Fort Collins Alliance Meeting 11-07-09

Fort Collins Sustainability Alliance Meeting

Nov 7, 2009

Meeting Outline

• Purpose of meeting• Objectives of meeting• Approach for meeting• Agenda• Participating Groups/Representatives• Creative Sessions Results• Agreements What Alliance will look like• Next Steps

Purpose of the meeting

Identify opportunitiesand ways to worktogether for thegreater good of ourcommunity whilefurthering eachgroup’s individualcause.

Meeting Objectives

• Co-Create a Sustainability Vision for Fort Collins

• Create an Alliance for a Sustainable Community

Meeting Approach

• Develop a better understanding about what each group is doing and what synergies exist.

• Can we develop a common definition and vision of a sustainable Fort Collins? What overlap exits?

• What are possible short term goals that we believe we can achieve in Fort Collins?

• What is the best way to structure ourselves to attain our tangible goals?– How can we best take advantage of our synergies

• Agree on specific next steps?

Agenda

08:00 am – 08:45 am Breakfast – Introduction – Kick-Off08:45 am - 10:30 am Group Presentations10:30 am – 11:00 am Break11:00 am - 12:00 am 1st Creative Session – Sustainability Vision12:00 pm - 01:00 pm Lunch Speaker (Philip, Vanna)01:00 pm - 02:00 pm 2nd Creative Session – Short-term Goals02:00 pm - 03:00 pm Summarize Outcome03:00 pm - 03-30 pm Break03:30 pm - 05:00 pm Discuss Alliance Framework 05:00 pm - 05:30 pm Summary and Next Steps05:30 pm Informal Gathering at Coopersmith’s

Participating Groups/Participants: • BeLocal NC: Gailmarie Kimmel• Center for Justice Peace and the Environment: Cheryl Distaso• Community for Sustainable Energy: Fred Kirsch, Andrew Shelton• Fort Collins Sustainability Group: Kevin Cross, Reiner Lomb, Phil Friedman• Green Collar Guild: Andrew Michler, Mark Benjamin• Open Communities Collective: Flora Teran• Public Transportation Action Group: Mike Devereaux, Yvonne-Ruth Longacre• Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope: Daniel Covey• Trees, Water and People: Lacey Gaechter

• Lunch Speakers – CSU Ethnic Studies: Philip Parnell, Vanna

• Facilitator: Bret Lessman• Catering: Luise Lomb

Creative SessionsResults

Synergies (1)

• Local Food Production– Community Garden– Good use of land– Create local markets– Grow more farmers

• Transportation– Busses, Bikes– Clean Technologies– Affordability– Improving accessibility for the disabled

Synergies (2)• Support and Develop Local Economy– Local employment– Foster micro businesses– Green Jobs – Empower people to work– Leverage local expertise– Training & Development

• Natural Resource and Land Use– Efficient use of natural resources (wind, water, land)– Reforestation– Affordable Housing

Synergies (3)• Social Equity– Accessibility to Services– Affordable Housing– Supporting low income people– Strategy of Inclusion

• Create and Sustain Community– Common Vision of sustainability– Fund Raising/Resources– Mobilizing Community– Developing and sharing expertise– Recruting new members

Synergies (4)• Clean Energy– Solar, Wind, Micro Hydro– Energy Efficiency

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions- Valuable Metric for sustainability

• Built Environment– Energy Efficiency – Affordable Housing– Employment– Improve accessibility for disabled

Synergies (5)• Democratizing Local Government – Outreach– Education– Collaborative Decision– Hold ourselves and decision makers accountable– Relationships with Local Decisions Makers– Giving people a voice– Democratic decision making– More empowered boards and commissions – Efficient Government– Professional Council

Core Elements of Sustainability• Transportation• Housing/Building• Efficient Resource Use• Education• Local Independence (Self Reliance)• Water• Economy/Employment• Good Governance• GHG Emissions• Long Term View• Social Equity • Local Food• Smart Growth• Reduce/Eliminate Fossil Fuel – Clean Energy• Reduce Solid Waste

Short Term Goals (1)

• Set up listening session following Village Earth Model (Participatory model) with Tres Colonias (OCC; Cheryl and Flora)

• Develop Education Program about sustainability• Discussion Sessions on Building Codes (GCG, CSE)• Develop sustainable economic model • Initiate second Climate Task Force on more aggressive GHG

Emission Goals (FCSG, Kevin)• Create City Sustainability Advisory Board (tbd)

Short Term Goals (2)• Create Community Garden (at Murphy Center) (Daniel)• Push to implement Transit Plan and dedicated funding (PTAG, CSE)• Set up trainings on power and privilege (CJPE, Daniel)• Establish program to train new farmers (BLNC)• Promote conversion of yards to gardens (Cheryl invite Group)• Push PRPA to support home energy efficiency (CSE)• Promote better Land Use• Study of Fort Collins Population versus Resources (TWP, Lacey)• Push development of more sustainable city master plan (Cheryl will

provide timeline at next meeting)

Organizational Structure/Framework (1)

• Develop and publish vision statement• Create Alliance Name and Brand• Announce existence of alliance• Set up communication and recruitment platform• Establish regular alliance meeting schedule and

venue• Prioritize and unite on selected issues/goals• Identify available resources, exterior linkages and

best practices

Organizational Structure/Framework (2)

• Create internships with the alliance• Develop Ways to communicate with Public

(Newsletter, Website, List Serve)• Establish Alliance internal communication• Establish accountability process for Alliance• Create sub-groups or networks with common

interests (but don’t duplicate what exists, e.g. in local food area)

• Invite likeminded groups

What will the Alliance look likeAgreement

What:• Groups Operating independently• Creating communication network supported by simple communication infrastructure• Wagon Wheel Model – Align dynamically on shared issues/interests (e.g. 2 or 3 groups deciding to

do something together on an issue)• Putting together some high level definition of what sustainability is • Common name for Alliance tbd: “xxxxxx Alliance for Sustainability”• Criteria for inviting other groups

– 3-5 Year Vision: open for other groups– During Year 1: adding new groups by consensus of the alliance members

• Become one stop shopping for people in the community interested in sustainability

How:• Simple Website as entry to websites of the groups in the Alliance• The Website should provide potential place for publication• Social Media Platform for Alliance internal communication• Establish meeting schedule

Next Steps• Document & Review Alliance Framework; Reiner• Draft vision of sustainability for review; Kevin• Facilitate Name Search; Gailmarie• Create Communication Platform – LinkedIn; Daniel

Next Meeting: Mid January Evening, 7-9pm; Owner: Daniel Location: Murphy Center

Meeting Objectives: - Adopt Vision - Agree on Alliance Name - Agree on Short Term Goals/Priorities- Owners of short term goals provide update- Agree on Meeting schedule and owners