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Greenwich sustainability committee urges dedicated sustainability officer, highlights water‑quality and climate priorities
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Summary
At the April 2026 RTM meeting, Sustainability Committee co‑chairs Janet Stone McWiggen and Myra Klockenbrink called for a dedicated sustainability officer, outlined business engagement and invasive‑species outreach, and urged coordinated action on harbor and beach water quality and climate resiliency.
At the April 2026 Representative Town Meeting, Sustainability Committee co‑chairs Janet Stone McWiggen and Myra Klockenbrink gave a joint update and urged the RTM to support more coordinated sustainability work across town departments.
"It should come as no surprise that the sustainability committee strongly supports the Energy Management Advisory Committee's work," McWiggen said, describing the committee’s outreach, bimonthly newsletter and volunteer recognition activities. She noted that EMAC’s chair and liaison were unable to attend and that EMAC will present at the June RTM meeting.
Klockenbrink outlined the committee’s priorities for the coming year: engaging the business community on waste reduction and energy efficiency; investigating declining water quality in beaches and harbors with town, regional and state partners; and improving climate resiliency through planning, nature‑based solutions and targeted infrastructure investment. "A sustainability officer would coordinate efforts across departments, pursue state and federal funding, and ensure that Greenwich is both reducing its emissions and preparing for the impacts of the changing climate," she said.
The co‑chairs described ongoing programs and outreach: workshops, guest speakers on local radio station WGCH, volunteer awards presented at the Rethink Waste Fair, and a townwide invasive‑species awareness campaign called NICS problem plants that encourages residents and organizations to replace invasives with native alternatives. They said the committee meets monthly, typically the first Thursday, in person when possible and by Zoom.
The committee framed the officer role as a coordination and funding function rather than a new regulatory body: Klockenbrink said the position would both lead energy initiatives (efficiency, electrification, cleaner energy transitions) and pursue external grants to support town projects. The committee asked the RTM to continue partnering as it pursues those goals.
The committee’s request is informational and advisory; no formal RTM vote was recorded on staffing at this meeting. EMAC is expected to report to the RTM in June.
