Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Environmental Council  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Wednesday, November 10, 2021  
3:00 PM  
Virtual Zoom Meeting: See top of agenda for  
instructions on how to join the webinar or call in by  
phone.  
A. Call To Order  
5 -  
Present  
Chair NATALIE EISNER, THOMAS EGGERT, PHILLIP GRUPE, JOSHUA  
KNACKERT, and LAKSHMI SRIDHARAN  
1 - KATIE BEILFUSS  
Excused  
Chair Eisner called the meeting to order at 3:03pm  
Others present: Michelle Probst, Charles Thompson  
B. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
C. Consideration of Minutes  
MINUTES 13.OCT.2021  
2021  
MIN-436  
Attachments: ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL MINUTES 13.OCT.2021  
A motion was made by EGGERT, seconded by SRIDHARAN, that the Minutes be  
approved. The motion carried by a voice vote 5-0.  
D. Discussion Items  
1. Introductions of Members  
Council members introduced themselves and discussed their experience while serving on  
the Council.  
GRUPE joined the meeting at 3:06pm  
2. Overview of Environmental Council Programs and Priorities  
The Council discussed its history with the Pollinator Protection Program, and what the  
future could possibly look like. EGGERT, EISNER and Probst will serve on a workgroup  
to determine future program opportunities and determine what can be done.  
a. Council’s role of promoting pollinator habitat under solar  
Will be discussed at the work group outlined above  
b. Pollinator Protection Initiatives budget  
Probst shared that there is $2000 in the annual Extension budget for continued pollinator.  
c. Environmental Council Representation on Dane County Tree Canopy Working Group  
Probst shared the overview, vision and goals of the Tree Canopy working group and  
asked for volunteers from the Council. No one volunteered during this meeting.  
3. Extension Natural Resource Educator Programming Overview  
Probst gave an overview of programming with in natural resources with a major priority  
being climate change.  
E. Reports to Committee  
1. Grant Program Coordination, Michelle Probst  
Probst shared a proposal with the council to better align their grant program with other  
Dane county grant programs that consisted of continuing with a combined application, a  
rolling application period, and forming a workgroup to evaluate applications. The council  
will continue with a combined application for 2022 with applications open in January and  
closing mid-March  
F. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
1. Dec. 8th –Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Chang  
2. Dates for future meetings will be determined by the Council at Decembers meeting  
G. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law  
H. Adjourn  
A motion was made by EISNER, seconded by SRIDHARAN, that the meeting be  
adjourned. The motion carried unanimously 5-0.  
Minutes respectfully submitted by Michelle Probst, pending council approval.