Board of County Commissioners Leon County, Florida www.leoncountyfl.gov

Issue Briefing:

This item seeks Board acceptance of the status report on the activities of the County’s Sustainability Program for the third quarter of FY09.  The report contains a brief summary of community engagement and education efforts, and updates on major initiatives, both complete and pending.

Fiscal Impact:

This item has no fiscal impact to the County.

Staff Recommendation:

Option #1:        Accept the FY09 third quarter status report on the County Sustainability Program.

Option #2:       Direct staff to cooperate with the City of Tallahassee to establish a joint Sustainability Task Force.

Report and Discussion

Background:

As part of the FY09 budget development process, the Board approved the Climate Action Plan which included funding for capital improvements, operating supplies, and a full-time sustainability coordinator position.  The Office of Sustainability was established at the start of FY09, with the full-time position being filled February 2009. 

Leon County’s sustainability efforts are centrally coordinated through the Office of Sustainability.  The office serves to lead internal government operations toward a more sustainable future and works to support sustainability efforts within the community.  The Office of Sustainability provides leadership, education, policy analysis, project development, and measurement and accountability for the County’s sustainability efforts.

The office is a resource for County operations and community residents for topics relating to; energy conservation, waste reduction and recycling, green building practices and products, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and more.  These activities are primarily the responsibility of the Sustainability Coordinator, although the support and assistance of other County divisions is critical to the successful development and implementation of the Program’s objectives.  The following are examples of divisions which have made significant contributions over the past quarter; County Administration, Facilities Management, Fleet Management, Management & Information Systems, Public Information Office, and Solid Waste Management, which includes Recycling Services.  Additionally, the assistance of multiple college-level interns has been utilized.  These creative volunteers have contributed to research, data collection, and program development.

The Office of Sustainability provides the third quarter status report of activities occurring during the months of February through July of 2009.  Due to the recent creation of the Program, this report is the initial quarterly status report, with regularly scheduled reports to follow.

Analysis:

This report serves as a tool to keep the Board apprised of the success and efforts of the County’s Sustainability Program.  The status information is arranged within three primary categories:
1) Resource Conservation & Green House Gas Monitoring, 2) Policy & Administration, and
3) Civic Engagement. 

Resource Conservation & Green House Gas Monitoring

Energy conservation is a key function of the Office of Sustainability.  Conservation not only reduces the emissions of GHG but also saves on operating and maintenance cost.  Staff, is continuously working to remain educated on the latest technology and maintenance methods to operate County buildings, vehicle fleet, parks, and solid waste facility. 

The following are some initiatives taking place with the intent of energy and resource conservation.  As initiatives are implemented, the impact of each will be closely monitored for energy and resource savings as well as the reduction of GHG.  The results will be included in future quarterly status reports.

·            Heating Ventilating & Air Conditioning (HVAC) Assessment and Upgrade – Staff conducted an assessment of all existing HVAC units 5-tons and smaller to prioritize the units for replacement with more efficient air systems.  Currently these units are approximately 10 SEER (efficiency rating).  Generally, replacement units cost exponentially more as the efficiency only gradually increases.  Thorough research was conducted to determine the highest efficiency possible while still providing for an investment resulting in a seven-year payback or less (as directed by the Board).  The study revealed that 26 individual units qualified for replacement with an average payback period of less than seven years.  Combined, these enhancements are anticipated to reduce operating energy costs by approximately $9,600 annually and 123,504 pounds of GHG on an annual reoccurring basis.  This enhancement is equivalent to the carbon sequestration of 1,436 seedling trees grown for 10 years (US EPA).

Additionally two larger 20-ton HVAC units were replaced at the Bank of America due to end of life failure.  The failed units operated on a single compressor system which results in the system running at full capacity when ever in use.  By replacing the units with a multi-stage compressor system, the units can ‘ramp up’ the capacity and force as demand requires.  When full capacity is not required, only portions of the total system operate, resulting in significant energy savings by maximizing the efficiency.  In addition to improved occupant comfort, together, the two units are anticipated to reduce energy costs by more than $7,000 on an annual basis, resulting in rapid a project pay back of only 5.16 years. 

·            Grey Water Reuse – Recently, the limitations and opportunities for grey water reuse in County facilities have been explored.  It was determined that no significant regulatory barriers exist.  A site-specific analysis was conducted for the Solid Waste Transfer Station to capture rainwater from the roof and use it to rinse transfer trucks prior to exiting the facility.  The estimated cost was determined to be approximately $125,000, including design and permitting.  As a result, this initiative was deemed an ineffective use of resources and not pursued.  Despite the lack of implementation, this assessment served to educate staff of the potential opportunities for grey water reuse.  Alternative uses will continue to be assessed for potential implementation such as toilet water or flower bed irrigation. 

·            Irrigation Upgrades – Moisture sensors have been installed at nine parks and athletic fields.  In addition to the core purpose of reducing water consumption, the sensors will assist staff to easily maintain the athletic facilities.  Moisture sensors provide only the necessary water to grass, promote proper growth, and help to limit disease. 

In addition, staff is installing moisture sensors throughout the demonstration gardens of Cooperative Extension.  The sensors will allow the irrigation system to only operate when necessary.  This will avoid over-watering due to changes in temperatures or recent rain events.  It is intended that all County irrigation systems will operate with moisture sensors, as well as programmable controls in the future.

·            Parks Recycling – Staff is working to introduce recycling to six County athletic park facilities (Canopy Oaks, Ft. Braden, J. Lee Vause, Chaires, Woodville, and Miccosukee) and five community centers (Woodville, Miccosukee, Chaires, Ft. Braden, Bradfordville).  Each location will receive multiple receptacles known as ‘ClearStreams’ that have clear sides so others can view the recyclables.  Staff has found that the visual impact of clear bins results in higher recycling rates and reduced trash contamination.  Additionally, each athletic park facility will be outfitted with a large recycling collector bin for service by Solid Waste staff.  It is anticipated that collection rates will be tracked and reported in future status reports.

·            Park Athletic Field Lighting – A study of athletic field lighting is currently underway for four facilities (Canopy Oaks, Ft. Braden, J. Lewis Hall, Miccosukee).  Each facility has multiple fields that are being examined and prioritized for energy-efficient lighting fixture upgrades and programmable controls. 

·            Bank of America (BOA) Lighting Upgrades – Where feasible, all building renovations are to incorporate efficient lighting standards, including both the fixture selection and the use of light.  Recent renovations within the 5^th floor of the Bank of America building have achieved a reduction of 2,149 watts of lighting load.  This reduction equates to an annual savings of more than 4,000 kWh or $630.  The use of task lighting, combined with efficient T-8 fixtures, will not only contribute to energy reduction, but a more favorable work environment.

·            LEED Certification of the Eastside Branch Library – As directed by the Board, the Eastside Branch Library will be designed and constructed to LEED standards.  Staff is working closely with the architectural firm during the design phase to maximize the LEED attributes of the building.  At minimum, the Library will be LEED Certified, with the likely result of LEED Silver.  County staff is actively pursuing grant funding to enhance the building to LEED Gold.  The building is intended to serve as a local demonstration center of creative and functional ways to build sustainably.  With this in mind, staff intends to create interactive signage and information to educate visitors, inclusive of both Library patrons and members of the construction industry.

Monitoring

Each of the initiatives is anticipated to result in a reduction of both operating costs and GHG emissions.  To ensure the green house gas emission reduction goals of the sustainability program are implemented effectively, it is important to develop systems for monitoring implementation, measuring results, keeping track of changing conditions, taking advantage of new information and ideas, and revising program targets and plans as needed.  Tracking and measuring should be routine in order to demonstrate the progress being made and allow for strategy adjustments along the way.  Accurate and reliable monitoring is a key factor to many of the federal and state stimulus program opportunities.  Upon receipt of stimulus funds, staff will be required to provide accurate and transparent information on the reduction of GHG emissions.  Additionally, monitoring of energy and GHG emissions is a part of ICLEI-Local Government for Sustainability’s (ICLEI) Milestone 1 (conduct baseline inventory and forecast) and Milestone 5 (monitor and verify emission reduction progress).

A base line of data is necessary to understand the current impact of County operations toward energy consumption and the emission of green house gases.  In order to gauge the effectiveness of these goals the measurement and verification must continue on a regular basis into the future.   

Various databases will be used in order to track energy and emissions.  Each of these will require significant data collection and input to initiate the database, and then, once established, require less effort and time.  The following is a description of the tasks taking place for each database resource.  A description of purpose and function for each database can be found in
Attachment #1.

·            Utility Manager – Staff is working to centralize the payment and processing of utility service invoices to a single source.  Currently, multiple Divisions receive monthly utility statements and are responsible for processing the invoice, with no active effort to collect consumption data, such as kWh, demand charge, fuel costs, and water usage.  The centralization will allow for more efficient processing and uniform collection of energy and water consumption data.  Staff is coordinating with utility providers to produce a customized electronic file of all County account activity to be uploaded to Utility Manager.

·            EPA’s Portfolio Manager – Data for this program will come directly from Utility Manager once available.  At that time, staff will determine which buildings may be eligible to become certified under EPA’s Energy Star building program.  Staff will pursue the certification of qualified buildings and work to enhance remaining buildings to also qualify.  Each facility will continue to be monitored on an annual basis.

·            Clean Air & Climate Protection (CACP) – Due to significant data loss and an updated software release, staff has begun the process of recalibrating the baseline emissions inventory and forecast for Leon County operations.  This adjustment will take place parallel to the implementation of energy conservation initiatives and will not impede the progress of those activities.  Once recalibration efforts are complete, results will be included in future quarterly status reports to represent the progress made towards the reduction of GHG within Leon County operations.

·            Building Automation System (BAS) – Multiple County buildings currently have BAS capabilities, some of which were installed at the time of building construction and other systems and components have been added over time.  Staff is working to assess the current capabilities and status of these systems, some of which have been disabled over the years or underutilized.  Once the assessment is complete, staff will work with the BAS providers to validate that each system is fully functional and used by County staff to its maximum capabilities.  The following phase will be to assess beneficial enhancements to the BAS and the cost and benefits associated. 

·            Fuel Management System – This tool will allow staff to track fuel consumption patterns with far greater accuracy.  Upon installation of the system, the information will be assessed to identify under-performing vehicles and possible inefficiencies caused by the operator.  This will be followed by targeted maintenance or employee education in efforts to improve the vehicle performance.   

 Policy & Administration

Various efforts have contributed to laying the foundation of the sustainability program that will guide the program goals and funding into the future.  Efforts include developing a mission statement (Attachment #2), a sustainability policy, and program goals.  The sustainability policy is currently in draft form.  Staff is working to finalize the proposed policy and present it to the Board for consideration in the near future.  The policy will provide guidance for government operations to function more sustainably in areas such as procurement, building operations, and vehicle usage.   

Policy and program analysis has included the assessment of solar opportunities for Leon and its citizens.  An agenda was presented to the Board on May 12, 2009, regarding the evaluation of alternative revenue resources that can be generated from renewable energy.  Staff is currently determining viable community incentive programs to support the proliferation of solar throughout Leon County.  Efforts have included hosting a community meeting to identify barriers and opportunities that exist for solar in Leon County.  The meeting was attended by nearly 50 representatives, including vendors, citizens, non-profit organizations, and other government employees.  Staff continues to assist in the development of solar policy guidance for groups such as the Florida Association of Counties (FAC), Florida State University, Florida Legislators, and Sustainable Tallahassee.  A summary of this analysis can be found in Attachment #3.  Other involvement with policy analysis includes assisting the State to define “green jobs” that now serves as a national model.  

As a member of the Climate Communities group, staff attended the Local Climate Leadership Summit, a gathering that included 200 local government climate leaders.  The event explored economic stimulus and other federal resource opportunities.  Innovative local government efforts in the areas of green buildings, alternative fuel vehicles, land use, and smart growth were also examined.  Multiple members of Congress and the Obama administration shared their plans for energy policy, transportation legislation, and cap-and-trade. Summit events also included meetings with multiple members of the House and Senate, and a session with the White House Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality.   

In the near future, a fully refurbished ‘Growing Green’ website for Leon County will be launched (www.leoncountyfl.gov/GrowingGreen).  Staff has nearly completed a thorough overhaul of the site, making it an engaging and informative resource to the Leon County community.  Visitors can learn how to live more sustainably, see highlights of County’s initiatives and accomplishments, and view upcoming news and events.  In addition, a rich selection of resources and documents will be made available.   

On May 26, 2009, the Board requested an agenda item to consider the establishment of a task force.  Staff has provided an Enabling Resolution to establish the Sustainability Task Force (Attachment #4).  The task force will have ten members to help guide internal government operations and the community toward a more sustainable future through technical assistance and advice on energy conservation strategies, waste reduction and recycling, green building practices and products, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. 

Membership would include a representative from the following agencies: the City of Tallahassee Utilities, Sustainable Tallahassee, FSU’s Institute for Energy Systems, Economics, and Sustainability.  The seven remaining members should possess demonstrated expertise or advanced training in the areas of:

• Urban and regional planning
• Civil, mechanical, electrical, or environmental engineering
• Architecture and design
• ‘Green’ building construction
• Environmental systems
• Solar energy systems
• Transportation systems

 Additionally, the City of Tallahassee is in the process of establishing a task force on sustainability.  City staff are working to bring an agenda item before the City Commission in the near future.  It is anticipated that the County task force will have a similar function and membership as the City task force.  The related time line and purpose of each task force presents an opportunity to combine efforts into a joint City/County sustainability task force.  In a letter to the City Commission, dated August 11, 2009, Commissioner Akinyemi requests the City and County work to establish a “joint committee whose directive would be to focus on renewable energy and sustainability issues.” 

Anti-idling is another Board-directed task in which staff is actively pursuing.  A resolution to recognize the importance of reducing vehicular idling will be presented to the Board at the August 25, 2009 meeting.  Staff is also developing a County anti-idling policy for future Board approval.

Staff, as directed by the Board, is working to create a program for low-interest loans for weatherization of homes in unincorporated Leon County.  The program will be based upon a
$1 million fund designed to provide non-income-based loans for improvements, such as insulation, energy efficient windows, and weather-stripping.  An agenda item is anticipated for presentation during the September 8, 2009 Board meeting. 

Additionally, per Board direction, staff is pursuing Green Government certification by the Florida Green Building Coalition.  This is a program designed to recognize municipalities for outstanding environmental stewardship.  A list of criteria is presented, and each is assigned a point value.  A minimum total point value is set, and local governments, who incorporate sufficient criteria such that they meet or exceed the minimum total point value, are certified as a Green Local Government.  In support of this initiative, staff plans to establish a Facilities Design Guideline for use by architects, engineers, designers, and construction personnel. These guidelines will assist professionals with the design, construction, and management of County facilities.  Aspects of sustainability will be clearly present throughout the document. 

 Staff feels strongly that partnership and collaboration are keys to the success of the Leon County Sustainability Program.  As a result, efforts are routinely made to reach out to others in the community and beyond.  Many strong alliances and partnerships have been forged, with more being sought.  Partnerships of various kinds have been developed with the following key stakeholders: Sustainable Tallahassee, City of Tallahassee Utilities, StarMetro and EPER, the Leon County School Board, Florida State University (FSU), Florida A&M University (FAMU), Sustainable Florida, solar vendors, Governor’s Energy Office, Florida Energy & Climate Commission, FAC, and the Tallahassee/Leon County Economic Development Council.  These partnerships will continue to provide synergy and position results. 

As a part of the “stimulus response team,” the Office of Sustainability has researched and tracked various stimulus-funding opportunities.  The purpose and intent of the primary programs are described in Attachment #5, with an outline of staff’s efforts and contributions as follows.

·        Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) - On April 21, 2009, staff sought Board authorization to proceed with development of a joint partnership between Talquin Electric Cooperative and Leon County to provide weatherization services to unincorporated citizens.  On April 28, 2009, staff attended a public hearing held by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) in Tampa, FL.  During the public hearing, staff formally shared the intent to pursue stimulus-funding opportunities for the development of a weatherization program in Leon County.  During an additional public hearing, DCA determined that the $1.8 million in stimulus funding for Leon County would be distributed to the Capital Area Community Action Agency (CACAA).  With this announcement, Leon County staff reached out to CACAA, offering partnership and support.  Staff is currently working with CACAA to develop and implement the weatherization program for Leon County.  A component of this partnership is the creation of a ‘housing & weatherization coalition’ to bring Leon County and CACAA together with community and construction representatives to spread knowledge and information on weatherization throughout the community.  

·        Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) - Staff is currently awaiting release of the official policy and guidelines for the grant, which are anticipated by the end of 2009.  It is known that the maximum award will be $1.2 million.  In anticipation of the formal program guidelines, staff hosted an EECBG brainstorm session with representatives in various County Divisions, such as Growth Management, Planning, Facilities, Public Works, MIS, Solid Waste, and Cooperative Extension.  Together, this group reviewed the likely goals and purpose of the grant, and brainstormed creative and useful project initiatives.  From these ideas, staff is now assessing each concept to determine which will have the most likely chance of successfully receiving the competitive grant funds.  Currently, staff feels a proposal involving the Southeast Branch Library will serve as an ideal project candidate.  The initiative would involve the investment of grant funds toward significant energy efficient improvements in the building.  Enhancements, such as the incorporation of geothermal cooling system and solar panels, are not within the existing project budget.  However, the additional EECBG grant funds could target these improvements, and others, resulting in the likely accomplishment of LEED Gold certification.  It is anticipated that the Branch Library will then serve as a sustainable development demonstration center.  Staff will provide its final recommendation to the Board upon receipt of the actual application guidelines.   

Climate Showcase Communities - Staff submitted a grant application for an opportunity known as Climate Showcase Communities by sponsor of the Environmental Protection Agency.  The application was for $476,647 of federal funds, with $238,500 of required matching funds for a total of $715,147.  The project would turn nearly all community yard debris (bagged and unbagged), along with other organics, into compost.  This compost would then be placed (with scientific methods) over the Solid Waste Landfill.  After a few months, the natural bacteria in the compost would "eat" at least 80% of the current methane emissions from the landfill.  Florida State and others have done studies showing nearly 100% reduction is possible with this approach.  Staff has formed a tentative partnership with both the Hinkley Center for Solid Waste and FSU to conduct the baseline and quarterly status studies to determine the methane reduction.  The data would be collected through use of lasers rather than sample testing, resulting in greater accuracy.  It is currently estimated that a reduction of 1,666 MTCDE (Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent) annually or more than 33,000 MTCDE over the 20-year active decomposition of the landfill could be achieved.  To staff’s knowledge, this has only been done in small testing sites, making Leon County the first to use this method on a large scale.  Additionally, within three years, much of the compost would no longer be needed on the landfill, and could be offered to the community at little or no cost, thus supporting locally grown organic farms, as well as back-yard gardeners.  Grant awards are anticipated by the end of 2009, at which time staff would request Board approval of the program and the necessary matching funds. 

·        Petroleum Reduction Technologies - The Leon County School Board has been actively pursuing grant funding for construction of a compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel filling station for use in their school bus fleet.  A grant opportunity through the Department of Energy was identified for the project.  However, the School Board was not considered a qualified applicant and, therefore, unable to compete for the Clean Cities program grant; whereas, County government was a qualified applicant.  As a result, the County formed a partnership to formulate and submit the $8.8 million grant request on the School Board’s behalf.  Notice of award is pending at this time.

Each of the aforementioned opportunities have involved various conference calls, public hearings, meetings with state and county officials, research and policy analysis, in order to position Leon County for successful receipt of funds. 

Civic Engagement.  

As a key resource for sustainable actions, both internally and in the community, the Office of Sustainability serves as a liaison to local, state, federal, and nonprofit groups.  The Office partners with government entities, businesses, and individual citizens on a routine basis.  This partnership is critical to the success of any sustainability quest.  Staff has worked to make strides to cooperate and communicate with other governmental bodies, as highlighted in a previous section of this status report.  Additionally, the Office collaborates with community groups, such as, Sustainable Tallahassee, Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA), and Sustainable Florida, as well as individual citizens, to exchange experiences, knowledge, and program strategies.

Joining forces with the CONA, the Office assisted in the success of the Tallahassee Neighborhood Energy Challenge.  The competition, hosted by CONA, occurs for a six-month period, during which Leon County residents compete to see which neighborhood can achieve the largest overall reduction in electricity usage.  The Energy Challenge recently received the prestigious Best Practice Award from Sustainable Florida in which the County’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) team played a significant role.  GIS created an interactive map for residents to register their neighborhood online.  GIS’ creative mapping solutions provided a platform for visitors to see which of their neighbors signed up and at what level of success.

The Office of Sustainability has participated as an active member in the Multi-County Extension Advisory Committee for Climate Change & Sustainable Living, hosted by the Leon County Cooperative Extension.  One of the central tasks of the committee is to explore opportunities to expand the role of the Leon County Extension Center as a sustainable living demonstration center.  Through collaboration of Leon County Extension, the Leon County Office of Sustainability, City of Tallahassee, and volunteers are working to develop a “Green Demonstration Center.”  Subjects that will be addressed include energy conservation, reduction of water consumption, rainwater reuse, composting, gardening best practices, green cleaning, and waste reduction.     

In addition to the program development, staff has placed a strong focus on the importance of the community outreach.  On a regular basis, the Office presents sustainability information to civic groups, participates in peer-to-peer exchanges, and hosts educational events.  When possible, staff participates in community events, which provide a platform to engage and educate citizens.  Examples include hosting a booth at the Spring Time Tallahassee Parade, Earth Day at the Capitol, and a booth at the first annual Earth Day Jam.  The Board recognized Earth Day by presenting a Resolution, and the Main Library featured earth-related books for all ages.  Staff appeared on the local news channel WCTV as the “Celebrity Chef” to highlight an easy way to incorporate locally grown vegetables into a meal.  Additionally, staff has been a guest speaker for multiple events hosted by Sustainable Tallahassee.  Outreach is not only limited to the Leon County community.  For example, County staff were featured during the Southeast Regional peer-to-peer event hosted by ICLEI, in which discussion of struggles and successes were shared to help guide other municipalities toward sustainability.  The Office has participated with the FAC’s ‘Energy Independence Workgroup’  to provide insight towards what affirmative steps FAC can take to pursue positive changes in Florida’s solar policies.  Additionally, staff participated in the Florida Governmental Purchasing Conference sharing ‘green purchasing’ methods with government purchasing officers. 

A team of County staff coordinated the “Leon County Solid Waste Spectacular.”  This event served as a community open house of the Leon County Solid Waste Management Facility.  To many, this facility was thought of as simply a “landfill” or “dump”.  Through tours, demonstrations, lectures, and activities; families learned of the various services provided through the complex that extend far beyond a “landfill”; such as, electronic recycling, household hazardous waste for used items, such as oil and batteries, the recycling education center, and much more.  The fun-filled atmosphere had snow cones and face painting for kids, and a free sustainable lunch, resulting in a huge success with more than 150 people attending. 

This effort has received public recognition throughout the nation as a model for other municipalities to follow.  Publications such as NACo’ County News, and American City & County (Attachment #6) have highlighted the event.  A five-minute video segment will be available on the web as part of NACo’s Green County Video Spotlight program, and aired on the County Channel 16 for continued community education. 

The Office of Sustainability played an instrumental role in hosting the Symposium for Florida Leaders of Sustainability.  The symposium provided one-day training for 45 attendees from around the State who were interested in implementing sustainable principles within their organization.  Through partnership with Sustainable Florida, the Symposium provided a practical step-by-step process for creating sustainability plans, using necessary tools, conducting sustainability assessments, and facilitating one’s sustainability journey.

As directed by the Board on February 12, 2009, the County sponsored the Sunshine State Renewable Energy Expo for $1,000, hosted by the Florida Renewable Energy Producers Association (FREPA).  Staff attended the event, together with approximately 50-75 other attendees.  Commissioner Akinyemi was a featured speaker on the topic of the “Federal stimulus package, the role of government, policymakers and business leaders”.  As an honorary member of FREPA, staff recently made a presentation at a workshop group that included Representatives Alan Williams and Michelle Rehwinkel-Vasilinda, and others engaged in State energy policy. 

The presentation focused on steps that Leon County has taken toward harnessing stimulus dollars.  Particular interest was taken in Leon County’s creation of partnerships with other government entities and environmental groups.

In just seven months after the establishment of a full-time Sustainability Coordinator, many valuable steps have been taken toward Leon County’s goal of becoming a sustainable organization.  The progress of these initiatives will continue to be highlighted through quarterly status reports to the Board. 

Options:

1.      Accept the FY09 third quarter status report on the County Sustainability Program.

2.      Direct staff to cooperate with the City of Tallahassee to establish a joint Sustainability Task Force.

3.      Adopt the Enabling Resolution Establishing the County Sustainability Task Force.

4.      Do not accept the FY09 third quarter status report on the County Sustainability Program.

5.      Board Direction.

Recommendation:

Options #1 and #2.

Attachments:

1.                  Description and Explanation of Database Systems.

2.                  Mission Statement of the Leon County Office of Sustainability

3.                  Solar Policy Improvement Opportunities

4.                  Enabling Resolution to Establish the Sustainability Task Force

5.                  Program Description of Stimulus Grant Opportunities

6.                  Leon County Article - American City & County Publication