Chair Amy Wolkowinsky called the meeting to order at 4:31 P.M.

Also Present: 
Nicole Antonopoulos, Sustainability Director 
Austin Aslan, Vice Mayor (online) 
Marisa Miller, Administrative Specialist 
Jenny Neimann, Climate Action Section Director 
Jenna Ortega, Climate Program Manager  
Katie Seals, Minute Taker 
Kenneth Shives
Jenny Neiman introduced Katie Seals, the new Minute Taker.

Chair Amy Wolkowinsky read the land acknowledgment.

No public comment given.

Commissioner Konkel motioned to approve the minutes. Commissioner Lammie seconded.  
All approved and the June minutes are approved.

Nicole Antonopoulos introduced the City of Flagstaff’s Land Acknowledgement. She shared that Rose Tahoe, the Indigenous Affairs Administrator, and she had begun the conversation of expanding the City of Flagstaff’s Land Acknowledgement statement to include four elements: Land, Water, Fire, and Air. 

Director Antonopoulos requested two volunteers from the Sustainability Commission to join the representatives from the Water Commission and the Indigenous Commission to attend external meetings to help develop a four elements Acknowledgement. Director Antonopoulos suggested that static statements can lose their meaning over time, and stated the current Land Acknowledgment has been in effect for a few years, so proposing an updated statement is appropriately timed. Nicole estimated this will be a ten-hour maximum commitment with support from Sustainability Office Staff. She asked that the proposal be brought to City Council by the Sustainability Commission.  
 
Vice Chair Metzger sought clarification on if the representatives of commissions will represent different elements, to which Director Antonopoulos clarified there will be representatives from the Water Commission and Indigenous Commission, but the City of Flagstaff does not have a Fire Commission or Land Commission. Vice Chair Metzger followed up by asking if the group of representatives from the commissions will be researching cultural perspectives of the four elements to create an addition to the current Land Acknowledgement. Director Antonopoulos replied that the proposed statement would replace the current Land Acknowledgment.  
 
Commissioner Lammie asked if the Land Acknowledgment is the statement read at all of the meetings at the City, to which Director Antonopoulos replied that it is supposed to be the same statement, but she could not confidently answer the question as she did not know if other commissions read the Land Acknowledgement. Commissioner Konkel asked what the framework will be to ensure successful conversation given the differences in perspectives on water between the City of Flagstaff and indigenous communities. Director Antonopoulos replied that she and Rose Tahoe discussed that question and agreed there is an opportunity for healing in that space. Vice Chair Metzger inquired how the writer of the current Land Acknowledgement feels about replacing the statement to which Director Antonopoulos replied the Indigenous Commission wrote the current statement.  
 
Chair Wolkowinsky inquired if there would be a commission leading this effort or if it would be a joint effort. Director Antonopoulos replied it will be a joint effort. Vice Chair Metzger asked if City Council knows about the change in the Land Acknowledgment Statement, to which Director Antonopoulos replied no.  
 
Commissioner Carlson commented that he loved the intent and energy behind this, but wanted to know where the action behind this will take place.  
 
Commissioner Lammie asked if there was a plan for the representatives to meet. Director Antonopoulos replied that there was no urgency for this, but the next step will be introducing the group through email.

Commissioner Lammie and Vice Chair Metzger volunteered to represent the Sustainability Commission.

Chair Wolkowinsky provided a high-level summary of Sustainability Commission Priorities, which were identified at the Sustainability Commission retreat in June 2025. The top three FY 25-26 priority projects the Commission chose to pursue are water pollution concerns, Tree City – USA, and Railroad impacts on public health. Through this session, Sustainability Staff included possible contacts or connections relevant to the projects for future action for the Commission. It was identified that the City of Flagstaff is a Tree City, so the action moving forward is to better advertise this to the public.  
 
Additional lower priority FY 25-26 projects identified were individual actions and outreach to support the Carbon Neutrality Plan and advocating for the City of Flagstaff’s growth to include more essential services to reduce travel.  
Commissioner Carlson clarified there were two perspectives on the City of Flagstaff’s growth, with the first on sourcing items locally and the other perspective on urban growth. 
 
Mrs. Neimann emphasized that the new priority projects identified do not fall directly within the Sustainability Division, so the Commission will have to take the lead and Sustainability Staff can support these efforts in limited ways. 
 
Mrs. Neiman established two action items: 

1. She will email the minutes from the June Commission meeting to Commissioners with links to both the priority work plan and the draft of priorities discussed.  

2. She will identify which Commissioners are the leads for the projects.  

• Commissioner Carlson agreed to lead the water pollution concerns project and the public health and railroads project. 
• Chair Wolkowinsky agreed to lead the Tree Cities – USA project.  

 
Vice Chair Metzger sought clarification that the Flagstaff Sustainability Grants are in a research and data collection phase for the next three years, so no changes to the grants are anticipated before then. Chair Wolkowisnky confirmed there will be no formal revision in that time frame. Commissioner Carlson proposed taking a resilient forest framework to the proposed Tree Cities – USA project, and Commissioners seemed to agree. Chair Wolkowinsky emphasized that these projects are an opportunity for leadership within the Sustainability Commission and leadership roles are not dependent on who proposed the project. She also suggested investing time in these projects outside of the Commission meeting. She noted that the next Sustainability Commission meeting will be held in the City Council’s chambers. 

Nicole Antonopoulos presented on the Sustainability Division’s funding. To start, she provided a summary of the Environmental Management Fee (EMF), which funds much of the work done by the Division. The "Sustainability Program, established in 2007, was put under “environmental management” (recycling education, indoor air quality management for city facilities, an environmental code compliance program, and a brownfield program) when it began. The rate was formerly a flat rate of $4.00 for every water meter. An equity issue was identified since multifamily units have a single water meter for an entire building (multiple households). An internal working group determined during the pandemic that the updated Environmental Management Fee would be based on consumption of water, trash, and recycling (those are the city’s only fee authorities). The restructured fee is determined by multiplying $0.035 by the service charges for water, reclaimed water, sewer, stormwater, trash and/or recycling services to create a flat fund balance to go towards the core services of the Sustainability Division. This fund has been essentially flat since 2007 until this fiscal year (because the consumption-based fee lowered revenue from single-family homes while raising it for multi-family), generating about $1.3 million for 2026. This is not enough to fully fund the Sustainability division, so there is heavy reliance on the City of Flagstaff’s general fund.  
 
In a response to questions, the Director stated that most staff roles are categorized as ongoing roles, except for two grant-based roles, so that funding is safe as it is included in the base budget.  
 
Director Nicole presented the 2025-2029 five-year plan. (a new five-year plan is developed every year). She provided a summary of the sources of funds, including revenues and transfers in (which act like internal pots of money). She then discussed the uses of funds, including expenditures, transfers out, and future uses. There will no longer be a transfer in from Solid Waste as their fund balance is not doing well. Since the General Fund is not doing well, her goal is to reduce reliance on this and other transfers-in (other than Beautification). In response to a question posed by Vice Chair Metzger with regard to grants, Mrs. Neimann said that what is shown in the plan is a placeholder for intended grant application amounts and but that there is no certainty that any amount of grant money will be awarded.  
 
Commissioner Born asked why there was not an increase in the rate percentage if it was known that the EMF was underfunded and if the rate could be increased, to which Ms. Antonopoulos replied that there would need to be a rate study, which would be initiated, and she elaborated that there are several divisions in front of Sustainability waiting to conduct a rate case and the process is lengthy. Commissioner Carlson brought up the increase in water rates from the last rate case, which Ms. Antonopoulos provided context for. Vice Chair Metzger asked if the amount of water in the area factored into the water rate, to which Ms. Antonopoulos stated she was not involved with that rate case and could not answer that question. Commissioner Lammie asked about volume-based pricing for trash, and the Director responded that the decision was made by the city to not utilize volumetric pricing.  
 
Recycling has been sold as a money-making endeavor despite it costing as much or more than trash disposal.   
 
This information was provided because future discussions on financial needs are informed by this background information, given the changing grant landscape. Commissioner Born asked if the growth in Flagstaff’s population would increase the Environmental Management Fund. Ms. Antonopoulos showed the projected growth in the fund through the future estimates in the five-year document. She remarked that the increase of around $300,000 is not as much as it might seem and can be spent in 6 months. 

Nicole Antonopoulos presented background information on the original Sustainability Commission Ordinance, the suggested updates by the working group to reflect the growth of the program into a Division and other changes, and the latest version approved by city legal staff.  
 
Ms. Antonopoulos highlighted the City Clerk’s Office removed seat numbers and barriers to representation. There was some confusion expressed regarding what had been removed by the legal team and what was removed by the working group, so: 

1. Director Antonopoulos stated she will email the different versions of the document to Commissioners: the version approved by the legal team, the original document of working group revisions.  
2. The Commission agreed to review the documents for discussion and possibly a vote at the next meeting. Nicole clarified that, if approved by the Commission, the update would go to vote at City Council.

One issue identified by the Legal team was that the working group’s suggestions allocated too much authority to the Sustainability Commission. Nicole stated that any adjustments made to the legal-approved version would have to be resubmitted to the legal team for review. Vice Chair Metzger suggested there is an opportunity to expand beyond the written statements in the active work the Sustainability Commission is executing. Mrs. Niemann will send the Sustainability Commission Authority document that was created by the working group and the Sustainability Commission Authority Document that was revised by the legal team to the Sustainability Commission. Nicole proposed reviewing the documents at the next Sustainability Commission meeting. Chair Wolkowinsky inquired if the Sustainability Commission is satisfied with the changes to the language the legal team made, and could the commission move forward with the document which Nicole replied that is possible.

Jenny Neiman presented on the Flagstaff Sustainability Grant Budget Allocation. She stated the total budget for the Flagstaff Sustainability Grants (FSG) is $75,000. Of this amount, $1,500 is set aside for translation services, the FSG Discovery Stroll (food and venue rental), community grant-reviewer stipends, and recipient signage. This leaves a total of $73,500 for grant awards.  

1. Commissioners agreed to setting aside $1,500 for these expenditures.

Jenny Neimann provided an update on the Carbon Neutrality Plan. She provided data and progress updates and the redesign of the plan. The goals and the strategies outlined in the current Carbon Neutrality Plan will remain the same in the redesign. She asked that the Commission provide suggestions in the next few months. 

1. Mrs. Neimann said she will send an email follow-up to the Sustainability Commission with this presentation.  

Mrs. Neimann identified digital accessibility concerns with the plan being one PDF document. Several methods will address this concern, such as including a Spanish translation, utilizing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, planning and designing concepts to improve clarity and create supporting documents, and lastly a reorganization of the plan. Mrs. Neimann encouraged the Commission to provide feedback. 
 
Regarding the “Opportunities for Action” section, Mrs. Neimann identified a need to add accountability to the actions in the appendix of the plan, as well as including implementation actions online to be updated by Sustainability staff as changes occur. These changes will be presented to City Council to continue to keep them informed through the process. 
 
There are upcoming community engagement opportunities: a Climate and Coffee event, open houses, and Council Adoption. Council expressed excitement for the proposed changes. 

Jenny Neimann presented on the June 2025 and July 2025 Monthly Reports from the Sustainability Division. She briefly highlighted the Green Business Boot Camp, The Climate Resilience Project, engagement, the Energy Upgrades for Healthy Homes Program, the Employee e-Bike and Scooter Fleet, The Watershed Cleanup Series, recent staffing changes, efforts in Community Resilience, equity and engagement, the Home Weatherization and Energy Rebate Program, Solar Resource Day, the Community Stewards Program, and the Elevate/Empower/Engage Program (E3). 

1. Mrs. Neimann brought up the City Council Working Calendar and encouraged Commissioners to monitor the agenda items. The Regional Plan will be covered in upcoming Planning and Zoning Commission meetings,and September and October will be busy for City Council.  
2. Mrs. Niemann said she will email out the Monthly reports as well as a link to the City Council Working Calendar to Commissioners.

The Sustainability Office is scheduled to present to City Council on September 16th about Zoning Codes and to ask Council for direction in their research. They will also present on September 23rd regarding micro mobility sharing. Director Antonopoulos will present on October 7th on a power purchase agreement. 
 
Nicole encouraged the Commission to stay informed on the current City Council Agenda and that there will be opportunities to discuss how to read the Agenda and to submit comments as individuals and not as Commissioners. 
 
Commissioner Born requested to review the City Council Agenda at meetings moving forward, to which Nicole and Chair Wolkowisnky agreed.  

The Flagstaff Sustainability Grant is now accepting applications. Mrs. Neimann extended thanks to Commissioner Konkel, Jenna Ortega, and Kenzie Marino for their help with the Flagstaff Sustainability Grant Workshop.  
 
Nicole Antonopoulos shared that the Sustainability Coordinator II position, formerly Tia Hatton Tenny’s position, had been filled.  
 
Commissioner Born shared that the Friends of Flagstaff’s Future has a speaker from Strong Towns, a nonprofit group advocating for community-centered towns, coming on September 4th to the East Flagstaff Library. 

1. Commissioner Born offered to send the flier to Mrs. Niemann for distribution. 

Vice Chair Metzger shared that Ash Davidson is presenting at Northern Arizona University (NAU) on environmental writing.  
 
Jenny Neimann encouraged the Commission to share information about the Flagstaff Sustainability Grant to their networks. The Flagstaff Sustainability Grant is accepting applications until September 30th, 2025.  

No future agenda items were requested other than the ones mentioned throughout the meeting: 

1. Provide CNP updates at the September and October meetings 

2. Add the review of the City Council Agenda as a regular moving forward 

Chair Wolkowinsky adjourned the meeting at 6:33 P.M.