REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approve the Fiscal Year 2022/23 Sustainability Speaker Series
Report
BACKGROUND
In June 2016, City Council approved Budget Supplement No. 7 (Attachment 1) to create a Sustainability Speaker Series (hereafter “Series”). The Supplement provided $25,000 annually for five years, from FY 2016/17 through FY 2020/21. The funding supported the implementation of two to four events each year. Beginning in FY 2021/22, the Sustainability Speaker Series was funded through the operating budget for the Environmental Sustainability Program in the Environmental Services Department. The adopted budget for FY 2022/23 includes $25,000 for the Speaker Series implementation.
The Series is led by a Subcommittee of the Sustainability Commission consisting of Commissioners Veitch, Pistone, and Wang, which proposes the topics and identifies potential speakers. City Council approves the Series topics. Staff provides logistical support for implementing the events.
The FY 2021/22 Sustainability Speaker Series was approved by Council on February 23, 2021 (RTC No. 21-0155) and included three topics:
1. Home Electrification. This Old Zero-Emission House: Climate Retrofits on a Limited Budget (Seam Armstrong, Managing Principal of Redwood Energy), February 2022
2. Consumption Emissions. The Emissions that You Purchase: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint (Chris Jones, Director of the CoolClimate Network), March 2022
3. Health and Adaptation. A Changing Climate: Through the Lens of Equity and Resiliency (Violet Saena, Founder and Executive Director of Climate Resilient Communities), June 2022
EXISTING POLICY
Implementing the Sustainability Speaker Series is included as Move 5.D of the 46 “Next Moves” (specific actions) in the City’s Climate Action Playbook (CAP), adopted in August 2019.
This Series is also aligned with the Sustainability Commission’s duties, per City Council Policy 7.2.19, which include advising the Council on ways to drive community awareness, education and participation in best practices.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
DISCUSSION
At the June 20, 2022, Sustainability Commission meeting, the Subcommittee presented a proposal for the FY 2022/23 Sustainability Speaker Series. The Commission prioritized the seven proposed topics with the understanding that up to four events will be implemented.
The Commission prioritized topics in the following order (Attachment 2):
1. Induction Cooking
2. Community-based Agriculture
3. Sustainable and Equitable Agriculture
4. School Districts, Food and Sustainability
5. Food Recovery
6. Food Systems and Climate Resilience
7. Regenerative Aquaculture
The Commission voted unanimously to forward the FY 2022/23 Sustainability Speaker Series Proposal to Council for review and approval (Attachment 3).
FISCAL IMPACT
Costs for the series vary depending on whether the series is held virtually or in person. It remains to be determined if these events will be held in a virtual or in-person setting which could result in differences in how the budget is spent. Typical costs incurred for in-person events include fees for travel costs, refreshments, and staff time for set-up and take-down of event space. Virtual and in-person events both incur costs for staff time to organize and host, advertising, and speaker fees.
Funding of $25,000 for the Series is provided in the Operating Budget for Program 14900 - Environmental Sustainability, which is funded by the General Fund.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Public Library, Senior Center, Community Center and in the Department of Public Safety Lobby. In addition, the agenda and report are available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, Office of the City Clerk, and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Approve the FY 2022/23 Sustainability Speaker Series topics as proposed by the Sustainability Commission, with the provision that the implementation of up to four events will be contingent on speaker availability, staffing resources, and available budget. Staff has collaborated with the Subcommittee during the development of the proposed Series and generally supports the topics selected.
Staff
Prepared by: Madeline Willett, Environmental Programs Manager
Reviewed by: Melody Tovar, Regulatory Programs Division Manager
Reviewed by: Ramana Chinnakotla, Director, Environmental Services Department
Reviewed by: John Nagel, City Attorney
Reviewed by: Jaqui Guzmán, Deputy City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Budget Supplement No. 7
2. FY 2022/23 Sustainability Speaker Series Proposal Report from the Sustainability Commission
3. Excerpt from the final June 20, 2022, Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes