Learn more about Legacy Community Alliance for Health (LCAH)

The City and the school district became the first customers in the state to receive solar power through a novel Renewable Energy Rider service structure with their utility. This 5-megawatt solar array will be located on 21 acres of land at the Middleton Municipal Airport (Morey Field) at 8300 Airport Road. The project is ten times larger than the existing Shared Solar project at the Middleton Municipal Operations Center at 4300 Parmenter Street.

Of the 5 megawatts, 10% will be dedicated to the City’s operations and 20% will be dedicated to the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District. The remaining 70% will be available to residents and businesses in the utility’s service area through MGE’s Shared Solar program.

In 2018, the Middleton Common Council unanimously passed Resolution 2018-32, as recommended by the City’s Sustainability Committee, to Address Global Warming Through Clean Energy (100% Renewable Energy Goals). The Resolution establishes goals to meet 25% of all City operations’ electricity needs with renewable energy by 2025, 80% by 2030, and 100% by 2035. Once this new solar array is energized, along with anticipated installations of three new city-owned solar arrays in 2020, the City will be at 50% of its goal for 100% renewable energy for all electricity needs, well ahead of schedule.

The City, MGE, and Middleton Cross Plains Area School District shared the Pioneers of the Year Award from RENEW Wisconsin on January 16th for this innovative joint project.

The City, MGE, and Middleton Cross Plains Area School District shared the Pioneers of the Year Award from RENEW Wisconsin on January 16th for this innovative joint project.

How Counties Play a Critical Role in Advancing Health Equity

–by Marybeth McGinnis, Associate Outreach Specialist, COWS, UW-Madison

Health in All Policies (HiAP) is a framework for recognizing and addressing health inequities by centering the social determinants of health impacts in discussions of wide-ranging policy topics. HiAP incorporates five elements, each of which are crucial for the success of policies across diverse departments and sectors that aim to reduce health inequities:

• Promote health, equity, and sustainability.
• Support intersectoral collaboration.
• Benefit multiple partners.
• Engage stakeholders.
• Create structural or process change.

The Legacy Community Alliance for Health is a partnership between Green Tier Legacy Communities, COWS (a UW-based think-tank), and several NGO partners including the Wisconsin Counties Association. Its main objective is to build the capacity of Wisconsin communities to implement a health in all policies approach. Already in its third year, LCAH has helped several communities across the state successfully implement policies and programs that exemplify each of these elements. Counties can bring important value and direction to these projects, especially in partnership with cities. The projects and recommendations for counties below demonstrate in concrete ways how counties and cities can partner to reduce health inequities.

Promote health, equity, and sustainability

In rural Bayfield County, residents who cannot drive or afford a car may face worse health outcomes due to the difficulty of traveling to friends, medical appointments, work, and more. Thus, Bayfield County hosted a transportation summit. The summit incorporated ideas from partners such as Wisconsin Department of Transportation, as well as examples of innovative rural transport, such as in the Japanese town of Nishikata. By recognizing the challenge of transit in rural areas and its inextricable link to health outcomes, Bayfield County initiated an important conversation about health and transit in order to better identify solutions.

Support intersectoral collaboration

Employees of the City of Appleton knew they wanted to incorporate HiAP into the City’s work. While a city resolution would have been easier to pass, employees instead strategized to pass an ordinance. Because Appleton is located in three different counties, this effort involved reaching out to partners in a variety of county organizations and departments, as well as within the City’s own Health Department. All three of the counties’ involvement in the support of the ordinance was crucial in giving the new legislation clout.

Benefit multiple partners

Eau Claire County and the City of Eau Claire cowrote a Health Chapter for the City of Eau Clarie’s Comprehensive Plan that incorporates HiAP. While this was a significant step, these communities had an even greater impact by partnering with a local community group that had received funding to complete an assessment of the community’s health. This was a jumping-off point for County and City staff to engage with HiAP, bring the community into the decision-making process, and benefit other partners.

Engage stakeholders

The City of Fitchburg created its Health Neighborhoods Initiative (HNI) with the aim of developing more grassroots engagement outside of City Hall. However, Fitchburg did not have the funding or personnel to make grassroots engagement work. Luckily, Dane County Department of Human Services heard about Fitchburg’s HNI. The County funded two Neighborhood Navigators who work to engage with residents in places like cultural centers, food banks, and community festivals. The City-County partnership was key, as the County had available funding and the City had connections with the targeted neighborhoods.

Create structural or process change

The City of Wisconsin Rapids plans to support HiAP through its Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Matrix (used to measure the likely health impacts of new developments and city policies) and the HIA Advisory Board (which is tasked with identifying how the city’s work impacts health). The team is compiled of Wood County Health Department staff, City of Wisconsin Rapids staff, and representatives from several community groups. The Matrix and the Board are long-term changes to processes that will better ensure future projects are considered through the HiAP lens.

How Counties Can Lead

• Reach out to city and town staff, and ask if they have developed a HiAP approach and how the county can be a part of its success.
• Partner with cities to share funding for more effective and engaging interventions.
• Prioritize building city-county relationships by devoting personnel time to serving on advisory boards and attending meetings.
• Bring HiAP to non-health county departments, as it is crucial for those outside of traditional health work understand the impact of transit, work, infrastructure, and more on health inequities.

Learn more about LCAH

• Eau Claire
• Eau Claire County
• Fitchburg
• Middleton
• Monona

Read more details at 100 Percent Renewable Energy Commitments.

Thursday, May 23, 2019

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center

1919 Alliant Energy Center Way | Madison, Wisconsin

– Attend the Expo for FREE

– Display a Vehicle in the Expo for FREE

– Register for Luncheon and Breakout Sessions – $50 before May 10

– Reserve an Exhibitor Booth – $500

– Sponsor the Expo – Multiple Levels Available

For more information, contact Kelly Verbeke of Wisconsin Clean Cities at 414-221-2175 or [email protected].

Given that where we live impacts our wellness, the Wisconsin Active Together Communities, now reaching 1.4 million Wisconsinites across the state, know that even small changes in the landscape and in promoting being active can add up to create lasting changes for everyone’s benefit, impacting both health and the economy.

The City of Middleton was recognized based on the strength of its trail system, which spans 28 miles throughout the city. The extensive trail network increases active transportation options and fosters economic development by connecting residents to their workplaces, schools, parks and the conservancy.

For more information on why Middleton received this designation, please visit: wiactivetogether.org/middleton.

The Eau Claire County Recycling Division received a Projects and Initiatives Award from DNR for focusing on education through a multi-faceted communications plan. The county wanted to improve its residents’ access to information about recycling and proper disposal of various waste types. It created a new Recycling and Disposal Guide and mailed it to all residents. The county revamped its website to include more images, hyperlinks, graphics and also the new guide, which receives about 350 views per month. The county increased its social media postings to five per week and its Facebook posts reach 23,600 people. The county’s Summer Clean Sweep recycling event had the largest turnout on record.  Learn more here.