Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy Workforce topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
WRCOG Executive Committee approves amendment to continue iREN Energy Fellowship, authorizes up to 24 full‑time fellows
Summary
The Western Riverside Council of Governments Executive Committee unanimously authorized the executive director to execute a first amendment with the Public Health Institute to continue the iREN Energy Fellowship for the 2025–26 service year and to identify and place up to 24 full‑time fellows and additional shorter‑term fellows at no cost to host
The Western Riverside Council of Governments Executive Committee unanimously authorized the executive director to execute a first amendment to an agreement for services with the Public Health Institute to continue the iREN Energy Fellowship and to identify, recruit and place up to 24 full‑time fellows and additional shorter‑term fellows for the 2025–26 program year.
Tyler Masters, program manager in WRCOG’s Energy and Environment Department, told the committee the iREN Energy Fellowship, launched in 2023 in partnership with Civic Spark (an AmeriCorps program administered by the Public Health Institute), places recent graduates and early‑career professionals at local public agencies to advance energy efficiency projects. “Participation in this program comes at no cost to host agencies,” Masters said, adding that WRCOG covers match funding and host sites need only provide workspace, basic equipment and a supervisor.
Masters said the fellowship has expanded from 11 fellows in its first year to 24 full‑time fellows in the current cycle and that staff are recruiting additional shorter‑term placements for early 2026. He reported the program has supported energy benchmarking, facility audits and prioritization of energy projects and that fellows have helped secure more than $1.1 million in incentives for host sites, according to the staff report.
Masters also described an April disruption when a federal directive reduced AmeriCorps staffing and temporarily furloughed Civic Spark fellows; he said iREN funding was not affected and that WRCOG used an existing contract to restore fellow placements quickly. He noted several alumni have been hired locally by host agencies.
The committee was asked to authorize the executive director to sign a first amendment to WRCOG’s agreement with the Public Health Institute to support the 2025–26 iREN Energy Fellowship, recruit up to 24 full‑time fellows and up to 11 shorter‑term fellows, and continue outreach to regional universities and community colleges. Following presentation and questions, the committee voted; the motion passed unanimously.
Votes at a glance
• Item 7A — Authorize executive director to execute first amendment with the Public Health Institute to support the iREN Energy Fellowship for program service year 2025–26 (authorize up to 24 full‑time fellows and up to 11 shorter‑term fellows): approved unanimously. • Consent calendar — approved unanimously (mover: City of Paris; second: City of Wealdemar; individual vote tallies not recorded in the transcript).
Why it matters: WRCOG said the fellowship builds regional energy workforce capacity, advances local energy‑efficiency projects at no direct cost to host agencies and helps place early‑career professionals into local public‑sector energy roles. The first amendment formalizes continued support and recruitment for the upcoming program year.
What’s next: Staff will execute the amendment and proceed with recruitment and placement as described in the staff report.
