Looking for Mr. or Ms. Sustainability

Update 110210- we are scheduling a meeting with Deerfield to talk about sharing sustainability resources.
We have a sustainability plan...... We have dedicated revenue sources to pay for a sustainability person or firm. We know how other communities have tackled the issue of implementing their sustainability goals........ SO WHATS NEXT?

We had a great meeting with Oak Park, their City Manager, and Sustainability Coordinator trying to figure out how we were going to proceed.

The question here is what we are expecting for outcomes from this new hire compared to what others have gotten as the business as usual approach to sustainability. While most current sustainability folks have been focused on carbon footprints and energy use, I am looking for a strong environmental mission incorporating government reorganization that would reduce cost substantially. Payback in cash money to the citizens would be expected for anyone taking this job in my opinion.

I am sure many in government elected and hired would say I must get real unless I want to reduce the services dramatically and "gut" government from being able to do their job. I disagree...... I see many opportunities to share services, consolidate, and create many efficiencies that will create better and broader services for our citizens.

One point of controversy on this issue is, should our Sustainability Czar be locally based or regionally based? The Mayor and I disagree on this issue since I think Sustainability can better be achieved by regionally working together in a multi-community format. Deerfield, Highwood, Lake Forest, Glencoe, Northbrook, Lake County, and Cook County all have areas of common services to our citizens that might be better unified to cut costs and provide better quality. Being able to create a sustainability network over multi-governmental jurisdictions is essential for real movement. If the Mayor gets his way to hire another city employee to implement our sustainability plan, I will work with him to achieve the best outcomes. I did however suggest he try to contract this person out to other governments in Highland Park and neighboring communities to network and provide us revenue. He has agreed.

I have suggested that SWALCO(Solid Waste Agency of Lake County) of which I am the appointed director from Highland Park, be a central point to coordinate Lake County sustainability. To these goals our SWALCO Executive Director Walter Willis is examining managing a network with our 41 communities in Lake County which would also connect to our Cook County neighbors to achieve the best outcomes in efficiency for all our residents.

If SWALCO can work out a business model that will benefit the 41 community members in Lake County and provide needed funds to SWALCO for operations it will be a go. But for now we are in the learning phase trying to piece together different models that could benefit our citizens.

Stay Tuned......