Title
A Resolution creating an Office of Sustainability under the Office of the County Executive’s and a new, full-time position of Director of Sustainability that would directly report to the County Executive, retitling the existing position of Sustainability and Environmental Engineer to Managing Environmental Engineer and funding the new position with funds from the Appropriation for Contingencies account. (02/04/11 County Board Meeting: Referred back to the Committees on Finance and Audit and Personnel, the Department of Administration, and the Department of Human Resources.)
Body
by recommending adoption of the following:
WHEREAS, on July 26, 2007 the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve a resolution creating the “Green Print” environmental and conservation initiative for Milwaukee County government; and
WHEREAS, a provision of the Green Print authorized the Director of Human Resources to develop a position of Director of Sustainability and report back to the Personnel and Finance and Audit Committees in September of 2007; and
WHEREAS, instead, the 2008 adopted budget for the Architectural, Engineering and Environmental Services division (AE&ES) abolished the vacant position of Director of Energy and Environmental Services and created the position of Director of Sustainability and Environmental Engineer; and
WHEREAS, the job duties associated with the Director of Sustainability and Environmental Engineer position that relate to sustainability include providing effective, rational and cost conscious leadership on environmental sustainability issues, working closely with county departments to identify opportunities to apply “green” building concepts, performing cost benefit and/or life cycle analysis on proposed major maintenance and capital public works projects and monitoring results on implemented projects; and
WHEREAS, the job duties associated with the Director’s position that relate to environmental services responsibilities include providing environmental services assistance to county departments, overseeing Milwaukee County’s NR216 county-wide stormwater permit, management of landfill gas control systems and groundwater monitoring, serving as the County land conservationist and overseeing environmental services section staff; and
WHEREAS, given the diverse workload of the Sustainability Director’s position, the County Board adopted a resolution (File No. 08-238) in June of 2008 requesting that the Green Print Workgroup recommend changes to the position based upon the existing and evolving job duties and report back in September of 2009, in anticipation of the 2010 budget deliberations; and
WHEREAS, the Green Print Workgroup submitted a report (dated September 15, 2009) recommending the creation of a “Director of Sustainability” position as a new department head reporting directly to the County Executive and retitling of the existing position of Sustainability and Environmental Engineer to “Environmental Engineer”; and
WHEREAS, the recommendation was based on several advantages including the allowance of full-time dedication to both sets of priorities, the appropriate elevation of the Director of Sustainability position to provide more countywide visibility and to increase the likelihood of securing more grants for sustainability and environmental services of the existing position; and
WHEREAS, the County Executive’s recommended budget for 2010 did not include the Green Print Workgroup’s recommendations and an amendment to create an Office of Sustainability within the County Board failed; and
WHEREAS, the duties of the existing position of Director of Sustainability and Environmental Engineering are extensive and the combined position does not allow for many opportunities to expand sustainability efforts; therefore, creating a new position of Director of Sustainability is warranted; and
WHEREAS, the City of Milwaukee has an Office of Environmental Sustainability managed by a full-time position and the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District also funds full-time position for environmental sustainability efforts; and
WHEREAS, the position of Director of Sustainability for Milwaukee County will be funded by the Appropriation for Contingencies Account to be reimbursed by grants and other outside revenues; and
WHEREAS, the considerable amount of savings already achieved through implementation of the Green Print program would increase significantly more by dedicating a full-time position to these efforts; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors hereby creates a new Office of Sustainability within the Office of the County Executive and a new full-time position of Director of Sustainability that will directly report to the County Executive; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Board authorizes and directs the Director of the Division of Human Resources to retitle the existing position of Sustainability and Environmental Engineer to Managing Environmental Engineer; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Board authorizes and directs the Director of the Department of Administrative Services to initiate a fund transfer in the amount of $129,000 for salary, fringe benefits and supplies from Org. Unit 1945-Appropriation for Contingencies Account to the new Office of Sustainability; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Board authorizes and directs the Sustainability Director to seek and receive grants or other revenues that would offset the cost of the position.