Council Member's Message

Environmental matters have been front and center on my Council schedule recently. I was pleased to attend Governor Dayton's Water Summit on February 27 and participate in this important discussion about the challenges we face in protecting and improving our water resources. This topic is central for me in a very local context, both as Chair of the City's Transportation and Public Works committee and as Board Chair of the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO), but it's important in a larger, statewide context as well, so I appreciated this opportunity to learn more. I would encourage others interested in this topic to visit the online forum component of the Summit at http://watersummit.ideascale.com/ to explore the topics discussed, make suggestions and ask questions.

The Ward One office also sponsored a recent community forum on the topic of recycling and the waste stream in conjunction with Eureka Recycling. We had a fascinating discussion with our panelists and a very engaged audience that highlighted ways in which our recycling processes could stimulate job growth. See more information about the forum below and on the Ward One website.

Lastly, I will be representing the City of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership at the 2016 Climate Leadership Conference in Seattle this month. This is a global conference that addresses issues of climate, sustainability and energy in terms of both policy and business solutions. I look forward to reporting back what I learn.