(A) There is a Frederick County Sustainability Commission, which was initially created by Resolution 09-02.
(B) Among its powers and duties, the Commission shall:
(1) Identify and prioritize concerns and issues relating to long-term environmental, social, and economic sustainability of the Frederick County community;
(2) Frame sustainability priorities for the County that balance environmental protection, judicious use of resources, economic vitality, healthy communities, and social equity, and that are appropriate to the specific challenges and constraints of the region, and develop and propose a comprehensive set of sustainability principles to inform County policies;
(3) With input from other County advisory committees, establish methods and indicators to measure progress in meeting established sustainability goals;
(4) Assist the County Executive and OSER with implementation of the Star Communities program, certification of Frederick County as a Star Community, and development of metrics to track the success of Commission defined Star Community sustainability initiatives;
(5) Review and report to the County Executive on progress toward achieving certification as a Star Community with input from the County Office of Sustainability and Environmental Resources (OSER), County Divisions and Departments, and other sources of information necessary for such review;
(6) Support and sponsor community programs and projects to provide information and education to the community on ways to improve individual, business, or organizational sustainability;
(7) Develop and encourage community efforts and resources for action on sustainability; and
(8) Consult with the County Executive as requested relative to specific sustainability issues and needs that may arise.
(C) In fulfilling its duties and responsibilities under this Article, the Commission may consult and cooperate with federal, state, county, city, town, or other governmental or public agencies, commissions, and committees, citizens, community groups, academic institutions, and other entities on matters relating to sustainability.
(D) Members of the Commission will meet with the County Executive and appropriate staff on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as needed, to review Commission activities and County sustainability priorities and initiatives.
(E) Commission members will advise the County Executive and staff on issues related to photovoltaics, transportation electrification, energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings, forestry, water and air quality, agriculture, environmental education, waste management, and as the need arises, other areas within their subject matter expertise.
(F) In addition to the activities identified above, members of the Commission will:
(1) Within their individual areas of expertise, serve as subject matter policy experts and liaisons to the County Executive, OSER, and County agencies and units in conjunction with the development of sustainability policies and initiatives;
(2) Facilitate citizen and stakeholder convening processes to provide input on existing and proposed sustainability policies and initiatives; and
(3) Serve as a liaison to the Frederick County Forestry Board and other stakeholder groups closely tied to promoting sustainable practices across a range of sectors.
(G) The Commission shall not engage in any advocacy activities as a representative of County Government.
(Bill No. 18-15, 6-19-2018)