City Hall  
City of La Crosse, Wisconsin  
400 La Crosse Street  
La Crosse, WI 54601  
Meeting Minutes  
Climate Action Plan Steering Committee  
Monday, December 9, 2024  
4:30 PM  
Eagle Room  
This meeting will also be conducted through video conferencing.  
Join Zoom Meeting:  
https://cityoflacrosse-org.zoom.us/j/89556262687?pwd=TmzYMQRWEj7sOuWitzv04sLbpMOYp5.1  
Meeting ID: 895 5626 2687 Passcode: 102161  
Join by Phone: +1-507-473-4847  
Call to Order  
Mindel called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.  
Roll Call  
4 - Andrew Ericson, Casey Meehan, Dorothy Lenard,Mackenzie Mindel  
2 - Natalie Heneghan,Stephanie Hanna  
1 - Adam Jacobson  
Present:  
Excused:  
Absent:  
Approval of Minutes  
A motion was made by Lenard, seconded by Meehan, that the be APPROVED  
Approval of Minutes. The motion carried by the following vote:  
Notices and Discussion  
Agenda Items:  
Request for Funding Assistance for Lighting Retrofits at Black River Beach  
Neighborhood Center - Jim Flottmeyer  
24-1460  
1
Attachments:  
Cost Estimate  
CAPSC Budget (Dec 24 Update)  
The CAPSC had referred action for 30 days so staff could share the budget. Jim  
Flottmeyer spoke about the building's history, existing conditions, and recent lighting  
audit. The lighting audit revealed exterior lights were not retrofitted to LED. Kish  
estimates a cost up to $5,164. Of ~$100k remaining, ~$38k is flexible to be spent on  
this project. This project was brought to the board because the energy saving  
performance contract did not cover external lights. Staff clarified additional wall pack  
included as an optional product for security. Staff reported that there is money in the  
budget for this project due to projects being delayed or not needing funding.  
A motion was made by Lenard, seconded by Meehan, that this Request be  
APPROVED . The motion carried by voice vote.  
Request to Fund Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for  
Cities Certification Fees - Mindel  
24-1467  
24-0067  
2
3
Since Mindel would have to recuse herself and there would no longer be a quorum, she  
postponed this item until the next meeting.  
Outreach & Engagement Update  
Bright Action (BA) connected with Unitarian Universalist and Habitat for Humanity, and  
are awaiting response from School District. They are proposing a trusted leader  
messaging campaign on some action(s), i.e., heat pumps. Who has a heat pump, or  
who is planning on getting a heat pump? How do we get people who aren’t  
already showing up? Who are the right people to talk to about this? They are  
developing bus ad/poster campaign. Staff is reviewing acknowledgement program  
ideas. Ericson supported the bus ad campaign. While BA is not for businesses,  
employees (and students) can use it.</div>  
Paul Nicholas helped with the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) event, which attracted 42  
attendees and 3 reporters. He is finalizing blog post and will send out the newsletter.  
Meta will not let Nicholas post on Instagram, so the drawing for the lunch with the  
mayor is on hold. Johnson Controls is adding a quote to the measurement &amp;  
verification post. Staff and Nicholas are brainstorming ideas for a combined  
workshop, recognition event. Mindel would like to emulate Dane County Climate  
Champions program. Staff will develop library of ADU designs for website and further  
developing plans.  
Discussion on Grant Services, Reporting, and Pursuits  
24-1575  
4
Attachments:  
Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities | US EPA  
Climate Smart Communities Initiative  
Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program | US  
EPA  
Municipal Investment Fund  
The AARP Community Challenge Grant is wrapped up, except for ADU design library  
and reporting. Micro grantees are wrapping up their projects this month for the Youth  
Climate Action Fund. The City is waiting to hear back on second round ($100,000).  
Staff is working on having the Community Foundation administer. The mayor signed  
the Energy Innovation Grant and staff is working on additional documents. Outreach  
for audits will start in January. Staff will be reviewing linked grant opportunities, and  
committee members can send grant suggestions. Staff would like to be more  
strategic with spacing out grant applications. Mindel shared Municipal Investment  
Fund, which is up to $500,000.  
Implementation Plan Status, Part 1 - Mitigation Goals  
24-1576  
5
Attachments:  
Increase Bus Frequency  
Assist Private Fleets with EV Transition  
Reduce Home Energy Audit Costs  
Promote Energy Audits and Incentives for Commercial Buildings  
Annual Residential Solar Purchase Program  
Staff discussed increasing bus frequency. Extending 30-minute service could create a  
labor challenge &ndash; more drivers, longer shifts, or shifting shifts. MTU prioritizes  
accessibility. Next steps may include promoting MTU Works program and La Crosse  
Area Transit Advocates (LATA) Bus Buddy Program. Staff will follow up with MTU  
Director on ideas. The MTU Board is meeting Monday. LATA is meeting Tuesday.  
Staff requested help researching what other cities doing to increase ridership and  
examples and opportunities to offer free rides to/from events. Cathy Van Maren said  
some cities accept event tickets as a transit pass for a limited time, but staff would  
need more specifics about how that works.  
Staff went over assisting private fleets with EV transition. The City, County, UWL did  
fleet EV studies. USPS has installed 20 chargers. Mayo and Trane have goals to  
convert to EVs. Next steps are to share EV study report with departments and work  
with Enterprise on leasing, get insight from County and UWL process, and identify and  
share EV incentives while available. Staff requested assistance with identifying what  
other cities doing to help fleet EV conversion.  
Staff talked about reducing home energy audit costs. The City secured ~$750,000  
Energy Innovation Grant Program funding with Green Homeowners United (GHU) and  
has canvassing about City programs. Next steps include conducting outreach to  
attract at least 350 household to participate in program. Staff requested help with  
identifying community leaders that could help spread the word. Mindel asked about  
areas to prioritize, such as highest emitters and heat islands. Grant focuses on  
Justice40 Tracts, and the next step would be EPA Inflation Reduction Act  
Disadvantaged Communities. GHU would mostly focus on homes under 4 units;  
Mindel would like some focus on multifamily and recommended Middleton efficiency  
navigate. City could work with Elevate using their efficient navigator for larger  
multifamily units. EIGP covers audit and basic energy efficiency up to $2,000. GHU  
shared example how to stack IRA incentives to put together bigger projects for very  
little money.  
Staff went over promoting energy audits and incentives for commercial buildings. Xcel  
Energy offers this as part of Partners in Energy; they mailed postcard notification but  
got little response. Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is available but  
hasn&rsquo;t been adopted much in La Crosse. Next steps could include Bright  
Action's trusted leader messaging campaign on heat pumps, and microgrid feasibility  
study with County and Western Technical College. Staff requested help with finding  
available incentives available from the State and Federal governments, and any  
incentives have other communities created (i.e. density bonuses). Mindel suggested  
adding this information to the City's website, and coupling Xcel audit with recognition.  
Staff discussed annual residential solar purchase program. The City and County  
worked with MREA in 2020. Next steps may include developing a solar group buy for  
2025 with County and MREA. Staff requested assistance with reviewing and  
summarizing Ann Arbor Solarize Tool Kit, and spreading the word about a 2025 group  
buy, including identifying groups that can amplify this program and people who already  
have solar panels and can talk about their experience. Mindel mentioned a Michigan  
city, likely Ann Arbor, had a referendum to fund sustainability.  
Next Meeting / Agenda Items  
CAPSC will not move to a different day, so the next meeting will be 1/13. Many  
members mentioned meeting as early as 3 p.m. as an option, though.  
Adjournment  
Mindel adjourned the meeting at 5:34 p.m.  
Notice is further given that members of other governmental bodies may be present at the  
above scheduled meeting to gather information about a subject over which they have  
decision-making responsibility.  
NOTICE TO PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY  
Requests from persons with a disability who need assistance to participate in this meeting  
should call the City Clerk's office at (608) 789-7510 or send an email to  
ADAcityclerk@cityoflacrosse.org, with as much advance notice as possible.