Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commission — Skokie, IL
Date: 2026-01-27

Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commission
 AGENDA

 January 27, 2026 | 7:00 pm
 Village Hall Room D/E
 Public Comments: sustainability@skokie.org

  I. Approval of Minutes
 a. SEAC Meeting 10/28/2025
  II. Old Business
 a. Skokie Green Business Recognition Event (recap)
 b. Pumpkin Smash (recap)
 III. New Business
 a. Introduction of Ania Ocasio, Joule Power Community
 b. Approval of 2026 SEAC Meetings calendar
 i. January 27 vii. July 28
 ii. February 24 viii. August 18
 iii. March 24/31 ix. September 22
 iv. April 21 (resource fair) x. October 27
 v. May 19 xi. November 24
 vi. June 23 xii. December 15

 c. Commission rules and membership info
 i. Gratitude to Alma and Rick for their years of service
 ii. Review of current contact information from Office of the Mayor
 iii. Meeting norms
 d. Discussion of 2025 Sustainability Plan updates
 e. Important April/ Earth Month Volunteer Events
 i. Spring Greening - Sunday, April 12 (8:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.)
 ii. Energy & Home Repair Resource Fair (Skokie Public Library)
 1. Monday, April 13 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
 2. Tuesday, April 21 from 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
 f. Low Income Energy Efficiency Outreach and Engagement Grant: “Village of Skokie
 Energy Connections Initiative: Expanding Awareness to Efficiency and Renewable
 Energy Programs”
 IV. Other business
  V. Public Comment (not to exceed 3 minutes per person)
 VI. Next meeting:
 February 24, 2026
VII. Adjournment




Doc#: 626403, Version:1

Memorandum
TO: Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commissioners

FROM:
 Lisa Sanzenbacher, Sustainability Coordinator, Manager’s Office

DATE: January 29, 2026

SUBJECT: January 27, 2026 Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commission (SEAC) Meeting Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 7:06 PM in Conference Room D/E at Skokie Village Hall Present:
Chairperson Jennifer Grossman, Vice Chair Jim McNelis, Commissioners Christopher Buccola Michael
Gershbein, Lisa Gotkin, Emily Okallau, Robert Render, Charles Saxe, Lisa Sanzenbacher, Sustainability
Coordinator, Trustee Lissa Levy

Absent (Excused): Commissioners Andrew DeCanniere, Olivia Mahoney

Also Present: Lauren Grodnicki, Liaison, Go Green Skokie Ania Ocasio, Joule Power Communities
 Public: Lee Hansen (Emily Oaks), Jim Barnard (Go Green Skokie)

I. Approval of Minutes

A motion was made by Commissioner Okallau to approve the minutes from the October 28, 2025 meeting
of the Sustainable Environmental Advisory Commission, seconded by Commissioner Gotkin. The minutes
were approved as presented.

II. Old Business

 a. Recap of the Skokie Green Business Recognition event

 Commissioner Grossman recapped the events at Sketchbook Brewery and the Village board meeting
 to award the 11 Skokie businesses with the Green Business recognition. C. Grossman commented it was
 well attended and a good program. Sustainability Coordinator added that the next cohort of businesses will
 begin soon in 2026 with a focus on energy benchmarking for the businesses.


 b. Recap of Pumpkin Smash.

 Commissioners Saxe and Gershbein said it was well attended, but questioned how it
 compares to previous years. S.C. Sanzenbacher said Skokie composted 1.95 tons in 2026,
 just slightly less than the previous year of 2.6 tons. She also commented that region
 wide, communities composted over 200 tons of pumpkins, reducing Greenhouse Gas
 emission by 144tCO2e, through the organization, SCARCE.

III. New Business

 a. Introduction of Ania Ocasio, Joule Power Community
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 Ania was recently hired by Joule Power Communities to help with the outreach efforts to
 enroll Skokie residents in the new Community Solar Program. She shared her background
 as well as her enthusiasm to begin. Her contract is for one year and paid for by Joule. The
 Village does not pay for her time nor marketing materials. However, the Village helps the
 outreach efforts by suggesting events to attend, providing connections to other
 organizations and reserving rooms in the Library. She requested the Commissioners review
 the outreach toolkit and continue to talk about Community Solar with the community.
 Ania encouraged Commissioners to email her directly at ania@joulecommunitypower.com
 with additional ideas of where to do outreach.
b. Approval of the 2026 SEAC Meetings Calendar
 i. A motion was made by Commissioner Okallau to approve the 2026 Calendar,
 seconded by Commissioner Vice Chair McNelis. S.C. Sanzenbacher noted that the
 April 21st meeting will be the Energy Resource Fair, at the Skokie Public Library, in
 lieu of a traditional meeting. More discussion of the resource fair is discussed in
 item III. e. and f.
c. Commission rules and Membership
 i. S.C. Sanzenbacher expressed gratitude to former SEAC Commissioners Alma Likic
 and Rick Moskovitz. She also noted that the Mayor has been interviewing for open
 positions and the Office will report back when there are candidates to appoint.
 Discussion ensued regarding how candidates are chosen and the interview
 process, lead by Trustee Levy. Commissioners wish to submit to the Mayor and the
 Board certain criteria for someone to be considered on SEAC, as well as short
 biographies of current members.
 ii. S.C. Sanzenbacher reviewed the current meeting norms, as dictated by the Open
 Meetings Act. She noted that there will be a formal training for Boards and
 Commissions Chairs, Vice-Chairs and staff liaisons on February 12, with the new
 Village Corporation Counsel Steve Elrod. The training will include information
 about the Open Meetings Act, highlighting the process, procedures, notice, rules
 of order, public hearing guidelines and public comments during meetings.
 Commissioners requested to have clarification for subcommittee rules.
d. Sustainability Plan 2025 Updates
 i. S.C Sanzenbacher asked for any updates or changes to the 2025 Sustainability Plan
 update, which was reviewed under “Updates” in the Sustainability webpage.
 ahead of the meeting. Commissioners gave updates.
e. Important April/ Earth Month Volunteer Events
 i. Chair Grossman noted that there are multiple events in April that need the help of
 SEAC volunteers:
 1. Spring Greening - Sunday, April 12 (8:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.) Commissioners are
 encouraged to register with the Skokie Park District closer to the date to sign
 up for a volunteer shift
 2. Energy & Home Repair Resource Fair (Skokie Public Library)
 a. Monday, April 13 from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. SEAC members are
 welcome to volunteer, but S.C Sanzenbacher noted the timing may
 not be optimal with work schedules.
 b. Tuesday, April 21 from 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. This event is in lieu of
 the April SEAC meeting. Commissioners are invited to volunteer in
 shifts as their schedule allows. They are encouraged to talk to event
 attendees about the benefits of implementing energy efficiency and
 renewable energy improvements to their home. S.C. Sanzenbacher
 stated that even though representatives from the utilities and Illinois
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 Solar for All will be there, it is also helpful to have neighbors talk to
 other neighbors about the benefits.
 f. Low Income Energy Efficiency Outreach and Engagement Grant Opportunity: “Village of
 Skokie Energy Connections Initiative: Expanding Awareness to Efficiency and Renewable
 Energy Programs”
 i. S.C Sanzenbacher noted that Skokie received a $19,107 grant to help low- and
 moderate-income households lower energy costs through efficiency and renewable
 energy programs.
 ii. The one-year initiative (through December 2026) will provide multilingual outreach,
 targeted mailings, and community resource fairs.
 iii. The program expands the Skokie Home Improvement Program by connecting
 residents to ComEd, Nicor free programs and the Illinois Solar for All program
 iv. Village staff and community partners will support outreach, track results, and report
 outcomes to guide future efforts: SEAC will assist in developing educational
 materials, promoting workshops and community events, and sharing information
 through their established sustainability networks and partnerships.
 1. Checks off many Sustainability Plan action Item boxes: LH 2-1, LH 2-3, BE 1-2,
 BE 3-1, BE 4-1, HS1-4
IV. Other Business
 C. Saxe informed the group that a draft ordinance of e-motos was discussed at the Public Safety
 Commission and is consistent with Ride Illinois’ recommendations.
 C. Render commented that Collective Resource merged with Urban Canopy for curb-side
 composting in Skokie.
 Trustee Levy requested to have Janet Ginsberg to come speak to the Commission regarding
 sustainable materials. Commissioners are interested to have the speaker come. Trustee Levy will
 coordinate with the speaker.


V. Public Comment
 Skokie resident Jim Barnard urges the commission to promote solar panels, especially those on the
 Weber center, and that the public should be aware of these panels


During the meeting, it was noted that Lauren Grodnicki has been made an official liaison for Go
Green Skokie.

VI. Next Meeting

February 24, 2026

VII. Adjournment

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:27 PM with a motion from Commissioner
Okallau, seconded by Commissioner Saxe.




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