Bend unveils 2025 outreach plan: energy navigator, website revamp and monthly sustainability newsletter proposed

City of Bend staff presented a 2025 outreach and engagement plan to the Climate and Environment Committee on Jan. 9 that centers a revamped sustainability web hub, an "energy navigator" service, targeted event outreach and a new sustainability newsletter.

Meghan Piazza, the city staff member leading the effort, summarized the strategy and timeline and asked the committee for feedback. "The engagement plan is, like, kind of a long document right now, but I summarized it in the memo," Piazza said, introducing the packet.

What the plan proposes

- Revamped sustainability website: Staff said the site would act as a centralized hub for CCAP (Community Climate Action Plan) progress, data dashboards and signups. The target was a March 15 revamp deadline.

- Energy navigator program: Staff described a proposed one-stop service to provide individualized assistance to residents and businesses on electrification and efficiency. Piazza and staff said they planned to present options for different navigator models to the council in February, with a stretch goal of launching a pilot in mid-2025. Staff clarified the city expects to outsource navigator service delivery rather than run the entire program in-house.

- In-person outreach: Staff plan to use existing events (Earth Day, Pride, CityFest and others) to distribute one-pagers, gather feedback and engage youth and community partners.

- Social media and sustainability newsletter: Staff proposed a sustainability-focused newsletter (monthly) and a coordinated social media schedule (biweekly posts) tied to newsletter topics, with a planned first newsletter in March.

- One-pagers and resource materials: Topic-specific one-pagers would be developed on an ongoing basis (for example: electrification, energy navigator, waste-reduction guidance) to hand out at events and place on the website.

Equity and evaluation

Piazza said she is coordinating with the city equity team and proposed basic equity measures: ADA-accessible written materials, translations "as needed," plain-language content (approximately an eighth-grade reading level), and monitoring metrics such as website traffic, event attendance, social reach and optional demographic information on surveys.

Committee reaction and requested clarifications

Committee members broadly supported the plan but asked for clarity on capacity and on how the committee could be involved in content development. One member noted the work is "ambitious" and asked whether staff had the capacity to sustain monthly newsletters and ongoing content creation; staff replied that the first months would test capacity and that much of the navigator work would be outsourced.

The Waste Materials working group asked that its prior content work and layout ideas for a sustainability hub be included early in the website design process rather than only reviewed after a draft is complete. Staff agreed to invite Piazza to join a future waste materials working-group meeting and to circulate drafts for committee feedback.

Members also urged staff to plan proactive promotion for the newsletter and to clarify the citywide standard for translations and what "as needed" would mean in practice.

Why it matters: Outreach and education are central to CCAP implementation because effective public information and assistance can increase adoption of energy-efficiency and electrification measures and help community partners deliver programs.

Clarifying details

- Website revamp target: March 15, 2025. - Newsletter: monthly; first issue targeted for March 2025. - Social media cadence: proposed biweekly posts aligned with newsletter topics. - Energy navigator: options to council in February 2025; pilot/launch targeted mid-2025 depending on resources and council direction. Staff indicated the city will likely outsource navigator delivery.

Speakers

- Meghan Piazza — City staff, Climate and Environment Program (presenter of outreach plan). - Cassie (staff) — Climate and Environment Program (context and support). - Smita Mehta — Committee member; water quality professional, Department of Environmental Quality (commented on program links with waste materials work). - Scott Nordquist — New committee member; Bend Redmond Habitat for Humanity (commented on funding/partnerships and outreach connections). - Kavy Chokshi — Committee member; Rethink Waste Project at the Environmental Center (requested working-group input on content development).

Actions: No formal motions or votes recorded on this agenda item; staff took feedback and will circulate drafts and options to the committee and present navigator options to council in February.

Proper names

- City of Bend - Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) - Rethink Waste Project - Bend Redmond Habitat for Humanity

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