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Council gives first reading to ordinance creating Mount Rainier Green Team, dissolving Environmental Protection Board
Summary
The council held a first reading of Ordinance O5‑2025 to codify a Mount Rainier Green Team and dissolve the Environmental Protection Board, outlining duties to prepare Sustainable Maryland submissions, review budgets and advise on sustainability. Council suggested edits and did not vote on final adoption.
Councilmember Joseph read Ordinance O5‑2025, a first reading to codify a Mount Rainier Green Team and dissolve the Environmental Protection Board.
The ordinance as read establishes the Green Team to convene representatives of city commissions, staff, residents and businesses to prepare submissions for the Sustainable Maryland Certification program; foster community engagement on sustainability; and advise the mayor and council on biodiversity, climate mitigation, resilience and other topics. The draft ordinance specifies a five‑member team composed of residents, two‑year terms, open meetings subject to the Maryland Open Meetings Act and duties including annual coordination for certification, review of the proposed city budget for sustainability recommendations and public events.
Councilmembers praised the codification but suggested edits to clarify how the team would coordinate city commissions. The mayor asked that language be changed so the Green Team "work with the city manager or their designee to convene other committees" rather than unilaterally convene them. Joseph and other councilmembers said the change would be incorporated before second reading.
Because this was a first reading there was no vote. Councilmembers said the ordinance would return for a second reading and vote at a later legislative meeting after edits were submitted.
