Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 02/03/2014

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Environmental Policy Board (EPB) 5. 3. Meeting Date: 02/03/2014 By: Chris Anderson, Community Development Title: Community Stewardship Recognition Program Information Purpose /Background: The purpose of this case is to further discuss the concept of a Community Stewardship recognition program. Stewardship refers to proper and careful management of something considered worthy of caring for and preserving, which would certainly include natural resources. A Community Stewardship recognition program would acknowledge citizen, civic, and business activities and efforts that in some way enhance our natural environment and may help inspire others to take action as well. Staff would recommend an ongoing recognition program rather than an annual recognition. This approach would allow the City to respond and acknowledge efforts and contributions as they occur. This may also resonate more with the person(s) being recognized rather than the recognition coming at some future time. With that in mind, Staff also would encourage a tiered recognition program. While the structure of a possible tiered recognition program have not been developed, the general vision would be to identify actions that may merit recognition by the EPB, the Park & Recreation Commission, by both, or by City Council. Projects or actions worthy of recognition could be identify by the City but also by suggestion /recommendation of the public (development of a basic form could be completed that would provide the City with information such as the names of individuals that participated, what the intent of the action /project was, and how it was accomplished). As was requested, Staff did reach out to a couple communities to see what criteria/provisions they had in place for their recognition programs. Note that these communities have general volunteer recogntion programs which is more general than recognizing community stewardship efforts. Nonetheless, attached to this case is the information /responses that were received. Once a framework is in place for a recognition program, Staff would encourage a joint meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission to review and discuss the concept and finalize details. Action: Based on discussion. City of Plymouth Response City of Elk River Application Attachments Form Review Inbox Reviewed By Date Chris Anderson (Originator) Chris Anderson 01/31/2014 02:28 PM Form Started By: Chris Anderson Started On: 01/21/2014 11:17 AM Final Approval Date: 01/31/2014