The Oneonta City Council approved appointments to its Climate Smart Communities task force and heard an update on task force activities, including a community “repair cafe” and state certification achieved in the first year.

Why it matters: The Climate Smart Communities program guides municipal actions on energy, waste reduction and procurement. The task force’s work can shape city purchasing, public engagement and eligibility for state incentives or grants.

Details
Task force members reported that Oneonta received state certification as a Climate Smart Communities participant during its first year and completed a repair cafe (described as a community event where volunteers repair household items to reduce waste). Members said the repair cafe drew public interest in November and a follow-up event is planned for late winter or early spring (February–March was mentioned as the range under consideration).

Council members discussed broader task force goals beyond repair events, including looking at municipal procurement choices for lighting and heating in city-owned buildings. The meeting also referenced state incentives and anticipated state funding tied to the Climate Smart Communities program; staff indicated the council would hear more about funding later in the meeting packet.

Direction and next steps
The council moved the task force appointments to consent for routine approval and flagged follow-up on procurement strategies and potential state funding for future updates.

Ending
Task force members described ongoing committee membership changes and next steps; no formal policy adoption occurred in the transcript excerpt.