MARSHFIELD ENDORSES PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY

SITUATION
Communities across Wisconsin face the challenge of providing for today’s needs without compromising the future. On March 24, 2006, the Common Council of the City of Marshfield authorized the creation of a committee to evaluate the ecomunicipality concept and how it could apply to government, businesses and residents in their community. The Sustainable Marshfield Committee (SMC) began meeting in June 2006; the committee was comprised of the Mayor, two Aldermen, seven city employees and thirteen business and citizen representatives from across the community. City Administrator Mike Brehm requested UW-Extension assistance in developing a work plan for the committee. The committee met approximately monthly from June 2006 to February 2007. 

RESPONSE
Mary Kluz (Marathon County) and Peter Manley (Wood County), Community Resource Development Educators, and Sherrie Gruder, SHWEC specialist, partnered to design a process by which the SMC could learn about community sustainability approaches and gather information about the priorities in their community.  Kluz led the group through the first round of mission statement development, which led to a clearer understanding of the charge given the committee and the interests of the representatives. In a following meeting, Kluz directed the group through small group inquiry to outline what they desired to create as a result of their work. Kluz and Manley also coached the group in an exercise exploring opportunities and challenges for Marshfield; as a result, the SMC created subcommittees around three focus areas. Subcommittees developed recommendations for city action concerning transportation, water quality/quantity and green building, then coordinated these into a Sustainable Marshfield Committee Report. Kluz provided support, including commuter data, to the transportation subcommittee. In early February 2007, the SMC voted to move the recommendation on to the Common Council.  SMC members presented their findings to the Common Council on February 27, 2007.

RESULTS/EVALUATION
At the February 27, 2007 meeting, the Marshfield Common Council passed a resolution 9-0 (one alderman was absent) endorsing four principles of sustainability developed by the American Planning Association, which seek to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and extracted underground materials, reduce dependence on manufactured substances which can accumulate in the environment, reduce dependence on activities that harm life-sustaining ecosystems and meet the hierarchy of present and future human needs fairly and efficiently. The Resolution also created a standing Sustainable Marshfield Committee to advise the Mayor and Common Council. This fall, the Common Council approved funds to continue city staff education around sustainable practices. Marshfield is building a second fire station, and has stipulated that the building meets LEED specifications. The SMC is evaluating a proposed natural gas power plant through the lens of the four principles of sustainability, and is considering dedicating a percentage of the power plant income to fund energy conservation. Marty Anderson, SMC Chair, reported that a resident responded to a local newspaper article regarding the power plant, encouraging the City to make a decision reflecting their status as an ecomunicipality. The SMC is also involved with the local library’s grant to develop a sustainability section of resources.

Mary Kluz, Community Resource Development Agent - 2007 Success Story

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