Select Board updated on Climate Action and Resiliency Plan - Community Advocate

Select Board updated on Climate Action and Resiliency Plan - Community Advocate

SHREWSBURY – The Select Board on Nov. 14 received an update on Shrewsbury’s “All In” Municipal Climate Action and Resiliency Plan.

The climate action plan is meant to help Shrewsbury meet several overarching goals, including reducing the town’s contribution to climate change, integrating sustainability principles across town departments, preparing for the current and future impact of climate change, and ensuring that town operations are “resilient and efficient.” The plan also aims to help the town save time, money, and resources.

The town teamed up with Kim Lundgren Associates to create the plan. Work on the plan started in January. Shrewsbury held multiple community outreach opportunities throughout the summer — frequently advertising and staffing booths at community events — to garner public participation and feedback.

“I have to say, having done this work personally for over 20 years with local governments all over the country, that’s very impressive,” said Kim Lundgren, the founder and CEO of the Kim Lundgren Associates. “The town government wanted to include the broader community in the development of a government operations plan. It shows this really is an open government and an inclusive environment.”

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Select Board Chair Beth Casavant thanked Tipping Point 01545, the Shrewsbury-based environmental group that pushed for the town to adopt an action plan regarding climate change. Several members of Tipping Point attended the Select Board meeting.

“I think this is a success story of our ability as a local government to work together with residents to bring about a plan that will be for the greater good,” Casavant said.

The plan is “actionable,” according to Lundgren. The plan includes goals, or broad vision statements; strategies; and actions, which are “specific tactics that will be undertaken… including a mechanism,” like an incentive, policy, or regulation.

“That was something that was really important to the town team. This [isn’t] just a plan that is going to sit on a shelf,” said Lundgren.

The plan will also form a “Green Team” composed of town staff from different departments who will be responsible for implementing the plan.

The project also has an interactive dashboard which includes the action plan, information on the town’s goals, the town’s progress, and many more resources. The dashboard serves as the town’s main form of accountability to the public, but it also suggests certain climate-friendly actions that community members can partake in.

The full plan is available at https://kladashboard-clientsourcefiles.s3.amazonaws.com/Shrewsbury/Shre…

To visit the town’s dashboard, visit https://allinshrewsbury.shrewsburyma.gov/all-in-shrewsbury