Potential of joint climate official is great

The proposal that Tiburon, Mill Valley and possibly Belvedere join forces in hiring a climate change staffer who can help advance and implement local “green” measures makes sense.

California municipalities are facing a longstanding state deadline with an ambitious, but critical goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

A lot of the easier measures have already been enacted, but moving forward with more initiatives, guiding them through the local approval process and helping make sure they are effective and making a difference is going to take a city hall staffer dedicated and knowledgeable about how local cities can meet their goals.

The statewide initiative dates back to 2006, when Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger led the political push, shepherding AB 32 through the Legislature and signing it into law.

If California were a nation, it would be the world's 12th largest carbon emitter. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions here can make a difference as well as creating a model for others to follow.

In 2010, a proposition promoted by the state's GOP and industry forces, sought to unravel the 2006 law, but voters rejected the move.

Statewide, 61.5% of voters rejected Proposition 23. In Marin, a whopping 78% turned down the measure.

Local residents' support for advancing anti-pollution measures is clear.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom called for the state to “supercharge” its push toward meeting its climate goals.

Local municipalities play an important role in implementing local anti-pollution measures.

But doing the advance work needed to inform and rally local communities around these measures and implementing them requires expertise at city halls.

Sharing that job among two or three small cities makes a lot of sense, both in reducing the payroll cost and possible regional coordination in enacting new requirements.

Community outreach to local residents and businesses during city halls' deliberations over proposed measures and when making sure the initiatives are enacted is going to take staff leadership.

After all, Mill Valley City Manager Todd Cusimano framed the job as “a community-facing position.”

The ideal candidate will have knowledge of local measures that can be enacted to move closer to the 2030 goal, know-how in engaging stakeholders, experience in seeing that local initiatives are effective and regularly keeping track of the city's progress.

There can be a big difference between approving new rules on paper and making sure they are enacted.

Mill Valley and Tiburon have already decided to partner on a staff position. Belvedere is considering joining them, or possibly hiring a consultant to handle the job.

Working together, sharing the expertise and cost, is a smarter way for these municipalities to continue to make progress toward meeting their 2030 goals. It is a sign that they are taking the goals and strong local support for them seriously.