2015 Administration Department Annual Report

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2015 Annual Report • Administration • St. Anthony Village, Minnesota 37 Sustainability Fair 2015 With several months of planning and City Manager guest lecturing at the Sustainable Community class (SUST 4004—the capstone course for the University of Minnesota’s sustainability studies minor), the 3rd Annual Sustainability Fair was held on Thursday, November 19th, 2015 at Silverwood Park in Saint Anthony. Other partners include the cities of Falcon Heights and Lauderdale, Three Rivers Park District and Citizens for Sustainability. On display at the fair were student projects, local community groups, non-profit organizations, and demonstrations about local leadership, composting, vermiculture and other topics of rising significance. The class consisted of 26 students, which formed seven different project groups. Three student projects focused on Saint Anthony. These students researched and reported on home energy audits, the Roy Quady Green Model Home Project, and incorporating sustainability in the Comprehensive Plan. This opportunity was structured to provide the students with a shared topic, and allowed them to research and produce tangible results, which city staff can now digest and choose to move forward with. The Sustainability Fair planning team also enlisted a student group to work further on fair development and marketing. They were able to receive donations for food and raffle items while promoting the fair around Saint Anthony, Falcon Heights, Lauderdale and the U of M campus. These students also organized the kid’s corner, vendors, and surveyed attendees. Some vendors included representatives from Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society’s tiny home, our local watershed districts, the U of M Bee Squad, and Wilshire Park Ecology Club. Thanks to all who attended this year’s event and with the huge success, we hope the Sustainability Fair will continue to grow and become another Saint Anthony tradition.