Norwalk committee discusses volunteer-led Sustainability and Resilience Task Force, leaves resolution development open

NORWALK, Conn. — At a June meeting of Norwalk City’s ad hoc independent resilience committee, members reviewed a draft framework for a volunteer-led Sustainability and Resilience Task Force and agreed to solicit committee and public feedback before advancing a formal resolution to the mayor and city council.

The task force outline presented by staff member Jody Trendler described a volunteer advisory group organized into sector subcommittees — including energy, mobility, natural resources, waste and circular economy, building and development, health and housing, and community engagement — that would research issues, recommend objectives and track quantitative targets for a city sustainability and resilience plan. "The whole purpose of the task force will be doing research, providing advice, and doing a lot of community promotion education on policies and practices that are going to reduce our emissions," Trendler said.

Committee members said they favored a community-driven start that could later be formalized if needed. "I like the idea of having this more community driven as opposed to city driven," Council Member Smith said. Nora Majeski Eichner and Tom (last name not specified) and other committee members discussed whether the body should begin informally, then evolve into a commission established by ordinance or become an independent nonprofit if that proved appropriate. "The task force may evolve ... to a more formal commission or independent nonprofit organization," a note in the draft resolution acknowledged.

Public commenters asked the committee to ensure expertise and fair recruitment. Diane Loracella, giving her name and address for the record, said the city should not limit appointments to existing board and commission members and should ask for resumes so volunteers with specialized experience (for example, in solar, waste management or energy efficiency) can be recruited. "Don't limit it, please, to just current boards and commissioners," Loracella said. Diane Cece of the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association raised a procedural concern about meeting access on Zoom and urged organizers to ensure attendees are tuned in before starting public portions of meetings.

Members discussed the task force’s proposed operating structure: volunteer chairs and secretaries for each subcommittee, monthly subcommittee meetings and a monthly full-task-force meeting, standardized objectives and metrics for each sector, and an internal green team to coordinate with staff. Trendler said subcommittees would develop objectives and strategies under both mitigation and adaptation goals and that many targets would be quantitative: "There will be a lot of metrics that are going to need to be kept track of, and that's going to be a primary objective of each of the subcommittees."

Next steps agreed by the committee were to solicit written comments from committee members on the draft resolution by a set date, review suggested changes, then present the revised draft to the mayor and the full city council for consideration and potential vote. Tom and other members emphasized the importance of council buy-in even if the effort remains community-led initially.

Separately, the committee addressed preliminary procedural business: the meeting lacked a quorum at the start, public participation proceeded, and a quorum was reported after committee member Majeski Eichner joined. Members attempted to take a motion to accept minutes from the regular meeting on 06/11/2025; the transcript shows an initial motion and discussion about votes and an abstention, but the record reflects confusion about whether the minutes were formally adopted during that session. The committee then moved to adjourn.

The committee did not finalize a permanent legal status for the task force and left open whether the group should remain an informal, volunteer-driven body, be established by ordinance as a city commission, or incorporate as an independent nonprofit if that route is preferred later. Committee members and staff said they will return with a revised resolution for internal review and for presentation to the mayor and council.

The meeting included public comment from two residents and discussion among five or more committee members; timing references in the meeting record note that a quorum was present by roughly 06:13 on the meeting clock. The draft resolution and supporting materials will be circulated to the committee for comment before any formal vote is scheduled before the full council.