, um, and virtually through um a Mentimeter poll.

We also on this website here have um a link to um an online kind of version of the information that we're collecting at these virtual and in-person sessions.

So we've had one virtual community session.

We've had one in-person community listening session.

We have another virtual community listening session this Thursday, February 12th at 6 30 p.m.

So we were trying to cover lunchtime afternoon and now evening.

And then we added since we published the website and um published the overview document, um, another in-person community listening session on Thursday, February 26th at 4:30 um from 4:30 to 6:30 at the public library.

Um, just quick on the business side of things.

We had one business, uh, one in-person business community listening session and then one virtual both last week.

Um, but then I am you know very specifically talking with the chamber and presenting to the chamber board and things like that.

Um as far as outreach for this project, I have sent it out to um all different kinds of lists.

So chamber and a landlord and multi-family property owner lists serve um neighborhood association contacts from all of the neighborhood associations around town, as well as you know, sending to others and asking them to send out to their email lists.

And so um, I think you know, there has been quite a quite a few of the smaller group presentations that have been um requested or that I've you know developed connections and set up set up presentations for.

So I've done Kiwanas, I've done Rotary during League of Women Voters.

Um, yeah, I talked about chamber.

I did housing coalition this morning.

Um two five live has requested a presentation.

Um Sierra Claude would present to uh we're presenting to I'm presenting to youth commission in March.

So I think that's that'll be an interesting perspective.

Um yeah, so several different um initiatives and and ways that we've gotten the word out about the program so far.

Um, and I know Terry wanted to talk through kind of supporting the engagement.

Right.

So first off, I want to say that it's this commission has already done a really great job of supporting Kayla in this.

And I know two thirds, I just personally know, and I don't even know what everybody's done.

I know two thirds of you have already in some way participated, whether you know, attending or how you know, I know who I've seen at events, I know that people have sent feedback, and the consultants told me because I went to the student at the same one that they that it's an amazing level of support and engagement.

So that's really great.

So if we can keep that up, I know there's not a whole lot left, but everybody on the commission make sure that they um go in and do the community feedback form.

We are members of the community.

So to do that, but also to share it with your neighbors, your contacts.

I've put it on Facebook, I just put the jobs on Facebook.

Um it's shocking how many things people will put around.

It's great that the library, like the libraries put this out and different voices.

So what we can do to just make sure that that our job, I think, to help Kayla is to make sure that no one can say that that we didn't try to engage them and get their honest feedback.

So but but so far it's been great.

So it's okay.

Um surprised how few people knew of this.

For discussion.

Well, it is pretty new.

They keep mentioning a statute.

Is that a new statute in the state of Minnesota that allows for the franchise fees, or is that an old one that we're just now looking at?

Yeah, we're just now looking, we're just now considering it.

I think it's come up a few different times throughout the years in Rochester and been evaluated.

Um, but we've never moved forward with that.

So if you all can just keep supporting Kayla through this, we've just got a few more weeks of this.

So keep up the good work.

Could you send an email with this latest new uh input opportunity?

Yes, I can list uh it's actually listed in a packet under safety updates.

Okay, it is up there.

Yeah, it's not on the sheet um the overview document.

It's not on the overview document.

So you would go to the website staff updates and it's on the web sub website, but we can email it.

That's fine.

Because yeah, the only other there's one this Thursday at 6 30, that's virtual, that's for community, and then there's that last one.

So yes, we can send them a and the one that's on March 3rd, it's a Lincoln Pen Voters that's lunch with local leaders, and she's the local leader.

And so you bring your lunch and sit in the auditorium, the library, and it's from 12 until 1250.

So you can park for free.

Only if you're wrong.

Oh, it'd be nice to have people.

We it's open to the public, and we've been usually getting a couple city council members coming to these.

So come and we need positive people.

Let me tell you what I heard this morning.

The reaction was overwhelmingly negative.

And so I want to, I want all of us to know what the issues were so that we can have a response.

I mean, I was just blown away this morning at this housing group where you've got liberal like servitude and builder and banker, and everybody who spoke was extremely negative.

And they had the chance to put up the dots.

And I was, I thought, should I cheat and put up a whole bunch more?

It was all until I got up there to put my dots up and what you want.

Everybody said no change, no to everything.

And I think I expected that to some extent.

I mean, I think you go into a room and ask people, do you want a B documents?

I mean, raising money for low-income housing.

You would think they would be wanting to be raising money to help low-income homeowners, but here's here's what we heard, and we should have the answer to that.

Dave Leal, who does a lot of the neighborhood stuff.

He says it's not clear why you're doing this and what it's for.

And the city right now got us in, he mentioned got us into trouble with the sports.

Yeah, you know.

And where we voted for something we didn't know what we're getting and look what we got.

So I think we should have some specifics that we will do.

Um that we can say, here's what we do.

And who it will benefit.

Well, just they it was like it was too amorphous.

Then April Souter, who's also very liberal person, was talking about, oh, we just can't put any more money on these poor poor people's housing.

And I thought, hmm, both she and Dave Beale are nonprofit organizations who suddenly are going to be paying something because it's not a property tax.

This will be going to nonprofits.

Then somebody that I spoke who I think is on a school board somewhere.

Oh, this is going to not our school board, but he said the schools will have to be putting this on your taxes, what they're going to be paying, because we're going to be charging schools for so I think we should figure out what we think the schools would pay.

And the whole thing is a million dollars.

So you know, let's let's get real about what this is.

Um then there were um city and there was a county commissioner who didn't want to have the county have to pay for this kind of stuff.

There was somebody who said, look at how much our, I think this was people said how much RPU is gonna have to pay on their use of um of gas because we'd use the gas turbine, and that's all gonna be on our RPU bills all over.

I mean, we were feeling we were gonna be all paying these huge bills, and the whole thing is gonna raise a million dollars.

It's not going to be that much.

I mean, I think it's natural though to some extent, you know, and I don't think about it.

It wasn't natural to me.

So people that are so I've heard it.

Okay, well, then we you're hearing this from.

And I would say overall it's mixed.

You know, I think that was at one specific data point this morning.

Um, you know, and I think things can go like that, where it starts out with people being against it, anyone's gonna pile on.

Oh, yeah, it's just gonna get worse.

And what about this bad thing and not that thing?

I think the question around it's so like that is the direction.

So I don't have any regrets of anything that we've done.

We've gotten the word out, we've sent it to all these lists and these people and things like that.

Um, and you know, we've been asked by city council to have a broad conversation about this.

So to stand up there and say it will be used for this is not what I've been asked to do.

And so at the end of the day, that's not the conversation that we're we're having.

And I I tried to answer that question by saying, you know, if we're given direction to move forward with this, we would then have conversations with the community about revenue use.

And so I think people are I think it's natural for people to feel that way and and people to kind of get ahead of where we're at right now.

And I think people speak like this is for sure happening, but it's like it's it's we're really just gathering it for.

Well, after listening to today, I would say it's for sure not because the person sitting there taking all in was Patrick Keene, who's the swing boat on the city council.

But I think he's so and he was he came up to me afterwards and said, Well, we didn't expect that, did we?

I thought, okay, he's not a no vote.

But he was also at Green Drinks, yeah.

So he was also at Green Drake's final talked about the lane.

I don't know.

I feel like that phrase we'd expect that.

Did we could be taken either way?

I don't think that necessarily means he's against it.

I I think that I gotta read his mind.

Yeah, I can think it, yeah.

And I don't think one moment in time that's going to convince.

Okay, I'm saying that for the next ones, all of us should be ready for this kind of talk.

And oh my gosh, this is gonna media RPU bed goes up.

It means that what we have to pay for the schools and for their county taxes is gonna go away up.

And I mean, people were seeing big dollars.

So I think we need to emphasize the whole thing.

I mean, the people saying a million dollars are up there.

And the one, the two people that maybe miss, first of all, the RPU person undercutting you.

And I again, it was just a moment in time today.

And I think no, I was in a different one with the RMU person and they a different RPU person, and they could not have been more supportive.

Okay.

That's one of the at the business for it.

She was she's speaking for our you need to ask if this is so deleterious to really white 62 cities in Minnesota.

Joe Barter.

We actually have over 200 cities.

Even better.

That have gas parents.

I think we have to remember where we are right now.

I imagine a lot of people in that room are under the stress of everything that's happening right now in our society, particularly in Minnesota.

I mean, I was on a meeting with someone and I watched a woman break down in tears, like uh over something that had nothing to do with what we were talking about.

I watched another woman talk about how she couldn't leave her house.

And these were not people that are um so I do think that was this time so that when we are in these things, yes, we can say get a grip.

Well, we have an example.

Well, I think for me, the actually for me is making as tangible as possible, right?

So that people can understand and whether it's right.

Um what is million dollars?

Like what is a million dollars ball screen of things?

The budget for City Rochester is what's 700 million of which 400 of it is RPU, right?

Uh it's like it's a portion.

So we're talking, we start looking at like percentage of that, right?

It's not that much.

What can you do with million dollars?

What is I mean, it's two, like we're talking about $2 per month, which is less than what's on your horizon bill as a service charge, right?

So context is important for all of this.

But I do think like getting into like so what what does this mean to for Mayo?

What does this mean for the um public schools?

Like if we could maybe get this more tangible, like just so people can get some details on it, that might have perspective because should Steam be spending the same amount of money as the Mayo Clinic.

Probably not, right?

But there's but just so people can like A, we've been thinking about this.

I think that's important.

And and I shared this with Kayla after the business.

The other is like, what is the impact of this?

Right.

And if we can if it's everything, then it becomes A, it can't be everything dollars.

Um, but if it can if we can get more specific at some point, that would be fantastic.

And it may quite honestly, it might just be covering things like the programs that we just talked about, right?

That may be all as well.

And I think when we go back to council is when we would come with a recommendation on these things.

Okay now, it's asking the community.

Yeah, I actually think it's great that you're getting the newsletters and you're hearing what people are.

No, no, but that's the only way you can get ready.

You can't address a question that you've not heard actually, and if it's not an open and honest dialogue where you have found a way to find those people, because I haven't been in many meetings where that's happened where there's been questions, but they've been smaller groups more easily answered.

Yeah, but I think it's good.

So all right, but we all have our charge.

Make sure you go on and do the online thing.

Participate if you can.

Oh, and we'll say next month, basically the whole meeting is dedicated to this topic.

So this is not the end of the gas branch.

I see in March, we'll be talking about the project as a whole, and then you all will be working on your recommendation report to city council.

And just maybe one on scale is the fact I was excited to hear all of the different other organizations that you've been reaching out to because I think that was the thing the public basing stuff.

It's like all right, business, public, but where are the other types of demographics, communities that we're reaching out to?

So I mean, that's great, and that's gonna get a different another voice.

Yeah, you're doing a great job.

Thank you.

I feel so bad.

I'm uh I raised my hand and say, what's an average person?

No, it's just I do think it is important for to say things, right?

Because that is there is a pylon and these listening sessions can so part of it is like if it only takes one or two people to say positive things or to kind of frame it off like here's the answer.

That were kind of rebuttal, you know, and and again in those community meetings, we don't want it to just be an open dialogue.

That's what the boards are for.

And to some extent today, I think that um it would.

There was a lot of people just sharing their their thoughts openly, but it was a smaller group, and so it's like you know, I think that's the difference between a small group discussion and the official community listening session.

Uh right.

We're gonna keep moving.

We're getting a little behind.

So next should be hopefully very last thing, yeah.

Well, then we have our printed.

Yes, so I will do an introduction to this topic since um we haven't talked about the sustainability spotlight in a really long time.

I went back and looked when was the last time we had it on an SRC agenda, and I think it was like February of last year.

So they're there, probably several of you that have never um discussed this.

So let me bring up the over the and this one we are looking for.

Okay, so just quick to frame this up.

I'll present the overview of the sustainability associate, um, answer any questions, and then you can share your thoughts, and then the action at the end of this is to appoint SRC members to write at minimum the spring and summer sustainability um spotlight articles.

And if we want to um do the whole year, we could, but we do have quite a few people miss them.

So all right.

So the sustainability spotlight is a brief 300 to 500 word article written by an SRC member and edited by myself and and um our staff.

Um, and in and it will be included in the city's quarterly sustainability e newsletter, which is published at the first of each quarter.

So um January, April, July, and October.

So the next one will be coming out the first week.

Um it goes out to a list of community members that have registered for the e-newsletter.

One of the um silver lines of uh all these franchise meetings, even when we don't have your positive feedback, is that I'm shamelessly promoting the sustainability newsletter.

So we already include all of us sign up.

Yeah, we already put it in all the email, so they'll be getting our information whether they look it or not.

Um versive they might know what we're doing.

Yeah, well, I think it's good.

Um, so we actually have um it's been what just maybe a year and a half since we've started the e-newsletter, and I think we have 500 or more that have signed up.

So we're seeing it increase uh frequently.

Um so registration for the e newsletter can be found at Rochestermn.gov slash sustainability.

Also on your page of the website, we have a link to it, and then we do collect um sign-ups for this at events and and any time we're out in the community and presenting to Leadership Greater Rochester in the morning, and so you better believe it.

We're bringing the clipboard.

I love a good captive audience.

Um, so content for these sustainability spotlights, which you all write, are due to me on the 15th of the month prior.

So March 15th for the April um uh newsletter, June 15th for the July newsletter, September 15th for the October, December 15th for the January.

Um so then the content is reviewed and edited by us, and then um, and in accordance with city priorities and policies.

So if we need to to edit anything, we would do that.

So just some examples of of ideas.

Um, and you all of our previous sustained sustainability e newsletters are listed on the e-newsletter page of the website.

So you can go back and look at previous editions, kind of take a look at different topics that SRC members have written about in the past.

Um, but some examples include outdoor water use and water conservation programs or resources, benefits of electrifying your lawn equipment, connection to regional or state level sustainability initiatives, um, individual and decarbonization actions that people can take, youth climate action and ways to participate.

Um they passed your outcoming Minnesota climate legislation and how to participate in that process.

I think it was January of last year when you did the how to be allowed.

Yes, how to engage at the state legislature.

Yep.

Um nature-based climate solutions, so things like you know, regenerative agriculture, local food, carbon sequestration, compost, um, any local volunteer opportunities to how to kind of get involved with sustainability locally, and then um maybe something about RPU or MERC programs or rebates.

However, we do typically uh showcase an RPU um article as well.

So they're usually covered, and then we do just kind of try to keep it fun and light and seasonal.

So if it's the April edition, we try to you know make it something that might be more relevant.

Um flower planting.

Yeah, please.

And then typically it's like it'll be kind of a narrative and then connecting to a call to action and some other resources.

So you would connect to you know the Rochester Garden grant or the Blue Thumb program or something like that.

Do you want to add anything?

I know you wrote I wrote one too.

I wrote one, I adopted a dream.

So I wrote about adopting the dream because yeah, that's I did that one.

I've done it.

You then you can sort of get that it's not written in a first person perspective, it doesn't have your naval edit or anything like that.

But again, you find something that you care about, have to be passionate about by draining and the one across the street.

But again, it doesn't have to be huge, giant global.

If it's something that is something that anybody can do.

So it's um kind of leads off the newsletter, engages our commission members, gives people a chance to talk about something we're passionate about.

And we don't have to fill all the dates today, but we surely would like to fill the April one.

And the summer one the summer one, just so I don't have to put this on another agenda before.

I'm happy to do why business care about sustainability for April.

Oh, that'd be great.

Okay.

Um, I guess we should probably have a discussion first and then make a motion before I edit the document.

Um that that's one up.

That's an option.

Thank you.

Or do anyone wants to just throw out ideas that I can add to this list too?

We could do that.

This is just kind of an updates that I've selected ideas.

Some of these have been written already.

So I see the nature-based climate solutions.

That to me seems like a perfect one for spring coming out of the winter and going into how can we what can we do either at our home or in our community to help with things like that?

And you know, I think back to you know how I don't like lawns very much, and planting flowers is a great idea.

That's the kind of thing that I would consider writing about for the spring newsletter.

And wand legumes.

Do you do we know how many people might be doing that in Rochester?

Well, we have the Rochester Garden grants, which is specific to Rochester.

Because that now is it's crazy, but they had to make that legal because there's some challenges saying you have to have grass in front yard.

And so people that were like growing vegetables or flowers for getting knocked or docked.

Oh, yeah, so now a state law says you can grow late.

It's that's it's called laws to write rooms.

We're called back.

Right.

So if it's going ISIS says due to date in June.

So it'll go out in July.

Yes.

Yes.

Might not be a bad idea to shout out how can you deal with increased hot weather, especially for people who are older or maybe don't have good air conditioning in their homes.

I couldn't think about it later this fall, but I can see not bagging your room.

Leave the leaves.

I do like that one.

Yeah.

Okay.

So what I've heard is are did I hear you speak up for I can do the spring one.

Specifically be related to new growth opportunities for planting flowers or just trying to revitalize the environment generally.

Okay.

And I actually know someone who does like coordinated flower planting in Rochester.

So I might communicate with everyone and see if I can plug her.

The quote.

Yeah.

For the summer.

I think, yeah.

I mean, it's what 300 words?

300 to 500.

500.

I'm sorry.

That between and then we could do work in the fall, whichever is better.

But then the fall is probably about the leaves.

But Edward.

Would that work for you for what's the date in uh September 15th?

Is that would go out in October?

Yeah.

This remind me.

Okay.

Okay.

Can we get a motion?

We need to do the winter one as well.

Because it was only three out of the four.

Oh, we're missing three members of the commission too.

So we we just line them up.

They're not here.

That's usually how it goes, right?

We can also figure out later if we're talking like nine months from now.

Uh we can figure out who's gonna do the December next letter later.

I think we've got a title board.

Leave for the low.

All right.

Don't forget about it.

We brings up time.

Are we are we okay if we just do these three and then okay?

So get a motion to approve the um the three topics for the sustainability newsletters by our um ace steward and edward for the next three months.

Motion to approve.

Second.

All in favor?

Hi.

All right, great.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right.

Next is staff updates.

Okay.

Um part-time for the city and part-time for DMC.

And since this packet is published, she is also.

Oh, I have it in here.

Um she's also supporting her classes this year.

So it's kind of separately um working for some of her hours.

So she's kind of gonna be coordinating that event and leading it.

For us, she'll be supporting um on the data collection piece and some help with program development and coordination.

Um, we talked about this one too.

We're now accepting applications for four healthy homes and energy navigators through the end of February.

Um term limited roles, April through the end of the year, 13.5 hours per week.

So if you know anyone interested, share the job description.

Um the 2026 Earth Fest Expo will be held on Saturday, May 2nd.

We have decided on a date and time and location.

Saturday, May 2nd at St.

Mary's University at Cascade Meadow from 9 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

So same location as last year, but new location as of last year.

Um so SRC will discuss your participation and sponsorship for this event at an upcoming meeting.

Um and then March SRC meeting topics will be natural gas franchise fee.

We will come with a draft recommendation report um that the chair and vice chair will help to draft.

We'll come to you all, and then I'll present an overview of the project, probably similar to what you all have already seen.

Um we'll talk high level about feedback that we've been hearing.

Um I can't share, you know, specifics because you know, I think a good indicator, like we saw tonight.

The news, um, I think we've known this since last summer that the news is engaged with SRC and they come to these meetings, and we can't be sharing things here before city council sees them.

And yeah, you know, we can't have news articles about things.

When ultimately it's a city council um conversation in April.

Um, I am scheduled for cities.

Why can't we share with the C.

I just can't share any, like I can't share specifics before I go to City Council.

So we can't, I can't share specifics with you all about you know, survey results and things like that.

You could generally tell us how many people filled out the online thing, but give us a report on how I can tell you like, you know, I can get probably give a range of support and a range of feedback, but I I can't, I'm not gonna be getting into specifics because the end deliverable of this project is a recommendation report that we'll be then sharing with city council on Monday, April 13th.

Right.

And then what role in any does the commission play in giving up a letter?

And that should be prepared.

That's what you'll see at the next meeting.

We're gonna draft a letter for next month.

And then we all get to go through it, but we're not gonna have any of the insights from the discussion.

High level.

Yeah.

So I'll I'll and that's something that I'll talk with Aaron about and we'll think through the best way to present that information to you all so that you do have um you know enough information to you know have a useful discussion um on the topic, um, and then draft your recommendation to city council.

And I think we've talked too that the recommendation reports don't always have to be super specific.

Like it doesn't necessarily have to be we want it to be this dollar amount.

It could be more general.

Oftentimes it's just we at the SRC support this initiative, and we're city council to also support this initiative.

We value, you know, protections for renters or whatever it may be, whatever the discussion is, or or we value, you know, a partnership between you know a flat, you know, flat fee because it's easier for budgeting and you know, some situation where larger users are paying a little bit more.

Whatever you all decide as a majority that you would like to share in that recommendation report is is what we'll send to city council.

That'll also have to address the proportional support between city and community.

Yes.

And I think depending on you know the work that my team does between the March and April meeting.

There could be there could be a situation where you all draft if you want to have a more specific recommendation after the city council discussion at the study session in April, because this will need to go through a full public hearing process um with multiple readings and and um and all of that at city council.

So there may be opportunity to then draft a second letter as it moves through the process that could be like we support the stack recommendation of X dollar amount, but really we just don't know until after the study session if there if it's moving forward in that direction.

Because you're gonna expect some of the negative things you heard in your smaller meetings.

What we share at the city council, even though they're not supposed to talk about things that will be able to.

Yep.

So next month will be natural gas franchise fees and then 2026 events.

So basically just confirming your um uh partnership for best.

All right, and last but not least here, events and meetings.

Um we talked about the franchise fee events coming up.

Um Saturday, February 28th at 11:30 a.m.

I'm presenting at the Rochester Public Library Seed Library open house.

This is just sustainability overview and franchise fee.

Um kind of my my main presentation I've been doing lately, which is like these are our goals and these are our priorities, and how are we going to fund them?

Today I didn't have the time to do that whole presentation.

And I think that does give North Bringing to the They told me I had 20 minutes, so that's why I tried to keep it quite people were negative right about the band and then um Tuesday, March 3rd at 12 um is the public library sustainability presentation at the League of Women's.

And that's it for me.

So now we come into our time for commissioner comments.

Are there any commissioners that would like to make any comments?

So we're telling for those who asked whatever happened to the uh lighting display I showed.

Whatever is appropriate.

Yes, thank you.

Shada, and thank you for sending the instructions.

I was able to open them.

Okay, PDF.

And with all this LED light bulbs, it does help to explain to people what they are and why they're better and why they're better.

So I can imagine it'll be very useful.

Because it's interactive, and they're actually just twist dials, it has an impression of less.

And also you can plug other things into it up to a certain what level, so you can plug in table lamps or other other things that are what do they call the heart for going on land so it's it's quite versatile, and it's old, so um it's historic.

I was gonna say, so it's well made and not disposable, like so much of the technology right now.

So we don't find a lot of wooden displays anymore.

That's true.

So you're in good help, as I say.

Thank you for donating with I just wanted to all thank Kayla for having to stand up like she root today with all these people who know they are in charge, large and in charge.

I'm sure it is just awful hearing that.

And I thought I'm not really a number, so I'm just sitting here and I can't.

Oh, but these are people that I've interacted in other things, and I've never heard them be so mouthfully negative.

Um they are big on finding money for housing, and this is another helper to run housing.

And we should not see that when you're seeing how it's gonna affect their own little slice of the world and earned it, I guess.

That was mostly it.

People tend to fear what they don't know or understand.

So I think you're right.

If we provide very clear, like this is what we're gonna do with it.

And on the city web page, there is a list of like you know, plans for what the money may go to.

If we're able to list off some specifics, that's going to do a lot.

Building on that, because I was in one of the the in-person listing sessions.

I think if we're able to look at the cities that did adopt franchise fee and see how are they using the money, how do the communities feel about not only the franchise fee, but the way the money is spent and present that the next in-personal listening session?

I think that would go a long way.

What good benefits are coming from this where it's been adopted.

Yeah, and I would say in most places it is cost-share programs with the utility, and then you run into feedback from the utility like that.

So it's it's a challenge with the utilities.

You need to get a statement from the manager.

Yeah, you were so nice.

I'm just trying to help you out if the whole jerk.

We're not trying to duplicate, we're just writing our hands off.

Yeah.

Again, I'm gonna say I still think it's good that people voiced their their true feelings.

Here's just one interesting thing that came from a builder.

And he accused this project of stepping on the toes of the builders who are really doing a lot to do energy efficient.

And he said, you know, well, because they have to, but they've learned to it, and he said, why should the people that buy this new house have to help people in the crummy old houses that have to redo it?

And I thought, well, buddy, vote for the firms then, because then your great new houses aren't going to be paying anything compared to the little houses that need to be retrofitted.

But you know, he didn't.

They all voted for nothing, nothing, nothing.

Again, I think this is a tough time to be having this dialogue, right?

Is the the K-shaped economy is he's at the top end of the K-shaped economy, and a lot of you know I I share the concerns with people that are at the lower end of the K-shaped economy.

And talking a lot of, you know, I I share the concerns with people that are at the lower end of the K-shaped economy.

It's a serious issue.

People are not all in a good place, and nonprofits are bearing a lot of burden, and small businesses are really worrying.

And we had this discussion from the Kayla and I at least had this discussion, you know.

This is we are in challenging times in Minnesota, and some people are again, but the there's still a long process to go here.

And we will have opportunities.

Study set section.

So study sessions are open.

There is no public comment that a study session.

No, but I mean email we can all be learning.

We can all we are we are here as commissioners.

We are representing our city, you know, and um, and I think too many people think this is already being done like by RP or I thought it was done by the block rats, and of course, you cleared up for me.

It is I will say on the RC side of things that their rebates are very low, you know, their rebates don't move the needle, and so the whole thing is hardly, you don't need it through eight hours back.

And then they'll tell you, well, it's because we can only claim the energy.

We can only, it's like a dollar per KW savings.

Um that they that that you know they have a formula, and so that's why.

I mean, on their EV review, it's like twelve dollars or something.

It's a little more for events, they have a good one for heat bumps, yes.

So I mean, I think that that's that's the point on the RPU thing, but I'm not gonna stand up and have an argument with someone from RPU and a room of people.

So that's what even because you weren't there to argue, you were there to listen.

And you did a good job of things.

Exactly.

Yeah, and so you were listening too, and I would have argued, but I thought I didn't remember this.

I'm just an attendee, but I'm so curious.

Well, we have to have these conversations and learn.

So I mean, I know these people and other things, and I can't wait to knock down their ideas next time.

I see them.

I maybe share more information to clarify their concerns.

Yeah, oh yeah, you ever nice.

I'm looking for retribution.

Any other comments?

Any other mission?

Yeah, I mean it's for good.

Oh, right.

And I think we kind of started on that note too.

Okay, we'll start.

All right, uh motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn.

Yes, adjourned.

And we are doing telling your opponents.

I hope you're doing something fun.

I hope I fun travel.

Thank you.