Maple Grove approves climate action plan contract unanimously
The Maple Grove City Council voted 5-0 on August 18 to hire the Great Plains Institute, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit, to develop a comprehensive Climate Action Plan that will guide the city's efforts to reduce emissions across transportation, buildings, and other sources.
The council's unanimous approval came after Sustainability Coordinator Kayla Kurtz recommended the Great Plains Institute following a competitive selection process that drew 14 proposals. The contract is funded by a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Kurtz emphasized that the institute's local presence and experience developing climate plans for other Minnesota cities—including Red Wing, Saint Paul, Northfield, Saint Louis Park, and Lauderdale—made it the ideal choice. "We want to be able to engage face to face with the consulting firm, and we want them to be familiar with what's going on in our area," Kurtz told the council.
The Climate Action Plan will build on the city's existing Energy Action Plan by taking a broader approach. While the Energy Action Plan focuses specifically on reducing energy-related emissions, the new plan will address all sources of emissions, from transportation to buildings to air quality. The plan will include a greenhouse gas inventory, climate vulnerability assessment, implementation strategy, and funding analysis.
The meeting also featured a presentation from Gwen Casey, a Minnesota Green Corps member who completed a nine-month service term in Robbinsdale. Casey detailed accomplishments across three areas: organics waste diversion, water quality improvements, and forestry. Her work included launching a new composting drop-off site that has diverted over 2,700 pounds of food scraps from landfills, restoring a rain garden near the water tower, and helping treat more than 150 ash trees against the invasive emerald ash borer. Council members expressed gratitude for her contributions, and Casey is moving on to serve with the Green Corps in Richfield.
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Votes (2)
Presentation from Minnesota Green Corps Member, Gwen Casey
Dissent: None
Gwen Casey presented the culmination of her nine-month term as a Green Corps member in Robbinsdale. She detailed projects across three main areas: organics waste diversion (including launching a new drop-off site, coordinating a Zero Waste Team for Whiz Bang Days, expanding curbside composting, and the Compost Giveback program), water quality improvements (restoring a rain garden, raising awareness for the Crystal Lake Flocculation plant, conducting water quality assessments, and organizing community cleanups), and forestry (planting trees, treating ash trees for emerald ash borer, updating GIS inventory, and removing invasive garlic mustard). Council members expressed profound gratitude for her extensive contributions and impact.
Award Climate Action Plan Contract
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown Council Member [00:33:05,970] · Seconded by Unknown Council Member [00:33:29,530]
Kayla Kurtz, Sustainability Coordinator, recommended awarding the Climate Action Plan contract to the Great Plains Institute (GPI), a nonpartisan, non-profit organization based in Minneapolis. She detailed the successful grant acquisition from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the robust Request for Proposals (RFP) process that drew 14 submissions. Key factors in GPI's selection included their mission to accelerate net-zero carbon emissions, extensive experience developing climate action plans for other local municipalities (e.g., Redwing, Saint Paul), previous positive collaborations with Robbinsdale, and a local team capable of face-to-face engagement and innovative community outreach strategies. The plan will include a greenhouse gas inventory, climate vulnerability assessment, implementation plan, and funding analysis, building on the existing Energy Action Plan.
Notable Quotes (6)
There are currently 64 registered users and as of last Thursday when I checked, we have gathered over £2,700 of food scraps so far to be composted and diverted away from the landfill.
And this program is really unique because it allows residents to see that full cycle of composting, because Dakota Prairie is the site that handles waste from Robbinsdale, residents can have the note be fulfilled knowing that it’s their exact food scraps that went into the compost that they can now add to their gardens...
So working on a three year rotation, Stefan treats all ash trees in the city for emerald ash borer and invasive beetle. And this summer I helped to treat over 150 ash trees, primarily helping out with the drilling plug setting and data entry. And just to give props to Stefan, this program has been really successful. Um, as not a single city Ash tree has been lost to EAB since citywide treatment began this spring.
I am here tonight to recommend the Great Plains Institute for Robbinsdale Climate Action Planning process. Um, and I’ll tell you a little bit more about the Great Plains Institute, also known as GPI. Um, they’re a nonpartisan, non-profit organization based here in Minneapolis. And their sole mission is to accelerate the transition to net zero carbon emissions.
So, um, that’s a huge plus that we were really looking for when we were reviewing these proposals is that we want to be able to engage face to face with the this consulting firm, and we want them to be familiar with what’s going on in our area.
Um, the we can think of the Energy Action plan as kind of a piece of the pie piece of the climate pie. So, um, the energy action plan, uh, specifically lays out actions for us to take as a city that will reduce our energy related emissions. Um, this climate plan will lay out actions for us to take to reduce all emissions from transportation to, uh, buildings to, um, like air particulate matter.
Ordinances & Resolutions (7)
Report detailing voucher disbursements, added as an other business item.
Specific community events approved as part of the consent agenda.
A city infrastructure project approved as part of the consent agenda.
A comprehensive plan to reduce emissions, including a greenhouse gas inventory, vulnerability assessment, implementation plan, and funding analysis.
Document soliciting bids from consulting firms for the Climate Action Plan project.
An existing city plan focused on reducing energy-related emissions, which will inform the broader Climate Action Plan.
Required budget to be set by September 15th, for which community feedback is being sought.
Source document
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Award of Climate Action Plan Contract
Administrative Reports and Community Updates
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