Climate Corps Task Force

January 18th: Climate Corps Task Force. In attendance: Maryalice Crofton, Kirsten Brewer, Stacie Haines, Rep. Morgan Rielly, Ivan Fernandez, Kate Klibansky

Rep Rielly’s update LD 142 “An Act to Fund Climate-related Service Work” going to Education Committee. There is a public hearing on this on Tuesday, Jan 31, at 1 PM.
Link to bill language.
Need to help with turn out at the public meeting. Get people to submit testimony- written or can Zoom. Cole, Ania, SAM, Maine Municipal Association. As many different voices as possible. Also, need to starting conversations with AFA early to get the funding needed. 
Will circulate to the list of people who testified last year re: the public hearing.
Current project: DownEast Community partners; 4 members for 7 month terms, extensive weatherization, certified. Shadowing pre and post assessment. Town Halls.  Learning skills and data assessment. Looking to run May-November. Potential service member to testify. Kirsten/Mary Alice will follow-up. 

We are officially the Climate Corps Task Force, Research and Evaluation Task Force has been disbanded. 

Workplan summary includes:

Climate Corps Task Force 2023 Workplan: 

Develop strategies for identifying, cultivating, recruiting, and supporting Indigenous representation to inform Climate Corps development. This could look like, coordinated recruitment to serve on the Commission or the Task Force AND/OR staff/task force member outreach to Indigenous communities; showing up to other events and meetings as invited/welcomed. Beyond Indigenous outreach/collaboration, engage under resourced communities in Maine to hear their needs regarding climate action. 

Action Items: Kate is going to take a look at interviewees to consider who may be a good fit for the task force. Kirsten is reaching out to task force members who have popped in to see how they could be supported to return to the task force.

Review and provide feedback on policy and procedure development as pilot Climate Corps program is launched. Review policies and grantmaking with an equity lens. Prioritize climate action goals based on Climate Council sub-committee on equity goals and/or highest needs for under resourced communities. 

Provide feedback and support on funding plan for Climate Corps (making connections to funders, etc).

Participate in Commission strategic planning process. 

Provide feedback, develop, and participate in awareness/marketing campaign. Leverage networks of Task Force members to spread the word. Ensure information and communications about the Climate Corps is accessible for a wide range of audiences. 

Discussion: Around Climate Corps website, recommended that what is currently being implemented is highlighted with explanation of where we would like it to go. Also, how Climate Corps is differentiated from the other programs on the website. An explanation (diagram/flow chart) of how the programs work.

Draft mission statement for Task Force. Kirsten will work on this and report back for input.