Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Community Action Network to Support and Advance the Bryant Neighborhood Decarbonization Project ($225,000.00)
Memorandum
The City of Ann Arbor has set the ambitious and essential goal of a just transition to community-wide carbon neutrality by the year 2030 (known as A2ZERO <https://www.a2gov.org/departments/sustainability/Carbon-Neutrality/Pages/default.aspx>). Guiding this goal is the City’s “Living Carbon Neutrality Plan,” which includes seven strategies and forty-four actions. All of these strategies attempt to center equity, ensuring that those that have done the least to contribute to climate change but suffer the most, are centered in solutions.
Shortly after the adoption of A2ZERO, the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations (OSI) reached out to Community Action Network (CAN) to explore opportunities to collaborate in equitably advancing climate action. Over two years later, this conversation led to the goal of creating the nation’s first carbon neutral existing neighborhood - in the Bryant community. CAN has worked side by side with OSI in advancing this goal, with the work at a critical pinnacle that now necessitates sustained commitment and action and support to help scale and transfer the work to other neighborhoods in the City. That is why OSI is recommending this scope of service and the associated five tasks to advance equitable decarbonization in collaboration with CAN
1. Sustained community engagement education
2. Identification of strategies for scaling Bryant work to other neighborhoods
3. Support initiating decarbonization efforts in other neighborhoods
4. Storytelling support
5. On demand support to continue growing the work in Bryant and beyond
The staff recommends a three-year contract with Community Action Network with two, one-year, administrative options to extend.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Funding to support this work with Community Action Network was integrated into the Office of Sustainability and Innovations 2024 Council adopted budget.
Staff
Prepared by: Missy Stults, Sustainability and Innovations Director
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, In June 2020 Ann Arbor City Council unanimously adopted the A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality Plan, which set the goal of community-wide carbon neutrality by the year 2030;
Whereas, Equity was one of the three core values that underpinned A2ZERO;
Whereas, For over two years the Office of Sustainability and Innovations has been working with Community Action Network to make the Bryant neighborhood America’s first carbon neutral existing neighborhood;
Whereas, Interest in and momentum for the work in Bryant has started to grow, necessitating more time and attention than there is currently capacity to support;
Whereas, The Office of Sustainability and Innovations and Community Action Network are interested in taking the lessons learned from the work in Bryant and expanding it to other neighborhoods in the City, and beyond;
Whereas, Community Action Network has been an incredible collaborator in helping the Office of Sustainability and Innovations advance A2ZERO in a just and equitable way; and
Whereas, Additional capacity and support for Community Action Network will help the work in Bryant grow and scale;
RESOLVED, That City Council approves a three-year Professional Services Agreement with Community Action Network in the amount of $225,000.00 for work related to the Bryant neighborhood project;
RESOLVED, That City Council authorize two optional one-year extensions of the agreement, upon approval by the City Administrator;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to sign the agreement after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
Resolved, That the City Administrator is authorized to take all appropriate actions to implement this resolution, including signing all necessary documents and sub-agreements.