Council Approves Creation of New Climate Commission

By Adam Swift

A new Citizens Advisory Commission on Climate will aim to help town leaders tackle environmental issues and climate resiliency in Winthrop.

The town council voted to approve establishing the new commission at its meeting on Tuesday night.

Precinct 6 Councilor John DaRos introduced the motion, and read the new Citizens Advisory Commission on Climate’s mission statement.

“Recognizing the immediate need for a comprehensive, informed, actionable, and dynamic climate resiliency and strategy to future-proof our seaside community of Winthrop, the Citizens Advisory Commission on Climate aims to support the town of Winthrop in accomplishing this task by serving as an advisory board to town officials through education, awareness, and recommend courses of action with the following goals at the center of its mission,” the statement reads.

Those goals include creating a baseline of the current climate challenges facing the town, including frequent flooding, storm surge, sea level rise, and the current financial and other implications for the town and its residents, as well as synthesizing the results of documented research and studies regarding those challenges and how to implement change using that information.

The commission will also seek to synthesize existing state and federal grants and other funding opportunities to support best practice recommendations.

“Finally, the commission would inform and assist the town manager, the town planner, and other such leaders in their efforts to work with federal, state, and local agencies to secure current and future grants to support our efforts,” said DaRos.

DaRos noted that there are already a number of educated and qualified people in the town putting in their own personal time to share their expertise on climate issues.

“This commission would create a consistent, ongoing, well-informed approach,” said DaRos. “To make it simple, help with a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of research and making recommendations primarily to our town manager, but also to us as a council.”

Council President Jim Letterie said residents who are interested in serving on the commission can submit applications to the town council. Letterie said the commission will likely include one or two town councilors, along with the members from the public.

During the public speaking segment of the council meeting, several members of the local environmental action group Winthrop Mothers Out Front spoke in favor of the establishment of the advisory commission.