Austin Aslan, Vice Mayor (online) 

Tia Hatton-Tenny, Staff Liaison/Sustainability Coordinator 

Danae Presler, Climate Program Manager 

Steve Thompson, Sustainability Manager 

McKenna Hanson, Minute Taker 

A motion from Commissioner Meztger to approve the February minutes was made, seconded by Commissioner Lammie. 

1. Update on City Work – LASS/CAP or Regional Plan 

Danae Presler, Climate Program Manager, and Tia Hatton-Tenny, Staff Liaison/Sustainability Coordinator 

Ms. Presler and Ms. Hatton-Tenney informed the Commission that staff remained in the same phase of CAPP development as during the previous meeting. A streamlined presentation would be brought before the City Council. A Council retreat was scheduled for May 2 to review the first draft of the Regional Plan. Staff had been actively collecting comments, categorizing them by what could be quickly addressed and what required more time. 

 Commissioner Carlson asked about the timeline for the release of the revised draft. Commissioner Born inquired whether the changes were based on feedback received. Ms. Presler confirmed both the ongoing comment integration and the iterative nature of the updates. The Commission expected another check-in on this topic in April. 

Chair Wolkowinsky and Ms. Hatton-Tenney led a discussion on the Discovery Stroll, an upcoming engagement event. The event’s budget included a $200 venue rental, with approximately $500 allocated in total. Commissioners confirmed their attendance. Chair Wolkowinsky described the format as designed to encourage mingling and direct engagement. The event was also an opportunity to collaborate with Market of Dreams, which had previously applied for but not received a grant. 

Discussions included event logistics, including outreach, advertising, compostable materials, staff roles, and setup. Commissioner Metzger inquired about the booth format; Chair Wolkowinsky emphasized that the Commission’s role would be interactive and educational. 

Mr. Aslan, attending via Zoom, praised the event concept and recommended broader media outreach. He suggested that Ms. Hatton-Tenney work with Public Affairs Director Sarah Langley to create a press release and reach out beyond the Arizona Daily Sun. 

Commissioners discussed inviting friends, family, and community members. Commissioner Konkel asked if awardees could bring guests; Ms. Hatton-Tenney confirmed and discussed outreach strategy to boost engagement. Any further questions prior to the event would be directed to Ms. Hatton-Tenney. 

NSG Program Review and Recommendations 

Ms. Hatton-Tenney facilitated the continuation of January’s debrief of the NSG process. Survey responses from 25 past applicants highlighted the need for clearer and more transparent scoring criteria. Concerns were raised that applicants shaped responses based on perceived reviewer preferences. 

Suggestions from Commissioners included: 

• A more customizable rubric. 
• Opening the application process to more flexible budgets. 
• Adjusting the timeline to allow more thoughtful review. 

Chair Wolkowinsky proposed spreading the review process across multiple meetings, rather than rushing decisions in one session. Commissioner Metzger noted that some high-scoring applications were not read by all Commissioners, which may have contributed to inconsistencies. She advocated for more thorough review of those applications. 

Commissioner Born recommended that reviewers write short summaries for their top applications to inform fellow Commissioners. Commissioner Spurlock confirmed that the process should flag applications with scoring discrepancies for additional review. 

Commissioners debated whether to assign additional reviewers or reassign existing ones to resolve discrepancies. Commissioner Konkel proposed that all reviewers read the contested summaries. The Commission reached a general consensus to: 

• Submit scores the day before the review meeting. 
• Use existing reviewers to reexamine conflicting scores. 
• Keep a 10% discrepancy threshold. 

Commissioner Carlson suggested revising the rubric to minimize scoring variation and removing vague categories like "spirit of the grant." Commissioner Mezger emphasized the need for all Commissioners to review borderline applications. 

Ms. Hatton-Tenney shared a model application from Oregon’s “Rethink Waste” grant to illustrate improvements. Notable features included dropdown menus, targeted diversity questions, and a project timeline section. She noted a transition away from SurveyMonkey and discussed a new platform under development. 

Commissioners discussed separating the marginalized community-related questions from community partnership questions. Commissioner Lammie expressed concern about how responses would be scored. The Commission agreed to revisit this at a later date. Commissioner Born proposed aligning each rubric section with one distinct application question. 

Commissioner Carlson emphasized preserving questions about community collaborators while refining their placement. Ms. Hatton-Tenney offered to restructure sections for clarity and transparency. The discussion acknowledged that rubric transparency would reduce reviewer subjectivity. 

The Commission explored renaming the NSG program to encourage broader participation, particularly from businesses. Commissioners expressed concern that the term "neighborhood" implied a residential focus and discouraged applications from businesses that may otherwise qualify. Alternative names such as "Community Sustainability Grant" and "Flagstaff Sustainability Grant" were proposed. 

Commissioner Carlson asked how long the grant had carried the current name. Commissioner Konkel questioned whether the motivation behind the change stemmed from actual confusion among potential applicants. Ms. Hatton-Tenney explained that several businesses had previously misunderstood the eligibility due to the title. Commissioner Lammie noted that reframing the grant name to feel more accessible could encourage broader engagement, especially on issues that may otherwise feel overwhelming. 

Chair Wolkowinsky proposed gathering public feedback through a whiteboard activity at the Discovery Stroll. Commissioner Metzger suggested the prompt: "What would you do with this grant money to help save the planet?" to spark interest and inspire creative thinking. Commissioner Born recommended that Commissioners speak with business owners during the event to gather their impressions of the current name and what alternatives might resonate better. The Commission agreed that this informal outreach would be more fitting for the Discovery Stroll than the Earth Day tabling. 

Earth Day Planning and Tabling Strategy 

Mr. Thompson, Earth Day coordinator and Sustainability Manager, joined to share goals for the 2025 Earth Day Celebration. He encouraged interactive tabling and visual storytelling to spark curiosity. 

Ideas discussed: 

• Voting games using candy to gauge public sustainability priorities. 

• Informational posters showcasing neighborhood grants. 

• Highlighting broader initiatives like CAPP and the Regional Plan. 

Mr. Thompson emphasized the power of standalone activities and visuals to draw in participants and create entry points for deeper conversation. Commissioner Konkel and Chair Wolkowinsky supported prioritizing the NSG program while remaining open to explaining its relation to broader city goals.

For next steps, Chair Wolkowinsky proposed allocating time in the April meeting to: 

• Finalize Earth Day tabling activities. 

• Establish a Working Group to manage program revision and review strategies.

Commissioner Carlson recommended monthly sustainability updates to City Council. Ms. Hatton-Tenney noted that the Division currently offers biannual updates but supported reintroducing regular brief reports. 

Ms. Hatton-Tenney promoted the Innovate Green Competition, a pitch event for sustainability projects with a $30,000 prize. She encouraged Commissioners to share the opportunity with local entrepreneurs and community members, particularly those with ideas around water conservation, waste reduction, and carbon sequestration. She clarified that while businesses should be far enough along in their planning to effectively use the funding, student-led projects had successfully participated in the past.

Ms. Hatton-Tenney recommended that interested applicants reach out for guidance prior to applying to ensure alignment with the competition’s goals. The Commission recognized the opportunity as a valuable incentive for local innovation and outreach. 

Commissioner Born requested a discussion on LASS+CAP-related changes to the resource protection overlay. 

Commissioner Konkel asked about city-level support for businesses affected by federal climate policy shifts.