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De Pere Sustainability Commission plans native‑plant giveaway, discusses pollinator gardens and composting changes
Summary
Commissioners confirmed a native‑plant giveaway (about 750 plants in 50 kits) for June 20, introduced two student advisors, and discussed pollinator‑garden logistics and a compost subscription fee increase that affected reimbursement levels. Volunteers and publicity were identified as next steps.
At its June 9 meeting the De Pere Sustainability Commission confirmed community program work ranging from a native‑plant giveaway to pollinator‑garden planning and compost reimbursement updates.
Rachel (staff) told the commission a native‑plant handout is scheduled for June 20 at the Mulva Cultural Center; the event will distribute about 750 plants packaged as roughly 50 kits of 15 plants each, with staffing and volunteer help requested for setup and teardown. Staff said the commission will publicize the event on social media and intends to photograph the giveaway for outreach.
The commission also introduced two student advisors: Kevin Gering, a high‑school sophomore, and Olive, an incoming freshman, both of whom said they joined to gain experience and contribute to local sustainability projects.
On pollinator gardens, commissioners described ongoing outreach to the Conservation Corps and other partners. Staff flagged watering and maintenance as the primary barriers to establishing new garden sites; contractors have sometimes declined installation and the city does not have line‑item staff time to maintain new plantings, so members discussed piloting a single site, late‑season planting (Sept–Oct) to improve establishment, and student or volunteer involvement as possible solutions.
Regarding the compost‑reimbursement program, staff reported that one household left the program after a $2/month subscription increase from Greener Bay Compost; the commission noted that annual reimbursement rates are adjusted in early 2027 and that policy could be revisited then.
What's next: the commission will publicize the June 20 plant giveaway, seek volunteers for setup and teardown, bring candidate pollinator sites back to a future meeting, and continue compiling Green Tier/green‑energy score‑sheet responses for a submittal.
