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Municipal Resolutions:

Strategies for Success

Presentation Slides: cclusa.org/municipal-resolutions

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About Our Speaker

Sandy Simon

National Resolutions Project Coordinator

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Our Learning Goals

Communicate and build relationships with local elected officials

Work effectively to pass municipal resolutions in support of the Energy Innovation Act

Highlight where you can find resources and support on CCL Community

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Tonight’s Agenda

Local Support is Important
Local Climate Impacts
Where to Begin
Doing the Research

Preparing for Meetings
Lobbying for Passage
Sharing Success!
Maximizing Success

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Why Do We Want Support From Local Officials?

Political will is expressed through local governing bodies
City councils represent and are close to their communities
The more Congress hears from local municipalities, the more they’ll pay attention to passing the Energy Innovation Act.

Municipal resolutions are “endorsements on steroids”
Passing a resolution begins with a grassroots effort
Congress responds to constituents’ will

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Climate Change Impacts Our Cities

Climate impacts are felt locally

Changing US climate patterns are leading to:�

Water shortages
Sea level rise
Air pollution and worsening health effects (asthma/allergies)
Increasing storm intensity
Agricultural impacts
Infectious disease proliferation
Increased wildfires

All of these strain local budgets

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Where To Begin?

Create a team
Meet and develop a plan
Identify your target
Develop a timeline
Identify a potential champion
Map your personal connections
Find allies for your coalition
Which outside groups will support
Develop a media list & press release

WHERE TO BEGIN

Here are some things your group can do to begin working on passing a municipal resolution:

•Create a team of people in your chapter who want to work on the project. Having at least one resident of the city you’re targeting on your team will provide needed credentials to speak at council meetings.

•Meet and develop a plan with commitments and assignments for team members.

•Identify your target – It could be your City Council, Board of Supervisors or perhaps there is an energy commission which should be lobbied first.

•Develop a timeline. What can you realistically do and by when?

•Identify a potential champion on the council who can help you advance your cause.

•Map your personal connections: Does someone in your chapter know a member of the Council or have a relationship with someone through a service club, religious organization or nonprofit?

•Find allies for your coalition: Who are people outside of CCL who might be good to take with you to your meetings with council members? Your pastor, a scientist, economist, college professor, and people who are influential to each council member are good possibilities. Also, consider influential community leaders who have endorsed the Energy Innovation Act or carbon fee and dividend.

•Consider outside groups which might support you in your efforts. People in environmental organizations, for example, might attend the council hearings when you speak or when the resolution is on the agenda for a vote.

•And finally, develop a media list with email addresses and draft a press release to send out after your resolution passes.

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Doing The Research

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Your Research “To Do” List

Prior to meeting with council members:

Research local impacts of climate change
Locate local environmental resolutions passed
Research Climate Action Plan
Research your council members’ past votes
Prepare bios from voting history and public statements

YOUR RESEARCH “TO DO” LIST

Prior to meeting with council members:

· Research the local impacts of climate change: Determine what the economic and health impacts are for your city. What studies and facts can you point to for substantiating data? Where would you go to find this information? In Community under “Science of Climate Change,”, you’ll find a section on “Highlight Your Local Climate Impacts” which provides a number of helpful tools for learning about the local impacts of climate change in your community.

· What environmental resolutions have already been passed by your Council? Have they voted for a smoking ban, a plastic bag or styrofoam ban, or a soda tax? You can cite these when you meet with council members and in your speeches before the council. To find information on environmental resolutions, consult with your Council’s staff, search the Council’s online database, or Google it.

· Take a deep dive into your city’s Climate Action Plan, if they have one: What does the plan say about lowering greenhouse gas emissions? What actions does it prescribe and by when? How will your resolution give voice to the city’s plan and go hand-in-hand with its strategic planning? You can copy and highlight pertinent portions of the climate action plan to use in a binder or packet to give to your council members when you meet with them. You can also cite the plan when you speak before the council and in presentations.

· Research your council members’ past votes.

· Create a one-page bio of each council member for use at your meetings. Google each member’s name to find their public statements. This will give you useful information about their attitudes on the environment and areas they may have in common with CCL and the Energy Innovation Act.

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U.S. Climate Mayors

These cities are increasing their visibility as leaders responding to climate change
See if your mayor is on the list
If so, you may already have an ally on the council for passing a resolution: climatemayors.org

Hundreds of mayors in cities throughout the U.S. have joined the Climate Mayors coalition

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Preparing for 1-on-1 Meetings

Prepare an informational binder/packet with:

EICDA information
A proposed Resolution
Portions of the local Climate Action Plan
Citizens’ Climate Lobby information

What are your main arguments?

Highlight support
Be familiar with local impacts of climate change - budgetary/weather related
Include local Grasstops Endorsers

Meet with your council members 1-on-1 first before going to the council

PREPARE FOR MEETINGS WITH LOCAL ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES:

· Meet with your council members FIRST before going to the council meeting. This is a critically important first step as you will need to know whether a majority of the council will support a the resolution. Many groups have gone to the council first, only to discover that they did not have the votes needed for passage, so be sure to have one-on-one talks with each one of your council members to gain a good understanding of where each one stands. This is a critical first step in the process!

· Prepare an information binder or packet to give to each council member at your meeting. What things do you want them to know about CCL and the Energy Innovation Act?

· The binder or folder you create can contain such information as

O A description of the Energy Innovation Act

O A proposed resolution

O Samples of resolutions which have passed. These can be found on the EICDA website. Under “Supporters.” Scroll down to “Local Governments” toward the bottom of the page. Click on any of the municipalities, and you’ll be taken to a resolution which can be downloaded and printed.

O Pertinent portions of your city’s Climate Action Plan, and

O Information on CCL. You can also include the infographic, handouts relating to “Who Supports Carbon Fee and Dividend” and your CCL business card if you have one.

· Decide in advance on your main arguments for passage of a resolution. You will want to go to your meetings fully prepared to speak to the importance and advantages of the Energy Innovation Act. Information is on both our main website and on Community.

· Highlight support for the bill.

· If a council member is politically conservative, bring information about CCL supporters such as former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, who sits on our advisory board, and other Conservatives who support the bill. Check out the Conservative Outreach sections in Community. There you will find handouts to help educate and sway conservative members of the council and prepare you to create effective messaging about CCL and the Energy Innovation Act.

Be familiar with local impacts of climate change which are affecting your city or county’s budget.

· You can include the names of leaders in your community who have endorsed CFD and the Energy Innovation Act. Get a list of endorsements which have been obtained by your chapter and share the public ones. You can also include the names of cities in your area and state which have passed resolutions.

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Drafting the Resolution

Work with your legislative champion
Aim for succinctness, clarity and simplicity
Describe the severity of the problem
Highlight the bill and its effectiveness, fairness and benefits
Use the template resolution in this training and adapt it to your city Include local impacts to strengthen the arguments for passage

DRAFTING THE RESOLUTION:

•If you have a legislative champion, ask for information on what resolution language works for your city.

•Share examples of resolutions from the EICDA Supporters-Local Governments page. Oftentimes, staff will select one to use, will write their own, or will collaborate with CCL members on the wording. Provide a copy of the template resolution in the Resources section of this training.

•Aim for succinctness, clarity and simplicity. Review resolutions which have passed for examples of wording to use.

•Include language about the severity of the problem and the urgent need for action. This includes the local impacts which your area or state has experienced.

•Include a description of the Energy Innovation Act, its effectiveness, fairness and economic benefits.

•You can include scientific data in general terms. Detailed information can be included in an appendix. You can include a paragraph in your resolution directing that it be sent to your congressman and senators, as well as to other interested parties such as state legislators, school districts, Board of supervisors and nearby counties.

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Lobbying For Success

Keep your delegation small
Designate a point person
Include someone with your council’s ear
Be prepared to make your case
Practice, practice, practice
Avoid hyperbole; dress for success
Share a brief personal story
Appreciate each council member’s values
Be respectful and a good listener
Be the “go to” person on climate issues
Assess your progress & tally likely votes

Schedule 1-on-1 meetings first thing

LOBBYING FOR SUCCESS

· Schedule meetings with each council member individually, using the information you’ve gleaned from your research. Find out how long your meeting will be. It’s important to ascertain where each of your council members stands on climate and on passing a resolution.

· Keep your delegation small and pick a primary spokesperson for your meetings.

· If possible, include a supporter who has access to the council member. Consider resources you may have in your chapter or from a nearby college, faith or environmental organization or a grasstops endorser.

· Come prepared with information and arguments for passage of the bill. Stay focused on key, persuasive talking points. Organization is the key to a productive meeting, especially as this may be the only chance you’ll have to connect and build a relationship one-on-one.

· Do practice runs to prepare for objections and arguments. If you have a team working on the resolution, meet and strategize in advance of the meetings.

· You can make emotional appeals but avoid hyperbole. Keep your meeting business-like and dress professionally for success.

· Do you have a brief and meaningful story to tell about how climate change has affected you or someone close to you? Your stories make the issue real and relatable. This can be tied to local impacts which affect the health and economy of the community.

· Appreciate each council member’s values, for example their concerns about open space, clean water, or economic stability, from the research you’ve done. Thank the council member for pro-environmental votes taken in the past.

· Be respectful; don’t interrupt and NEVER threaten, blame or raise political affiliations. Handle the conversation in the CCL way: With respect, gratitude and appreciation. Be a good listener: Opposing council members can provide valuable insights and arguments you will need to overcome. It’s up to you to find common ground.

· Be the “go to” person for information on climate-related issues for your council members. Let them know that you’re available to answer questions after the meeting and to continue the relationship you’ve begun building in your time together. If you find a particularly sympathetic council member, such as a Climate Mayor, explore whether that person would consider being your champion to help you through the process of agendizing and passing your resolution.

· After all of your meetings have taken place, determine as best you can how your council members are likely to vote on a resolution. Consider what you’ve learned at your meetings, their past votes, politics, values and concerns. It’s important to have a good sense of whether a majority of the council members are likely to vote for passage. If not, you have work to do to educate your council members, perhaps with a presentation, before going further.

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Preparing for Council Meeting

Get to know the front office staff
Understand the meeting format
Attend a council meeting ahead of time
Prepare your speakers
Learn how to get your resolution added to the agenda
Work for strong supportive turnout
Be respectful; avoid partisanship

PREPARING FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING

•Become familiar with the Council’s front office staff. The receptionist and scheduler can be very helpful to you throughout the process.

•Have a good grasp of the meeting format. How long does each person have to speak during the public comment portion? How do you get your resolution onto the agenda for a vote?

•Attend a Council meeting to gain an understanding of what typically takes place.

•Select a few articulate and prepared speakers to speak about your main arguments. Look to people in your chapter who have presented as part of the Presenters Action Team, volunteers who have a specialty in health or economic fields, or anyone who feels strongly about saying a few words on behalf of passage of your resolution. Expect to be limited to very brief statements. Many councils only allow three minutes per speaker.

•Find out from staff what the procedure is for getting your resolution onto a council agenda for a vote. If you have a champion on the council, will he or she make a motion to agendize your resolution?

•Work for a strong turnout of supporters. Have a specific goal for the number of supporters who will attend the meeting and work to reach that goal. How many people from your chapter will attend and show support? If you have connections to environmental organizations, invite them to attend. Develop a strategy for publicizing hearings when you will be speaking to the council about your resolution and when it is on the agenda for a vote.

•Be respectful at all times and avoid partisanship. Don’t get lost in technical counterarguments if you’re questioned. Treat all questions as serious and important.

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Success! How Do We Use It?

Update your press release
Email it to local media
Follow-up with the city clerk
Request a .pdf file of the fully executed resolution
Send .pdf to resolutions@citizensclimate.org
Keep in touch with coalition partners
Use your resolution to build alliances with environmental groups
Use it for letters to the editor, op-eds and meetings with your member of Congress
Celebrate your success!

SUCCESS! HOW DO WE USE IT?

· Once your resolution has passed, update your draft press release to reflect the actual vote of the council and pertinent information.

· Email it to local media announcing passage as soon as possible, preferably the next day. Radio stations are the most likely to respond, especially your local public radio stations. Have a spokesperson ready in case an interview is requested.

· Follow up with the City Clerk on transmittal of the resolution to Congress.

· Ask the Clerk to email you a .pdf file of the fully executed, dated and signed resolution. Check it over to ensure that it is accurate and complete.

· Send the .pdf file to Sandy Simon at resolutions@citizensclimate.org or to sandy@citizenscimate.org so that it will be included on the EICDA Resolutions page.

· Keep in touch with coalition partners and spread the good news.

· Use passage of your resolution as an opportunity to build alliances with environmental groups in your area. Explore the possibility of including an article in their newsletters about the successful passage of an Energy Innovation Act resolution by your council.

· Mention the resolution when writing LTE and op-eds, in meetings with your MOCs and to obtain local endorsements. Point your MOC to the resolutions page on the EICDA website after your resolution has been posted. Ask someone on your writing team to submit an LTE about passage of your resolution as soon as possible.

· Celebrate your victory with your team and chapter. You deserve it! Now consider this: Are there cities nearby which might also consider passing a municipal resolution? What would it take to begin working on that project?

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Maximizing Your Success

Other things your council members can do:

Accompany you to a Chamber of Commerce or editorial board meeting.
Interview with local broadcast media to talk about local impacts of climate change.
Introduce you to other community leaders, especially those that may have influence with your members of Congress.
Reach out (via op-ed) to other leaders to publicly support the Energy Innovation Act.

Once passed, help council members schedule meetings with their members of Congress

MAXIMIZING YOUR SUCCESS!

Once your resolution has passed, help the members of your city council schedule meetings with their members of Congress to present the resolution to them and discuss how they can work together to get it through Congress.

Other things your City Council members or Board of Supervisors can do to help us are:

•Ask one or more members of the council if they would accompany you to a Chamber of Commerce meeting and/or to an editorial board meeting to explain why the city supports the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.

•Hold interviews with local broadcast media to talk about the local impacts of climate change and why they were moved to adopt the resolution.

•Ask the council members to introduce you to other community leaders, especially those that may have influence with your members of Congress.

•Ask those who are Republicans to publicly support the Energy Innovation Act (such as by writing an op-ed) and to help you reach out to other Republicans. Even in liberal districts, gaining public support from Republicans will help empower their colleagues elsewhere to speak out.

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Community & Energy Innovation Act Resources

EICDA Resolutions

https://energyinnovationact.org/all-supporters/?opentype=local-governments

Grasstops Engagement Resources

Community→Resources

Highlight Your Local Impacts Training

Community→ Training Topics→ Climate Change Science

Today’s Training

Community→ Training Topics→ Grasstops Engagement

Energy Innovation Act Supporters

www.energyinnovationact.org/supporters

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Thank You!

Contact Us: resolutions@citizensclimate.org

Sandy Simon

E-mail: sandy@citizensclimate.org

www.citizensclimatelobby.org