Climate Action & Sustainability Commission Agenda
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 5:30PM City Hall Room 113
215 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148
Roll Call (1 min)
- Councilor Carey McDonald - Present
- Staff Liaison Rebekah McPheeters - Present
- Diego Maldonado* (Secretary) - Absent
- Noha Haraz* - Absent
- Bob FitzPatrick* - Absent
- Rachel Surrette* - Absent
- Lipin Ji* - Present
- Amanda Treat* (Vice Chair) - Present
- Auka (Christina) Mui* - Absent
- Ron Cochran* - Present
- Ricky Ma* (Chair) - Present
- CELT Fellow – William Sheppeck - Present
- Outreach Specialist for Energy and Housing Rehabilitation – Grace Tumavicus- Present
Minutes to be Approved (4 min)
The minutes from the April 14, 2026 meeting were reviewed. Made by Amanda to approve the minutes as submitted. Seconded by Ron. Unanimous in favor. The minutes were approved.
Project Updates & Announcements (20 min)
Rain Barrel Program (Amanda) - Amanda reported that the city has successfully sold out its cap of 150 subsidized rain barrels. Distribution is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the DPW yard. Bekah will pull historic data to track returning purchasers versus new participants.
Clean Energy Coach Initiative (Will) – Will provided an update on regional interviews conducted with MAPC, Heat Smart Alliance, and NEEP regarding volunteer coach structures. Funding pathways continue to target MassCEC Power Grants and the New England Heat Pump Accelerator. Will's fellowship concludes on July 10, 2026. He aims to finalize the grant target, program structure, and recommendations memo by June 16, 2026.
Heat Pump Pizza Party Event (Grace) - Grace briefed the commission on the educational Q&A session held at the Chelsea Public Library in partnership with Elephant Energy. Eight residents attended. Discussion was around homes utilizing expensive oil heat. Carey noted that the Assessor's Database has data lags regarding heating types and recommended cross-referencing records with city building and electrical permits to ensure outreach accuracy.
Wicked Cool Mystic Project (Bekah) – Bekah stated that shade structures and cooling installations at the skate park are underway and expected to be completed within the next few weeks. The project is grant-funded and will incorporate temperature monitoring to track regional cooling effectiveness. Additional structural upgrades to the park will run concurrently this summer.
Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund Grant (Bekah) – Malden was officially awarded a $50,000 Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund grant. Mayor Christensen and Amanda participated in the global kickoff meeting this morning. Bloomberg will assign a structural coach to Malden. All student-led projects must be fully executed and completed by April 2027. Mobilization at the start of the upcoming school year is needed.
Newsletter & Podcast (Amanda) – Amanda reported that commission members participated in a 20-minute episode on Urban Media Arts' Community Conversations podcast. The CASC newsletter will be distributed next week.
Green Malden Fair (10 min)
The commission reviewed performance metrics and feedback from the recent Green Malden Fair at Pine Banks:
- Stats: Approximately 300 individuals attended. Material collections yielded 2,573 lbs of recycled latex paint and 589 lbs of textiles. E-waste and styrofoam totals are pending.
- Feedback: Vendors reported high satisfaction, though structural foot traffic felt lower due to competing local events.
- Future Planning: Future options include coordinating with adjacent municipalities like Melrose, which currently shares regional HHW events with Stoneham. Incorporating a "Repair Café," live music, and email collection raffle incentives.
Working Group Strategizing: Critical Path Groups (30 min)
1. Data Collection & Annual Report (Ricky & Lipin)
- The commission reviewed an Annual Report progress template developed by Julia and the MAPC team.
- The original plan to present to the City Council prior to its June 23 recess. This was revised due to the standard end-of-year agenda volume.
- CASC will finalize the report by mid-June to align with the fiscal year-end, but coordinate with the City Council President to submit the text over the summer for committee referral, targeting a formal presentation slot when the Council reconvenes in the fall.
- Will noted 2024 greenhouse gas inventory metrics was available.
- Drafting responsibilities for the report pillars were assigned:
1. Champion Good Governance: Julia.
2. Net Zero Buildings & Energy: Ricky (leveraging data inputs from Bekah and National Grid).
3. Accelerate Sustainable Transportation: Fitzy (to be confirmed via outreach to city transportation planners).
4. Enhance Community Resilience: Amanda (coordinating with Malden High School and the Youth Action Collaborative).
5. Mitigate Heat & Flood Impacts: Lipin (pulling operational data from Chris at DPW/Forestry).
Future Priorities (20 min)
The strategic review of existing working groups was tabled until the next monthly meeting due to attendance constraints.
Next Steps (5 min)
- Next Meeting: Tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 5:30 PM in City Hall Room 113. Agenda items will include a presentation by the Sierra Club and fiscal year planning.
- Community Events:
- Malden River Cleanup- May 31
- Chinese Culture Connection Event - June 20, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Adjournment – 7:00PM
A motion to adjourn was made by Ricky, seconded by Amanda, and passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:00 PM.
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