Call on City Council to incorporate sustainability into its Strategic Plan!
On Tuesday, November 16, Novato City Council will discuss updating its Strategic Plan. This is a critical opportunity to follow through on the Climate Emergency Resolution by embedding sustainability into the Plan. Our board has sent the below letter to City Council, the City Manager Adam McGill and Sustainability Coordinator Gretchen Schubeck. We encourage our members to do the same.
Dear Members of the City Council:
I understand that the Council is updating its Strategic Plan to identify priority projects for staff to pursue over the next two years. This is an ideal opportunity for the Council to follow through on its Climate Emergency Resolution adopted last November and on the policies and programs of the recently adopted General Plan which incorporates sustainability as one of its two highlighted themes.
The events of the past year with unprecedented drought, frequent wildfires and associated unhealthy air quality, and steadily increasing tidal levels demonstrate the severity of the climate challenges we face and the imperative for immediate actions at all levels of government. We appreciate the Council’s commitment to addressing greenhouse gas emissions in City operations, which constitute only 1% of our local emissions, but also believe the City needs to focus efforts on working with residents and businesses on reducing citywide emissions and improving community resilience. Embedding these objectives in the updated Strategic Plan must be a priority for the Council.
Respectfully,
Sustainable Novato
Stefana is a new member of the Novato community and attended her first board meeting before she finished unpacking the moving boxes. As a communications consultant, she regularly works with organizations addressing the health and equity impacts of the climate crisis. She is passionate about issues of environmental justice and working toward a healthier and more equitable future for everyone, and joined the board in the hopes of making an impact in her new home.