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Conservation office seeks to upgrade planner role; Connecticut River channel-marker program moved off local budget
Summary
The conservation and sustainability director asked the council to fund a full-time conservation planner to expand permitting, grant-writing and project capacity; the longtime river channel-marker line was removed pending state-level action and partner funding.
Yoni Golgower, director of Conservation and Sustainability, told the City Council on June 9 that the department—s workload has grown beyond a single-person office and asked the council to support converting a half-time clerical/administrative role into a conservation planner to handle permitting, grant writing and project management.
"The purpose of the conservation planner line item, which will replace the administrative assistant, ... is that my department will be even more effective," Golgower said, noting the office handles Wetlands Protection Act permits, enforcement, and multiple climate-resilience grants. He said the mayor proposed funding that change in his budget and the department had hired a recent master—s graduate to help with clerical and planning tasks.
Golgower also reported the city has removed a longstanding line item for Connecticut River channel markers that the conservation office historically managed in partnership with nearby communities. He said the channel-marker program is in flux and that state-level funding in an environmental bond bill is being sought; the department removed the $3,500 local line and noted the costs and management of the markers have outgrown the four communities— ability to sustain them locally.
Councilors asked about coordination with the larger planning office and whether conservation planning should be consolidated. Golgower said the division does project- and grant-specific technical work (green infrastructure, urban forestry, MVP climate-resiliency planning) that he and his staff routinely manage and that the specialized environmental-planning background is distinct from routine planning tasks, although the conservation office collaborates closely with the Office of Planning and Economic Development.
The council expressed support for the idea of adding planning capacity to conservation, and asked the director to return with additional detail on the new position and expected deliverables.
