City Committed to Sustainability

In the spring of 2008, the City Council passed a resolution authorizing the City’s membership in ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), establishing the City as a partner in the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign. Through this resolution the City pledged to take a leadership role in promoting public awareness about the causes and affects of climate change and sustainability in order to reduce both greenhouse gas and air pollution throughout the community. The City also pledged to promote sustainable development and to work cooperatively with a local organization, Cool Mac, to promote sustainability education and practices within the City organization and the broader community at large.

In June of 2008, under the direction of City Manager Kent Taylor, an employee committee headed by Associate Planner Lucy Falcy was formed to further meet the City’s sustainability goals. The committee is comprised of representatives from nearly every city department as well as representatives from McMinnville Water & Light and Cool Mac. As defined by the Sustainability Committee, sustainability is considered to be the "using, developing, and protecting of resources at a rate and in a manner that enables people to meet their current needs and also provides that future generations can meet their own needs. Sustainability requires simultaneously meeting environmental, economic, and community needs."

In the fall of the same year, the City Council and staff developed a sustainability action plan covering 20 short-term and long-term action items. The sustainability action plan was published in May 2009. Since that time the City has enhanced its web site with a full sustainability section, conducted and published the City’s first greenhouse inventory, and began publishing the City’s ‘Truly Green’ employee newsletter, with the initial newsletter having a focus of "Getting Green at Work."

In June and July last year the City Council and key management staff participated in multiple training sessions which culminated in the City Council’s passing Resolution 2009-45. It established the definitions and principles that will guide sustainability efforts specific to internal City of McMinnville operations. With the passage of this resolution, the City recognizes its responsibility to develop and implement decision-making models that seek to balance long-term economic, environmental, and socially responsibility factors as a means of conserving natural resources for future generations; to practice and promote sustainability activities that increase efficiency and use of renewable resources that decrease pollution, waste, and energy use, and recognizes and celebrates successes in making McMinnville more sustainable.

Your Council, management staff, and myself, are committed to ensuring the City does our part to maintain life "McMinnville Style." If you would like additional information on the City's Sustainability Program, please contact Lucy Falcy at lucy.falcy@ci.mcminnville.or.us or the Planning Department at 503.474.7311, or access the City of McMinnville's Sustainability Program information on the web. 

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