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An Ordinance Approving a Budget Amendment to Allow Village Co-Sponsorship of the GreenTown Conference in the Amount of $20,000 and Directing Staff to Prepare the Necessary Agreement
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Introduction
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An Ordinance to approve a budget amendment to provide funding to sponsor the 2027 GreenTown Conference in Oak Park.
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Recommended Action
Adopt the Ordinance.
Prior Board Action
The Board has taken the following prior action(s):
• On May 16, 2022 the Village Board approved Ordinance 22-46 to approve a budget amendment of $20,000 for the Co-Sponsorship of the GreenTown Conference which occurred at Triton College in River Grove, IL on June 22, 2023.
Background
President Scaman has requested that this sponsorship opportunity for ‘GreenTown’ come before the Board for discussion and approval. GreenTown is a conference on sustainable development co-produced by its founding member organizations, ‘Seven Generations Ahead’ and ‘a5 Branding & Digital’. The desired sponsorship level is the “Lead Community Sponsor.” This sponsorship level includes a welcome address by President Scaman, primary listing as the host community sponsor, identification as a sponsor in programs, signage, and marketing, and a seat on the core planning team.
Originally hosted in Oak Park, GreenTown conferences have been held since 2007, moving to new locations each year. The conference has been hosted by communities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.
The purpose of the conference is to serve as a catalyst for sustainability planning and implementation. Past conferences consisted of expert guest speakers, case studies, and group discussions with a focus on identifying actionable steps towards making healthy, sustainable, and vibrant communities.
The proposed date of the GreenTown Conference will be February 2027. This item relates to the CROP “Climate Plan Implementation” Goal #2: Activate Community.
Timing Considerations
Committing now to sponsorship of the event will aid in conference planning process.
Financial Impact
A New Funding Budget Amendment is requested from the Sustainability fund balance to the Climate Plan Administration Account - GL# 2310.41020.101.570860.0000.
Operations Impact
Village Staff from the Office of Sustainability and Resiliency are participating in the GreenTown planning team. Initially the time commitment is approximately one hour a month. Closer to the event Staff anticipate spending 5-10 hours per month on event planning and attendance.
DEI Impact
There is no DEI impact associated with this item.
Community Input
There has been no community input given in relation to this item.
Staff Recommendation
Adopt the Ordinance and Sponsor the GreenTown conference at the Lead Community Sponsor Level.
Advantages:
• Support of an event that meets CROP and Board goals related to partnerships.
• The Village will receive recognition as a sponsor.
Disadvantages:
• Sponsorship will use resources from the Sustainability Fund.
Alternatives
Alternative 1:
The Board can request additional information on and consider lower levels of sponsorship.
Advantages:
• This action allows the Village to support the event at a lower cost.
Disadvantages:
• Lower levels will not support the event at historic levels.
• Sponsorship may not come with the full suite of benefits as the Lead Community level.
Alternative 2:
The Board can reject the ordinance.
Advantages:
• This action conserves resources from the Sustainability Fund that can be put towards different uses.
Disadvantages:
• The Village will not be supporting the event and meeting its partnership goals.
Anticipated Future Actions
Staff will serve on the event planning team and attend the event. Staff will also work with the event organizers to provide a report to the Board on event outcomes after the fact.
Prepared By: Lindsey Roland Nieratka, Chief Sustainability Officer
Reviewed By: Jack Malec, Assistant to the Village Manager
Approved By: Kevin J. Jackson, Village Manager
Attachment(s):
1. Ordinance
2. Budget Amendment