This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
On October 5, 2019, the Longmont City Council voted to pass a resolution declaring a climate emergency. Council also decided it was time to take immediate action to address the climate change crisis. They chose to form the Climate Action Task Force (CATF) to evaluate what should be done in coordination with other City of Longmont plans.
CATF received 53 applications. The selection committee made up of Lisa Knoblauch, sustainability program manager, David Hornbacher, director of electric services, and Councilmember Marcia Martin reviewed and recommended final applicants using an assessment tool (featured below).
The CATF petitioned council to expand the task force to include one additional staff member and two additional residents. According to Councilmember Marcia Martin, this grouping has unique qualities that would benefit the task force.
On Tuesday, December 3, City Staff asked council to approve two additional members to help with the workload and to ensure that the Climate Action Plan is implemented strategically with other climate action work happening in 2020. Council voted to add the additional members.
The CATF will be made up of the following:
- One City Council member: Marcia Martin
- Four staff members
- Sustainability: Lisa Knoblauch
- Longmont Power and Communications: Anne Lutz
- Planning: Blas Hernandez (building) and Phil Greenwald (transportation)
- Ten Longmont residents
- Karen Dike
- Alessandro Franchin
- Diana Gonzales
- Thomas Gregg
- Tyler Jones
- Michelle Mendieta
- Lynette McClain
- Silvana Munro
- Amy Schmidt
- Peter Wood
- Four community partners from:
- Business community: Del Rae Heiser, LDDA
- Education community: Laurel Mattrey, SVVSD
- Affordable housing community: Ocean Fredriksen, Boulder County Housing Authority
- Non-profit/human services community: Joni Lynch, OUR Center
- Two technical advisors (non-voting):
- Platte River Power Authority (PRPA): Andy Butcher
- Just Transition/climate justice: TBD
Council approved the addition of the extra members as well as the suggested member with six votes with Councilmember Susie Hidalgo-Fahring absent.
Martin proclaimed, "it really is a blue-ribbon panel and we really counldn't be happier."
Martin moved that the task force bring all their suggestions to council for approval and/or modification at the end of the 120 day process, which should begin on the first day of the meeting of the task force. Both motions were approved with six votes with Hidalgo-Fahring absent.
CATF suggested hiring a contractor for $50,000. This position would alleviate additional work on the Longmont City Staff by coordinating the efforts across City programs. Lisa Knoblauch, PWNR sustainability program manager, suggested that the proposed contractor would also coordinate all of the members of the committee as well as the meetings themselves to keep the task force moving in the proper direction.
No official motion was made on the hiring of a contractor for CATF.
CATF will begin meetings in December and is expected to have an initial report by early February. These efforts will be drafted into the Sustainability Plan, which will be updated in Fall of 2020.
