On the agenda: Stevens Point Sustainability Commission — Data center (Oct 8)

AGENDA
SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION

Date and Time:

October 8, 2026
5:30 PM

Location:

Members
• Alderperson Lang
• Alderperson Birr
• Heather Phelps
• Gregory Knight
• Robert Michitsch
• Erin Redman (Alt. 1)
Community Room
933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI

Opening Section:
1.

Roll Call.

2.

Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific agenda items
must register their request at this time.

3.

Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific non-agenda items
must register their request at this time.

Discussion and Possible Action on:
4.

To approve the Minutes of the September 3, 2026, Sustainability Commission Meeting.

5.

Update from Heather Phelps and Allison Birr on the responses from the Sustainability
Commission's Public Engagement Survey.

6.

Discussion regarding members' terms expiring and the process for filling commission
vacancies and selecting a new Commission Chairperson.

7.

Discussion and update on the 2026 Sustainability Commission Calendar.
a. Recommendations for a presentation to the Mayor and Common Council Members at
the November 16, 2026, Meeting.

Closing Section:
8.

The next meeting is scheduled for November 5, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Community
Room at 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI.

9.

Adjournment.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that any person who has special needs while attending these meetings or needs agenda materials for these meetings
should contact the City Clerk as soon as possible to ensure that a reasonable accommodation can be made. The City Clerk can be reached by
telephone at (715) 346-1569 or by mail at 1515 Strongs Avenue, Stevens Point, WI 54481.
Copies of ordinances, resolutions, reports and minutes of the committee meetings are on file at the office of the City Clerk for inspection
during normal business hours from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00p.m.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a quorum of the Common Council may be in attendance at this meeting.

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CITY OF STEVENS POINT
SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MINUTES

September 3, 2026 - 5:30 PM
Community Room
933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI
Opening Section:
1.

Roll Call.

PRESENT

Robert Michitsch, Sam Lang – District 9, Greg Knight, Allison Birr - District 5,
and Erin Redman. Heather Phelps was absent.

OTHERS
PRESENT

Speakers: There were no invited speakers.

2.

Members of the Public: Bill Fisher, resident.

Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific
agenda items must register their request at this time.

There were no people who wished to address the Commission on specific agenda items.

3.

Persons who wish to address the Sustainability Commission on specific
non-agenda items must register their request at this time.

There were no people who wished to address the Commission on non-agenda items.

Discussion and Possible Action on:
4. To approve the Minutes of August 6, 2026, Sustainability Commission
meeting.
Erin Redman moved, Alderperson Lang seconded, to approve the meeting Minutes of August 6,
2026.
Call for the Vote:

Ayes: Greg Knight, Alderperson Birr, Alderperson Lang, Erin Redman.
Abstain: Robert Michitsch (was not at the August meeting)
Nays: None; Motion Carried

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5. Alderperson Birr update on the Sustainability Commission public
engagement survey questions available August 11, 2026.
The Commission discussed the Sustainability Commission public engagement survey, which
became available on August 11, 2026. Members noted that the survey had been distributed through
city communication channels, including text notification and the city website. The survey was
expected to remain open until approximately September 23. At the time of this meeting, 290
responses were received, with a goal of reaching 500 responses.
Members discussed additional survey outreach, including sharing the survey through personal
social media and asking Recycling Connections to help distribute the survey link. Survey results are
expected to be compiled for inclusion in the October agenda packet, with materials anticipated
around September 25.

6. Report on meeting with Portage County Executive Eric Olson.
Greg Knight reported on a meeting with Portage County Executive Eric Olson regarding county
sustainability and resilience efforts and possible collaboration with the city. The County is creating
an Energy Management and Sustainability Specialist position, initially supported by Focus on
Energy grant funding, with interest in keeping the position long term.
The discussion included county priorities related to solar panels, battery storage, energy inventories
for county buildings, vehicle fleet review, hybrid or electric vehicle options, electric vehicle charging
infrastructure, and increasing community resilience to mitigate climate change impacts.
Commission members noted alignment between county priorities and city sustainability and
resilience recommendations previously discussed by the Commission.
The Commission discussed opportunities for collaboration among the city, County, University, and
other institutions. Potential areas included microgrids, solar power development, power and climate
resilience planning, shared learning among staff, and future Earth Day participation in 2027.
The Commission discussed the email distribution-list access for Commission members and the
need to confirm city email account access for commission members who had not received
Commission communications.

7. Commission discussion on the Sustainability Commission report and
recommendations presentation to the Mayor and City Council meeting
November 16, 2026.
The Commission discussed its planned report and recommendations presentation to the Mayor and
Common Council scheduled for November 16, 2026. The Commission expects to have
approximately 20 minutes on the agenda for a presentation and time for questions and discussion.
Members discussed preparing both a briefing paper for inclusion in the Council packet and a 20minute presentation highlighting key points. Proposed topics included the Commission’s mission
and objectives, accomplishments and lessons from the first two years, best practices and possible
green purchasing policies, survey results, the need for a city sustainability coordinator role, and a
future vision for sustainability planning.
Members emphasized that the presentation should highlight purpose of the commission, existing
work by city departments, summarize resident survey priorities, and identify potential low-cost or
readily achievable sustainability actions. The Commission also discussed the importance of
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community buy-in and using prior sustainability planning work as a foundation for an updated action
plan.
Commission Chair Greg Knight will prepare draft briefing paper and 20-minute presentation to send
out to commission members for review and edits. Commission will discuss and edit presentation
and briefing documents at the October 8 sustainability commission meeting.

8. Discussion of Sustainability Commission 2026 meeting Calendar updates.
The Commission reviewed upcoming meeting dates and agenda topics. The October meeting will
focus on survey results and continued discussion of the commission report and recommendations
for presentation to the Mayor and Common Council.
The November 5 sustainability commission meeting remains on the schedule. The Common
Council meeting presentation is scheduled for November 16, 2026.
Members discussed moving the October 1 meeting to October 8 at 5:30 p.m. because multiple
members would be unavailable on October 1. Greg Knight will check with city staff regarding
meeting-room availability (meeting was later confirmed for October 8 @ 5:30 pm in the community
room).
The Commission discussed keeping the December 3 meeting on the calendar as a possible debrief
following the Common Council presentation and discussion of the 3 commission member terms that
will expire in December and the plan for filling vacancies on the commission. Members noted that
the December meeting could be canceled if not needed.

Closing Section:
1. The next meeting that is scheduled for October TBD, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Community
Room at 933 Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point, WI. Discussion on the commission report
presentation and recommendations to the Mayor and City Council members. Discussion on
the community survey tools and results if available.
2. Adjournment.
Robert Michitsch moved, Erin Redman Seconded, to adjourn the Sustainability Commission
Meeting at 6:15 p.m.
Call for the Vote:

Ayes: All
Nays: None; Motion Carried

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Responses Overview

Closed

Responses

Average Time

Duration

445

23:14

42 Days

1. Which environmental issues are you most concerned about for central WI?

Climate change

182

Water quality

270

Air quality

111

Biodiversity loss

117

Waste management (landfills,
recycling, composting)

98

Microplastics

45

PFAS

77

Data centers

290

Other

28

2. Climate Experience

Heavier rainfalls

156

Longer periods without rain

251

Higher temperatures

295

Warmer river/lake temperatures

97

Wildfires (and smoke)

336

Longer mosquito/tick season

145

Longer allergy/pollen season

134

Change in general weather patterns

234

Increase in severe weather

250

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3. Which environmental risks should Stevens Point be most concerned about preparing for?

Heavier rainfalls/flooding

216

Droughts

167

Warmer temperatures

176

Wildfires

92

Air quality

181

Impacts on wildlife/ecosystems

216

Increased migration due to climate
disasters or risks

78

4. How much do you agree with the following statement: "It is important for the City of Stevens Point to take action
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

Strongly Agree

259

Agree

96

Indifferent

29

Disagree

23

Strongly Disagree

37

5. How much do you agree with the following statement: "It is important for the City of Stevens Point to invest in pr
eparation for extreme weather events."

Strongly Agree

271

Agree

106

Indifferent

30

Disagree

19

Strongly Disagree

17

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6. The following questions provide examples of possible actions the City could take to improve sustainability & redu
ce greenhouse gas emissions- ranging from City operations to community wide. In each category, please choose t
he top 3 actions you would like to see pursued.

Increasing the amount of City
operations powered by renewable…
Switching fossil fuel powered City
operations to electric replacements
Opportunities for
community/shared solar programs
City incentives to residents &
business to install solar power
WPS in establishing a goal for 100%
renewable electricity for all…
City incentives for renewable energy
job creation
Requiring energy-intensive
developments (e.g. data centers) b…
Other

229
95
175
206
157
54
154
75

7. Buildings- I would support:

Requiring new City building to meet
high energy efficiency standards
Requiring new City buildings to
include renewable energy sources
Requiring businesses over a certain
size to report their energy use to…
City incentives for rental properties
to meet energy efficiency standards
Requiring disclosure of the energy
usage of a house/rental unit to a…
Other

286
255
194
186
124
47

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8. Transportation- I would support:

Transitioning the City's fleet to
hybrids or electric vehicles

169

Increasing City bus frequency

69

Adding new routes to the City bus

136

Increasing City bus hours of
operation
Increasing the number of electric
car charging stations in the…
Adding more bike lanes to City
streets
Encouraging new development to
be walkable
Making current residential areas
denser to increase walkability
Designing streets and traffic
controls to reduce vehicle emissions
Other

110
76
88
223
82
118
50

9. Local Food, Greenspace, and Water- I would support:

Transitioning more public areas to
native prairie grasses/wildflowers t…
City incentives for residents &
businesses to replace lawns with…
Using vacant or public land for
community gardens
Expanding the Green Circle Trail
Limiting how much of a property's
surface can be paved (to reduce…
Limiting chemical pesticide and
fertilizer use on City land
City incentives to save water such as
rain barrels, low-flow fixtures, wate…
Other

245
234
200
97
74
197
132
29

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10. Waste- I would support:

Increasing compost collection in the
community
Increasing the amount of recycling
bins in public areas
Adjusting fees to residents based
on volume of trash picked up (Pay…
Encouraging the recycling of
construction materials
Developing programs to keep
usable items out of the landfill
Phasing out single use plastic bags
at stores throughout the community

239
147
100
168
233
213

Other

30

11. What other ideas do you have for the City to increase overall sustainability?

200

Latest Responses

...

Responses

Update

57 respondents (29%) answered City for this question.

parking lots
vehicles
city projects

Stevens Point
community

renewable energy

water

City

city parks

centers so the city
Data Centers
use

data centers

people

City limits

sustainability
city tree

city street
city buildings

residents or city

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12. How would you like to be involved in the City's sustainability efforts?

I'm interested in being considered
for the Sustainability Commission

54

Community forums

125

Follow updates via email or website

177

Surveys

235

Find more information at
community events already taking…

138

Nothing at this time

95

13. Demographics- Where do you live?

City of Stevens Point

311

Elsewhere in Portage County

103

Outside of Portage County

29

14. Demographics- Do you rent or own?

Rent

96

Live in the UWSP dorms

5

Own a home

326

Other

14

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15. Demographics- What age bracket are you in?

Under 18

2

18-25

42

26-35

90

36-45

103

46-60

92

61-80

102

Over 80

2

Prefer not to say

9

16. Demographics- What do you identify as?

Female

243

Male

145

Non-binary

9

Prefer not to say

36

Other

7

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2025_2026 Meeting Calendar and Presentations October 8, 2026
Sustainability Commission
Date
January 21,
2025
March 6,
2025

Presentation
Organization & Elections
Mayor Wiza
Public Works

April 3

Community Development
-Planning & Zoning
Public Utilities and
Central Transportation
Parks, Recreation & Forestry
Public Works.
Scott Beduhn
Chris Johnson
Public Utilities.
Joel Lemke
Community Development
Adam Kuhn, Associate
Planner/Zoning
Fire and Police
Moody and Kussow
UWSP office of Sustainability

May 1
June 5
July 10
Field trip
August 19
Field trip
September
4
October 2
November
6
December
4
2026
January 8
February 5

Focus on Energy program

March 5

Recycling Connections

April 2
May 7

Meeting Cancelled
Commission work session
Report outline, timeline for
report, internal & public
review, Work assignments.
Portage County Landfill
Organic waste recycling

June 4

No meeting
City of Middleton

Meeting Calendar

Description
Sustainability Commission organizational
meeting.
Scott Beduhn, Director: Streets, Fleet,
Facilities, Resident garbage, compost,
recycling.
Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning: Wis
Local Gov Climate Coalition, GHG Inventory.
Joel Lemke, Director.
Dan Kremer, Director
Garbage & recycling, Garage facilities
planning & Sustainability.
5:30pm at 100 6th Avenue.
Waste Water Treatment plant; Bio-gas, heat
pumps, solar, E-gauge operations.
Zoning code revision update.
Green House Gas inventory status update.
Fire, EMS, Police departments sustainable
projects and plans.
Dave Barbier & Michelle Gullickson, Climate
action planning and opportunities for
collaboration.
Sylvia Lopez, N Cent/N East Energy Advisor

Middleton Sustainability Committee Zoom
meeting, planning process and projects
Susan Schuller Executive Director and Rylee
Mullikin. Downtown recycling program.
Ice storm
Sustainability road map & plan development
Katie Livernash, UW-Extension
Caity Carmody, DOA office of sustainability
Kelly Haffele, Director Portage County Solid
Waste. Kelly Adlington, Bucket Ruckus

Sustainability Commission
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July 2

No meeting

August 6

GHG inventory preliminary
results, use in planning.
Public Survey tool.
Commission report
recommendations.
Public engagement, survey
tool.
Public engagement survey
results.
November 16 presentation &
recommendations to City
Council.
Finalize Report to Common
Council & Mayor.

Adam Kuhn, Associate Planner/Zoning
Administrator. Clear path tool GHG.
Heather Phelps, public engagement.
Heather Phelps, Alder Birr, Greg Knight

Common Council meeting

Sustainability Commission report and
recommendations presentation to Mayor and
Council members.

September
3
October 8

November
5
November
16

Discussion of public survey report.
Develop November 16 presentation and city
council briefing paper.
Sustainability Commission members.

December
3
2027

Potential Presentation and/or Topics for future Meetings
1. City facilities/buildings master planning for LEED.
2. Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) site visit.
❖ Portage County Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan (safe streets, etc.)
• Planning meeting(s) to develop Sustainability Commission report,
recommendations, road map, timelines, etc.
o Caity Carmody, DOA Office of Sustainability & Clean Energy, sustainability,
resilience, climate action planning.
o Katie Livernash, Community Development UW-Extension Portage County,
Community engagement tools.
o Austin Holland, UWSP Center for Land Use Education, community
sustainability and regional cooperation for sustainability, resilience, climate
action planning.
o Dave Barbier & Michelle Gullickson UWSP office of sustainability.
Meeting Calendar

Sustainability Commission
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