Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commission — Skokie, IL
Date: 2026-02-24

Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commission
 AGENDA

 February 24, 2026 | 7:00 pm
 Village Hall Room D/E
 Public Comments: sustainability@skokie.org

  I. Approval of Minutes
 a. SEAC Meeting 01/27/2026

  II. Old Business

 a. Call for Volunteers
 i. Spring Greening - April 12 (8:45am-2:45pm) NNHS and Imperial Realty
 ii. Energy and Home Repair Fair – April 13 (11am-1pm) April 21 (5pm-
 7:30pm) Skokie Public Library
 iii. Farmers’ Market - TBD
 b. Clarification of LF 1-4: Front yard gardens
 c. Commission Rules and Membership info
 i. Review of Code of Conduct document
 ii. Review of Sustainability Plan Sector Liaisons


 III. New Business
 a. Welcome Commissioner Ryan Tappel
 b. Residential Sustainability Awards


 IV. Other business
  V. Public Comment
 VI. Next meeting: March 24, 2026




Doc#: 626403, Version:1

Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commission
 Meeting Minutes

 February 24, 2026 | 7:02 pm – 8:20 pm
 Village Hall Room D/E


Meeting was called to order at 7:02 PM in Conference Room D/E at Skokie Village Hall Present:
Chairperson Jennifer Grossman, Commissioners Christopher Buccola Michael Gershbein, Lisa
Gotkin, Lauren Grodnicki, liaison to Go Green Skokie, Olivia Mahoney, Emily Okallau, Charles Saxe,
Ryan Tappel, Lisa Sanzenbacher, Sustainability Coordinator, Elizabeth Zimmerman, Assistant to the
Director of Public Works, Trustee Lissa Levy

Absent (Excused): Vice Chair Jim McNelis, Commissioners Andrew DeCanniere and Robert Render

Also present: Lee Hansen, Skokie Park District

 I. Approval of Minutes
 There was a motion to approve the SEAC meeting minutes from 01/27/2026 from
 Commissioner Saxe and seconded by C. Okallau. Motion passed.

  II. Old Business
 Discussed upcoming events that requested the help of commissioners including Spring
 Greening and the Energy resource fairs in April, as well as a table at the Skokie Farmers’
 Market in June.

 Discussed “front yard gardens.” The term is from this document, which is still accurate.
 However, it was noted that the location of the garden isn’t the issue, it refers to edible
 gardens. Staff are updating an ordinance to clarify how residents should maintain their
 edible and flower gardens with rat activity in mind. C. Gotkin requested to have SEAC
 review and help with the drafting of the ordinance.

 Reviewed commission rules and membership information. Code of Conduct document
 was shared with commissioners which included rules for the Open Meetings Act.

 Reviewed the commissioners’ liaison roles to each sector of the Sustainability Plan. Most
 remained the same with exception of Commissioners Buccola and Tappel joining the
 Water & Wastewater sector, and C. Okallau joining the Local Food & Agriculture sector.
 Health and Safety sector remains without a liaison.


 III. New Business
 New Commissioner Ryan Tappel was welcomed and introduced himself and why he
 decided to join SEAC.



Doc#: 626403, Version:1
 Deadline for the Residential Sustainability Awards was established to be July 19th with a
 recognition event at a future Board Meeting. Chair Grossman asked for a motion which
 was moved by C. Okallau and seconded by C. Saxe. Unanimous vote. Motion Passed. C.
 Gershbein requested help from Village Staff to begin early and continuous promotion of
 the awards including flyers at Village Hall and the Library, blurbs in the Skokie Scoop and
 New Skokie.


IV. Other business
 Commissioners discussed how to review development plans for coordination with the
 Sustainability Plan. Commissioners also asked staff for an update on action item BE-14 to
 have an ordinance to have developers participate in a green building certification
 program.

V. Public Comment
 There were no public comments

VI. Next meeting: March 24, 2026. Motion to adjourn by C. Okallau, and seconded by C.
 Gershbein at 8:20pm.