First-ever Sustainability Summit set for Feb. 26

From press release

John and Jane Q. Public, elected and appointed officials from Boone and Winnebago counties, as well as groups invested in the region’s future, are invited to attend the first-ever Sustainability Summit for the region. It takes place from 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Northern Illinois University Rockford auditorium, 8500 E. State St. Attendees are asked to RSVP. There is no cost, as the summit is made possible through a U.S. Housing and Urban Development grant.

Purpose of Summit: Engage a Community in Plan Implementation

Summit organizers seek to engage a wide range of organizations and individuals to implement the first-ever regional plan for sustainable development. The planning process is made possible through a $600,000 grant awarded to this region from HUD. There are 16 team topics for which people can volunteer in the broad areas of Social (safety, civic vitality, cultural life, health & wellness), food, housing); Economic (education, access to opportunity, poverty reduction, economic development, technology, transportation); and Environmental (waste management, energy, biodiversity, land water, built infrastructure).

The Rockford Region is one of the few communities to receive a sustainability implementation grant. It is the first step toward accessing millions of dollars in federal funds to fully implement the region’s sustainability plan.

Why Sustainability?

Boone County Chairman Bob Walberg and Winnebago County Chairman Scott Christiansen agree that a united sustainability plan is imperative for the region’s future. Chairman Walberg said, “To be economically competitive in the global marketplace, we must change our regional decision-making process and create a new model of sustainability. That will align the important areas of our lives such as housing, transportation, education, recreation and more. That is how we will be in the world-class region that we know we can be.” Chairman Christiansen added, “More companies will invest in our region with quality jobs if they believe we are a world-class place worthy of their investment. This sustainability plan will get us to that level.”

Keynote Speakers

• Randy Blankenhorn, executive director, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, “Go To 2040 Presentation”—Metro Chicago’s first comprehensive regional plan

• Charlotte Kahn, director and co-founder of The Boston Indicators Project at The Boston Foundation, “Sustainability Indicators”—award-winning initiative fosters dialogue and tracks progress on shared goals

Additional Speakers, Resources

• Steve Ernst, executive director of Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning, and Genevieve Borich, executive director of Rockford Region Economic Development District, on “Sustainability Process”

• John Lewis, Northern Illinois University director of Regional Development Institute, “Call to Action”

• Boone County Chairman Bob Walberg

u Winnebago County Chairman Scott Christiansen

• Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey

Networking opportunities will be available throughout the summit and during the break. To register for the summit, contact Christina Washington, Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning, at (815) 964-RMAP or online at RSVP FORM, chris.washington@rockfordil.gov.

A news conference will be held during a scheduled break from 10:50 to 11:20 a.m., to announce the details of the $600,000 HUD grant for the Rockford Region Sustainability Plan.

For more information, contact Steve Ernst, executive director, RMAP, at (815) 764-7627 or steve.ernst@rockfordil.gov—www.rmapil.org, or Genevieve Borich, executive RREDD, at (815) 969-4252 or gborich@myedd.org —www.myedd.org.

From the Feb. 23-March 1, 2011, issue