Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Stormwater Outreach topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee shifts stormwater outreach to year‑round lake‑focused campaign, leaves No‑Mow‑May participation to Public Works
Summary
On May 8 the Monona Sustainability Committee agreed to rebrand stormwater outreach as a year‑round campaign focused on protecting the lake; the committee declined to mandate participation in No‑Mow‑May and asked Public Works to decide whether to participate. Members discussed seasonal messaging, yard signs, and limited committee outreach budget.
The Monona Sustainability Committee voted May 8 to pivot stormwater outreach from a collection of seasonal activities to an umbrella, year‑round campaign that highlights how routine homeowner actions affect the lake. The committee also decided not to direct Public Works to participate in the No‑Mow‑May initiative and instead left the decision to Public Works management.
Committee members and staff said the proposed rebrand would organize existing seasonal messages—spring no‑spray guidance, summer permeable‑surface and rain‑garden outreach, fall leaf‑management and winter de‑icing guidance—under a common lake stewardship theme so residents understand how seasonal behaviors affect lake water quality.
During discussion the committee reviewed tactical items that would continue under the umbrella campaign: yard signs, a coloring contest for children, a leaf‑truck event, seasonal social posts and library/park events. Committee volunteers and staff noted much of the material already exists and that the rebrand is intended to make the messaging more consistent rather than require a new program.
No‑Mow‑May: Director Stefani and committee members provided the background research; staff summarized extension and university guidance and noted limitations in the evidence base. The committee discussed potential benefits and harm (possible stress to turf if left uncut, pollinator benefits, pesticide/herbicide avoidance) and then made a policy choice. A motion to let Public Works decide whether to participate was seconded and approved; the meeting record shows the motion carried with an affirmative voice vote.
Budget and resources: committee members reviewed the committee’s small outreach budget and asked Public Works to confirm any offered contribution. The committee reported a modest fiscal envelope: a total committee budget of $2,000 for the year (split among a tree pilot, outreach, electronics recycling and clean sweep line items) and a short‑term refund expected from a hazardous household waste event that would add roughly $250 for outreach. Public Works was asked informally whether it would contribute $500 toward signage or outreach; a formal appropriation was not made at the meeting and staff was asked to follow up on actual available funds.
Near‑term tasks and follow‑ups assigned in the meeting included confirming yard‑sign art and ordering name magnets for the leaf‑truck, checking library and venue availability for outreach events, and clarifying Public Works’ funding commitment. Committee members emphasized the campaign should be positive and lake‑focused—"the reason you're raking your leaves in the autumn is because of the lake," a committee member summarized—rather than purely regulatory messaging.
Why this matters: stormwater runoff (leaf litter, yard pesticides, road salt and sediment) directly affects Monona’s lake water quality. The committee framed the rebrand as an educational strategy to translate seasonal behaviors into measurable protections for the lake.
