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<br /> <br />Item 5.2. <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />Mayor & City Council <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />Stephen Rohlf, Building & Environmental Administrator <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />June 13, 2005 <br /> <br />S1( <br /> <br />SUBJECT: <br /> <br />Creation of an Energy City Commission <br /> <br />The City of Elk River applied to the Minnesota Environmental Initiative (MEI) <br />in 1996 to be a program of Energy Alley (organization under MEI). The City <br />was chosen from a group of communities to become Energy City and has <br />since developed a partnership between government and business to <br />promote energy efficiency and the renewable energy industry through <br />demonstrations and consumer education. <br /> <br />Recently the city was informed by MEI that Energy Alley may not exist in <br />the near future. This will change the Energy City's relationship with ME!. <br />The Action Committee for Energy (ACE) is the local committee that runs <br />Energy City. They discussed this at their March 23, 2005 meeting. ACE felt <br />that Energy City is still a very strong viable organization that is not only <br />making a significant contribution to the environment on energy issues, but <br />is also helping promote the image of the City of Elk River. Numerous major <br />companies focus on Elk River regarding energy issues through Energy City. <br /> <br />Because a tie to MEI in the future is douptful, ACE is recommending <br />Energy City becomes a city commission to validate its existence. City <br />staff currently does the majority of the work, such as sending out packets, <br />taking minutes, advertising events, webSite changes, etc. It makes sense <br />to have Energy City be a city run progrdlm. ACE is also recommending <br />the city seek the designation of "Energy City" through legislation or <br />possibly a gubernatorial designation. THis would give the City an identity <br />and could help with Economic Develo~ment. <br /> <br />ACE will be at the Council workshop meeting to discuss the opportunities <br />facing the City of Elk River and Energy City in the future. <br />