Climate Smart Kingston recommends Kat Carroll for voting seat after executive session

The Climate Smart Kingston Commission on Feb. 26 voted to recommend Kat Carroll to fill a vacant voting seat after discussing applicants in an executive session.

Chair Julie Noble convened the closed session to let commissioners deliberate about applications for one open voting slot. After the commission returned to open session, Emily Chesson made the motion to recommend Kat Carroll and Roberto Rivera seconded it. The commission then voted; Melissa Ayacheta recorded an abstention and commissioners present otherwise voted in favor. The motion was carried as a recommendation to the mayor, who appoints members.

Carroll introduced herself during the meeting and described her professional background in sustainability and city technical assistance. She said she works at the World Resources Institute and “sit[s] on a team that does technical assistance to cities to help them sort of procure clean energy, evaluate options, plan for electric vehicles,” and that she lives near Gorman Park in Kingston.

Noble explained the commission’s process for recommending applicants: applications arrive through the city communications office, the chair and commission review them, and a recommendation from the commission is forwarded to the mayor, who makes appointments. Commissioners discussed that several applications had been received and that some applicants indicated they could wait for a future opening.

The commission’s recommendation is nonbinding; the mayor makes the final appointment. Noble said applicants had been encouraged to attend one or two meetings before a recommendation and that the commission can send a recommendation when it believes an applicant is a fit.

The commission also clarified membership rules during the public portion: youth members may sit in advisory roles at younger ages but must meet minimum age thresholds to vote. Noble summarized the current vacancy situation and application counts for the record.