The State of the City

During the Mayor’s State of the City address this year (December 13, 2011), she reiterated many of the things the City does to be sustainable (what being green means too many folks).  The very brief list of items she included is as follows.  Please visit the City web site and check out the City Departments and press releases to keep up with the latest/ ongoing efforts.

• Wastewater Department utilizes technology to conserve energy and process waste in the most efficient and effective manner.
• Wastewater Department utilized methane gas to heat several buildings on their campus, through use of methane created by one of their digesters.
• Wastewater Department uses bio-solids from the plant to create compost utilized by many nurseries in town.
• The Street Department conducts an annual leaf pick up program, utilizing those leaves for mulch and fuel, which ensures they don’t end up in the landfill or storm drains.
• The Street Department creates and utilizes a sugar beet juice brine for de-icing, which is a cost savings and less impacting to the environment, roads, and cars than traditional deicer.
• The City has worked with Waste Management to implement single stream recycling.  In its first year 4.1 million pounds of recycling has been collected rather than placed in the landfill, additionally participation in the program has risen from 27% to 62%.
• The Parks Department has instituted a Calsense Conservation system in 7 parks. This system monitors the moisture in the grass and shuts down the sprinklers as needed (i.e. during a rain event), conserving lots of unneeded water use.
• The Water Department instituted a water rate study that provided for a “use extra, pay extra” approach, which has lowered the communities 10 year average of water use.
• The City has partnered with Kootenai Environmental Alliance to do a xeriscaping demonstration at the community garden at 9^th and Garden. This spurred the City to create a greenhouse at the Jewett House property to grow xeriscaping plants and provide them to area farmers markets.
• The Green Team of the City continues to seek methods of educating employees and the community regarding sustainable efforts.
• Walkability is an important community effort to create healthy alternatives to vehicular transportation, therefore the City has accumulated 39 miles of trails and bike paths, and has adopted a master plan for more.
• Protecting and enhancing open space is another priority of the City, who recently accepted the donation of Fernan Hill Park.  This will preserve vistas, views, protect watershed, and allow walking trails and waterfront access to the community.