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Record of Proceedings

Sustainability and Resiliency Commission Meeting - August 14, 2026

Boards and Commissions — Friday, August 14, 2026
BodyRochester, Minnesota
SessionBoards and Commissions
DateFriday, August 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:36:28

Original source
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0:02

Behind you is right.

0:05

Yeah.

0:06

I've never been in a room where it's all the clocks have the same time.

0:09

All right.

0:09

I'm gonna call this meeting to order the Rochester Minnesota Sustainability and Resiliency Commission for our August meeting.

0:17

Um we're gonna start with a roll call attendance.

0:21

Uh please indicate if you're here.

0:23

If you're not, don't uh Seth Barons.

0:26

Present.

0:27

Amy Cockett here.

0:28

Amanda Holloway, present Terry Kinsey here.

0:31

Uh Casey McQuaid is ill.

0:33

He will not be here today.

0:34

Edward Cohen.

0:36

Here.

0:36

Brian Morgan has indicated he's running a few minutes late.

0:40

We'll check him in when he gets here.

0:42

Liam Arroyo also was unable to attend today, correct?

0:46

All right.

0:46

And Stuart Race here.

0:48

Here.

0:48

All right.

0:48

Thank you very much.

0:50

Um in your packet, you have the minutes from the last meeting in July.

0:56

Are there any uh additions or corrections to the minutes?

1:02

Hearing none, can I get a motion to approve?

1:05

So second.

1:06

I mean, thanks.

1:08

All in favor.

1:09

I so that was um Amy and Amanda.

1:14

All right.

1:15

So next is our open comment period.

1:20

Uh we'll do the agenda after this.

1:22

Okay, sure.

1:23

Okay.

1:23

This is an opportunity for members of the public to provide comments to the commission.

1:28

The commission welcomes public input, but will not discuss or take action on comments received during the open comment period.

1:34

According to the advisory boards, committees and commission rules of procedure and operation.

1:38

Each speaker is limited to four minutes, and the open comment period is limited to 15 minutes total.

1:45

We have anyone looking to make comments today.

1:49

Okay.

1:50

And is anyone online while we're uh just Kristen?

1:54

Kristen, okay.

1:55

Would you like to come to the table so we make sure we can hear you?

1:58

We can hear what you yeah, wherever you'd like.

2:08

Okay.

2:09

So uh normally I have copies of the letters, I don't have one today in front of problems.

2:15

I did I do send these to Edwards so he can uh advance copy because I know we can't, so I don't think you're able to read these real time.

2:24

Um I have problems myself, but I'll do my best here.

2:29

Um so uh you feel free to email me or even inward if you want a copy of these letters about this particular letter.

2:39

I'll try to if I continue forward with these letters.

2:43

I'll I'll try to make extra copies like I have in the past.

2:46

This is my fifth, I believe, letter.

2:49

Um greetings, uh commission members.

2:52

My name is Mike Bagerstrom.

2:54

And I'm here to read your letter on behalf of the Dumbo Valley Autobot Society on July 27.

3:00

AALTD reported that Rochester is actively looking to increase the water supply.

3:06

Yep, water nearly doubled in August and July, presumably mostly to water turf grass.

3:14

Uh rather than building out double the peaking capacity, it would serve our residents well to instead focus on native plants that are well suited to our local climate and don't need uh additional city water to try.

3:29

Tonight we uh want to shift from what residents and businesses can do to what the city does uh on land that controls directly since many of these decisions are within the commission's reach.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Sustainability Initiatives██████████████████████22%
Public Engagement█████████████████17%
Active Transportation██████████████14%
Public Transportation█████████████13%
Procedural███████7%
Public Comment███████7%
Environmental Protection██████6%
Data Management████4%
Renewable Energy███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Sustainability and Resiliency Commission Meeting - August 14, 2026

Note: The agenda and minutes list the meeting date as August 12, 2026, but the instructions required using August 14, 2026. This summary follows the instructed date and notes the discrepancy.

The Rochester Sustainability and Resiliency Commission met to discuss transportation data reporting, sustainability pilot programs, and public comments on native plantings and energy rebates. The meeting included updates from city staff and public testimony from community organizations.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of July Meeting Minutes: Approved unanimously with 7 ayes, 2 absent (Casey McQuade, Brian M Morgan).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Mike Degerstrom, Zumbro Valley Audubon Society: Advocated for the city to adopt native plant standards on city-owned land (roadsides, building grounds, parks), citing examples from other cities and noting potential reductions in water use and maintenance costs.
  • Kristoffer Acuna, Sierra Club: Expressed support for the sustainability pilot programs stemming from the natural gas franchise fee discussions, encouraged continued advocacy, and suggested exploring a green bank model for clean energy financing.

Discussion Items

  • Mode Shift and TDM (Transportation Demand Management) Data and Reporting Update: Matt Lynch, city mode shift coordinator, presented a proposed annual multimodal report using observed data from counters and shared micromobility. He distinguished between mode shift (outcome) and TDM (strategies). Commission feedback included:
    • Need to align reporting years with other city departments.
    • Importance of qualitative data (focus groups, storytelling) alongside quantitative metrics.
    • Considerations for weather, shade, bike parking, and workplace policies as barriers to active transportation.
    • Coordination with other commissions and a city council study session scheduled for September 28.
  • Sustainability Pilot Programs Update: Staff reviewed the development of two pilot programs using $100,000 in council contingency funding: $75,000 for RPU residential rebates (plug-in solar, battery storage, air sealing/insulation, electric panel upgrade) and $25,000 to enhance the existing Building Community Grant (environmental stewardship focus). The funding request will go to city council on August 17. Commissioners discussed the challenge of spreading limited funds across multiple categories and suggested emphasizing potential to be the first city ready for plug-in solar rebates in the state.

Key Outcomes

  • The commission approved the consent calendar and modified the agenda order to hear new business first.
  • No formal votes were taken on the mode shift report or pilot programs (information items only).
  • Staff noted that a Green Corps member starting in September will address native planting and stormwater issues, partially responding to public comments.
  • Future meetings will include a dedicated session on RPU's resource plan update (September).

Commissioner Comments

  • Members discussed the impact of the upcoming mayoral election on commission appointments and expressed interest in drafting a formal recommendation on native plant standards based on public testimony.

Meeting Transcript

Behind you is right. Yeah. I've never been in a room where it's all the clocks have the same time. All right. I'm gonna call this meeting to order the Rochester Minnesota Sustainability and Resiliency Commission for our August meeting. Um we're gonna start with a roll call attendance. Uh please indicate if you're here. If you're not, don't uh Seth Barons. Present. Amy Cockett here. Amanda Holloway, present Terry Kinsey here. Uh Casey McQuaid is ill. He will not be here today. Edward Cohen. Here. Brian Morgan has indicated he's running a few minutes late. We'll check him in when he gets here. Liam Arroyo also was unable to attend today, correct? All right. And Stuart Race here. Here. All right. Thank you very much. Um in your packet, you have the minutes from the last meeting in July. Are there any uh additions or corrections to the minutes? Hearing none, can I get a motion to approve? So second. I mean, thanks. All in favor. I so that was um Amy and Amanda. All right. So next is our open comment period. Uh we'll do the agenda after this. Okay, sure. Okay. This is an opportunity for members of the public to provide comments to the commission. The commission welcomes public input, but will not discuss or take action on comments received during the open comment period. According to the advisory boards, committees and commission rules of procedure and operation. Each speaker is limited to four minutes, and the open comment period is limited to 15 minutes total. We have anyone looking to make comments today. Okay. And is anyone online while we're uh just Kristen? Kristen, okay. Would you like to come to the table so we make sure we can hear you? We can hear what you yeah, wherever you'd like. Okay. So uh normally I have copies of the letters, I don't have one today in front of problems. I did I do send these to Edwards so he can uh advance copy because I know we can't, so I don't think you're able to read these real time. Um I have problems myself, but I'll do my best here. Um so uh you feel free to email me or even inward if you want a copy of these letters about this particular letter.

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