#1 Motion to approve proposed 2011 Sustainable Janesville Award ProgramMEMORANDUM
February 8, 2011
TO: City Council
FROM: Dan Swanson, Sustainable Janesville Committee Chair
SUBJECT: Creation of a “Sustainable Janesville” awards program
The Sustainable Janesville Committee proposes creation of an annual award program
for the purpose stated below:
The Sustainable Janesville Awards program will reward, recognize and
promote innovation and leadership in sustainability shown by businesses
and by individual citizens of the City of Janesville
The attached documents include more detail, but to summarize:
-This would be an annual award, given at an April City Council Meeting (to
coincide with Earth Week).
-Nominations are made by submitting a form which goes to the Sustainable
Janesville Committee
-Nominations are made to the Sustainable Janesville Committee by using a
very simple form
-The form is accessed through the city’s web site
-In the first year, the Committee will make the selections. In subsequent years,
a selection committee will be formed that includes two members of the
Sustainable Janesville Committee plus members from the community
-The award is actually given to the recipient by City Council in the form of a
proclamation.
-The award will be a plaque constructed of bamboo (a rapidly renewable
resource) and will commemorate the organization or individuals’ efforts
toward sustainability
This award will be one strong part of an overall effort to “spread the word” about
sustainability in our community.
Other parts of this public information campaign include:
-a committee commendation program (which is a less formal way to
recognize smaller but important accomplishments by individuals and
community groups)
-a press release program to spread the word about award winners and other
actions taking place in the city that foster sustainability
-a committee web page with information about the City’s efforts and
sustainability in general
-formation of a subcommittee for public awareness
City Manager Recommendation:
The City Manager recommends Council support for the “Sustainable Janesville
Awards” program.
Action that we request of Council:
We are asking for Council’s concurrence (and formal approval if appropriate) on the
Sustainable Janesville Committee’s annual “Sustainable Janesville Awards” program
as outlined on the following pages.
Daniel A Swanson
Chair, Sustainable Janesville Committee
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager
Al Hulick, Management Analyst
Sustainable Janesville Awards Program 2011
The Sustainable Janesville Awards program will reward, recognize and promote
innovation and leadership in sustainability shown by businesses and by individual
citizens of the City of Janesville. Recipients of this prestigious award will be recognized
by the President of the City Council as a Sustainability Leader and will receive a
plaque at the meeting of the Janesville City Council held closest to Earth Week.
Background:
On May 27, 2008, the City Council declared Janesville an “Eco-Municipality,” and
formally adopted these sustainability objectives as official municipal guiding policy:
Reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and extracted underground metals
and minerals.
Reducing dependence on chemicals and other manufactured substances
that can accumulate in nature.
Reducing dependence on activities that harm life-sustaining ecosystems.
Meeting the hierarchy of present and future human needs fairly and
efficiently.
Judging:
The Sustainable Janesville Committee will select one or more award winners from the
pool of nominees at the committee’s regular March meeting.
Any individual may nominate a Janesville Business or citizen who has demonstrated a
commitment to sustainability, has shown continuous improvement in their sustainability
efforts, or has shown achievement in a sustainability issue.
The following will be among the achievement areas considered:
Green Building
-
Education and Awareness
-
Renewable Energy or Energy Efficiency
-
Solid Waste Minimization & Recycling
-
Use of Renewable Resources
-
Vehicle Miles traveled, Fuel Consumption
-
Water Conservation
-
Environmental Policies in Place and in Practice.
-
Other Sustainability Issues
-
How to Make a Nomination:
A downloadable form is available on the City’s website. Fill the form out and submit to
the Sustainable Janesville Committee, in care of Al Hulick.
The Sustainable Janesville Committee will select one or more award winners from the
pool of nominees at the committee’s regular March meeting.
Please keep your response to questions to a 250 word maximum. Nominations will be
judged on their individual merits, but if possible, provide supporting information for
claims made, which can be submitted with a separate file attachment.
Form that is located at:
http://www.ci.janesville.wi.us/citysite/SustainableNominationForm.aspx