Tom Rob Zimmerman, chair of the Wauwatosa Sustainability Committee, presented the committee's annual report to the Government Affairs Committee on June 17 and outlined priorities including outreach, municipal solar projects, and improving recycling-quality and diversion.

Zimmerman said the committee's biggest development this year was the city hiring a part-time sustainability manager, Megan Conway, to coordinate volunteer work with city staff and support the work of municipal staff including Dave Simpson's team. He said the city continues to invest in solar installations and that each avoided kilowatt-hour saves the city money.

During questions, committee members and alderpersons discussed the city's renewable-energy goals. Zimmerman and other committee members distinguished between a 25% target for renewable electricity from on-site solar projects (which would be met once the police department, the Milner Building and the Potter Road Pumping Station arrays come online) and a lower figure of about 6.5% for total energy when natural gas use is included. Zimmerman said the difference reflects what denominator is used (electricity alone versus total energy consumption).

The committee discussed residential and business solar access. Zimmerman noted Wauwatosa participates in the Grow Solar Milwaukee group-buy program and that the city has waived some permitting fees for early adopters; he and committee members said staff will host public events to share incentives and utility programs, and to help residents understand options.

Recycling quality was a central concern. The committee reported a citywide diversion rate of about 24%, meaning roughly one-quarter of waste was diverted from landfill last year. Zimmerman and alder members said single-stream collection and imperfect sorting at processors reduce the quality of recycled plastics and limit market demand; they discussed public education, improved sorting tools and the higher-quality streams available when residents drop materials off directly to public-works facilities.

Committee members suggested future priorities including fleet electrification where feasible, consideration of biodiesel for heavy equipment when cost-effective, building-energy efficiency in new construction, and continued community outreach at local markets and summits.

The committee's report was received and discussed; members thanked the volunteer committee and staff for their work and did not take formal action beyond discussion and direction to continue outreach and coordination.