Lake Forest Park committee urges council to use budget proviso to staff climate manager and mobilize public comment on draft climate element

Members of the Lake Forest Park Climate Action Committee pressed for council follow-through on a budget proviso that committee members say should fund a dedicated climate manager and discussed steps to broaden public engagement on the draft climate element of the city’s comprehensive plan.

Committee members described the funding context as follows: earlier this year the city enacted a 10% solid-waste utility tax intended in part to help the city’s fiscal position, and committee members said the Council is considering a levy-lid lift in an absolute dollar amount (a figure of $32.28 per $1,000 of assessed value was mentioned in committee discussion). Committee members said money that is not required to cover fiscal shortfalls could be allocated to hire a climate manager if the Council follows the proviso’s direction.

Tracy and other members described a growing regional infrastructure of climate managers and grant-writing networks formed after the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) began generating funds, saying cities that…