City Hall  
City of La Crosse, Wisconsin  
400 La Crosse Street  
La Crosse, WI 54601  
Meeting Minutes  
Climate Action Plan Steering Committee  
Wednesday, October 15, 2025  
3:00 PM  
Zoom Virtual Meeting Room  
This meeting will be conducted through video conferencing.  
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Call to Order  
Mindel called the meeting to order at 3:08 PM.  
Roll Call  
4 - Dorothy Lenard, Mackenzie Mindel, Natalie Heneghan,Stephanie Hanna  
2 - Casey Meehan,Andrew Ericson  
Present:  
Excused:  
Approval of Minutes  
A motion was made by Lenard, seconded by Hanna, that these Minutes be  
APPROVED. The motion carried by a voice vote.  
Notices and Discussion  
Staff asked help to promote the EV fleet conversion workshop at 8 AM on Tuesday  
10/21 at the Lunda Center. The newsletter has a link to the event. The Inspiring  
Sustainability Awards will be at 6 PM on 10/28 at the La Crosse Distilling Co.  
Agenda Items:  
Proposal from US Solar to participate in a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement  
- Connor McCarthy, US Solar  
25-1242  
Staff provide an update after speaking to McCarthy. The offering is in flux after Xcel  
proposed changes to the program that would require battery storage. US Solar must  
now revise their project and hopes to have something for consideration in November.  
Staff is seeking general support from the CAPSC before taking a final request to the  
Common Council. Mindel asked for more details about the battery storage (It's more  
for US Solar to figure out, not something the City would have to install). This project is  
different than Xcel Energy's Solar*Connect program, where a subscriber would pay  
upfront, and get paid back over the course of the subscription. This VPPA is just a  
commitment to pay a specific rate for a defined number of kWh. Hanna says it is  
worth pursuing; Mindel agrees. US Solar would also provide Renewable Energy Credits  
(RECs). Mindel asked who else would be participating (US Solar is looking  
organizations that are going to be stable over the long-term, such as municipalities  
and colleges).  
Request to use Climate Action Plan Implementation Fund to pay for grant  
services and communications in 2026.  
25-0993  
Attachments:  
Staff Report  
The capital budget covered the cost of grant services and communications in 2023  
and 2024. In 2025, staff moved the request to the operating budget. The City is  
looking to reduce the operating budget, and the Climate Action Plan Implementation  
Fund is getting more than initially anticipated from direct pay incentives. Internally,  
staff discussed making shifting the funding to make room for other projects in the  
operating budget. Mindel asked if these expenses are for climate action or the  
department (It's just for climate action). Mindel expressed concern that if it was  
removed from the operating budget, it is less likely to be added back. 2025 was the  
first year it was in the operating budget. Also the Measurement and Verification  
Services costs will be going away from the operating budget, too. Staff is more  
concerned about the situation where loosing the funding is more likely if it's not used.  
A motion was made by Hanna, seconded by Heneghan, that this Request be  
APPROVED. The motion carried by voice vote.  
Next Meeting / Agenda Items  
The next meeting will be 11/20. Agenda items may include  
Adjournment  
Mindel adjourned the meeting at 3:37 PM.  
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.