Decorah Sustainability Commission Charts Path for 2025 Initiatives

DECORAH — The Decorah Sustainability Commission held its January meeting on Wednesday evening at the Decorah Public Library, advancing plans for city-wide sustainability initiatives, fine-tuning fiscal strategies, and preparing for the March 4 referendum. Alongside this work, the commission welcomed its newest member, Tim Wagner. A New Voice on the Commission Wagner brings decades of expertise from his conservation work with the Izaak Walton League and Winneshiek County Conservation Board. "I've always had an interest in conservation issues and activism," Wagner stated. "I look forward to contributing to the goals of this commission." Wagner will serve on the Air and Water as well as the Energy subcommittees. Public Education Initiative for March Referendum A primary focus of the meeting was the commission's "Citizen Education Working Group," which was created in December at the request of the city council. The group has been meeting weekly to prepare public education materials related to the March 4 referendum. Updates included the development of newspaper advertisements, a clickable block ad on DecorahNews.com, and plans for direct mail postcards to ensure voters are informed. Your contribution fuels the stories that shape Decorah—make a difference today. Sustainability Plan Updates The commission reviewed draft revisions to the Decorah Sustainability Plan, focusing on communication, educational outreach and transportation initiatives. The Communication and Education subcommittee proposed measures to increase public engagement, including a biannual newsletter, expanded social media outreach and the potential for hiring a communications intern. Funding Proposals Previewed City Manager Travis Goedken presented two potential FY2026 projects for the Commission's consideration: A proposal to replace a gas-powered mower with a quieter, more efficient electric mower was discussed. The $25,000 purchase would be offset by $6,000 in trade-in value, leaving $18,000 to be split evenly between city and sustainability funds. This could also potentially result in the installation of another 220V outlet for charging at the park shop. A $365,500 plan to upgrade navigation signage throughout Decorah was also introduced. Goedken acknowledged the large scale and overall cost of the project and iterated that implementation and funding would be phased. "I'm pointing out that we took this plan to Nagle Signs Inc. who implemented Waverly's new wayfinding plan, It said quote 'this,' and that's what they came back with for the number," Goedken explained. "So, we've prepared this as a capital improvement sheet to make council aware that this plan comes with this estimated cost from Nagle Signs." The commission will finalize FY2026 budget recommendations and continue revisions to the sustainability plan during its February meeting. Never a dull moment! Subscribe to the free DecorahNews.com newsletter and stay one step ahead with local news and information you just can't get anywhere else.