Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges, who campaigned on reducing waste in the city during her successful election run, has hired a sustainability aide.
Stephanie Zawistowski will work on sustainability policy, including plans to make Minneapolis a zero-waste city, the mayor’s office said.
She’ll start later this month.
Said Hodges:
“Stephanie’s professional, academic and organizing experience in joining sustainability and economic growth are the perfect credentials for continuing to move this work forward. I’m particularly pleased that she will spearhead a plan with the City Council and the Public Works Department to make Minneapolis a zero-waste city, which is an important priority for City Council members and me.”
Zawistowski comes from Best Buy, where she worked on environmental issues. She’s also been National Field Director for the BlueGreen Alliance, a national coalition of environmental organizations and labor unions.
Funding
I hope the mayor realizes that the additional funds required of the citizen is a substantial addition to the monthly obligations. Though I see no figure mentioned in this article, I certainly will be hard pressed to squeeze more out of my income stream for another city fee, which would undoubtedly be substantial. Time to back off adding to the citizen burden. What with the addition of obligated healthcare fees for mediocre coverage to the already obligated auto insurance fees on the private side, and the already substantial water/sewer/garbage fees paid to the city (who in the past also proposed charging me extra tax for street lights) making the bills is now the full time activity I always wanted it not to be.
It’s good to see the mayor doing what she promised to do, and with what appears to be a fine appointment to start moving to Zero Waste.