Metropolitan Mayors Caucus

10/01/2026

Our recycling mascot, Loop the Cart, met the Low-Income Energy Efficiency Outreach & Engagement grant's Energy Vampire mascot, created by RR Trade Schools, at the Community Action Partnership of Lake County's Resource Fair and Health Summit. The mascots are helping to educate residents about proper recycling and reducing energy waste at home!

09/29/2026

We’re speaking at the American Planning Association - Illinois Chapter Conference this week and hope to see you at our sessions!

Friday at 2:15 p.m.: Can homes and buildings be both sustainable and affordable? Find out during a town hall debate set in Pawnee. What “Parks and Recreation” characters might show up during this entertaining and educational session? Join us on Friday afternoon to see who makes an appearance!

Senior Sustainability Specialist Cheryl Scott will speak with partner organizations from the Caucus’ Advanced Building Energy Efficiency Policies (ABEEP) Task Force, including Slipstream, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, and Illinois Green Alliance.

Thursday at 4:45 p.m.: Caucus Director of Environmental Initiatives Edith Makra will join ABEEP Task Force partner organizations and the City of Evanston Illinois Government for “Bite-Sized Strategies for Communities,” a session on aligning planning practices with long-term sustainability, energy, and resilience goals.

09/28/2026

Thank you to Argonne National Laboratory for helping us plan and organize a successful quarterly meeting on Friday!

Attendees learned about innovations at the laboratory in infrastructure planning and resilience, in integrating AI to double the productivity and impact of science and engineering, and advances in energy storage. They also heard an update from the Illinois EPA.

More photos from the meeting and tours will be coming soon, but we wanted to share a few pictures today and thank Argonne National Laboratory for hosting, all of the speakers for contributing their time and expertise, and everyone who attended!

09/17/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined our Environment Committee meeting on green roofs and living walls, including those who stayed for a tour of The Meadow, the green roof atop the Old Post Office in Chicago. And thank you to our speakers for sharing their expertise!

We heard from the project leaders behind The Meadow, Principal Stan Szwalek and Associate Principal Ann Weiland of Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects. They shared how the green roof was designed, installed, and maintained, and led our rooftop tour. The presentation and tour offered a deeper look at the engineering behind this remarkable urban oasis.

The Committee also learned about designing, installing, and maintaining living walls from David Bishop, founder of Elevation, Living Walls & Vertical Gardens, and Mark Woolbright, CEO, inventor, and founder of Verdtech, Inc., which manufactures Varden Vertical Gardens.

Bradley Roback of the City of Chicago Department of Planning & Development discussed the City’s Sustainable Development Policy, how it supports innovative sustainable development like green roofs, and provided an overview of green roofs in the City.

Missed the meeting? View the recording and presentation slides on our meeting webpage: https://mayorscaucus.org/environment-committee-9-15-26-green-roofs-and-living-walls/

09/14/2026

Thank you to City of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and City staff for hosting the Caucus’ Executive Board meeting this morning at the Chicago Cultural Center. Mayor Johnson welcomed members and highlighted the importance of continuing to advance shared priorities for communities across the region, including the successful collaboration in the spring to oppose cuts to the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) revenues.

“That is a win worth recognizing, and it shows what is possible when municipalities stand together,” Mayor Johnson said. “As we head toward the fall veto session, we will continue building on that momentum, protecting the resources our communities rely on, and advancing shared priorities for municipalities across Illinois.”

Today’s Executive Board meeting also focused on other issues affecting local governments, including statewide housing initiatives, environment and energy policy, and housing and community development. Thank you to everyone who attended the hybrid meeting.

08/31/2026

We're hiring! The Caucus is seeking a Manager of Housing and Community Development Initiatives.

Are you a dynamic leader, strategic thinker, and exceptional communicator with experience in housing, community development, planning, or a related field? Are you ready to make a meaningful impact across the Chicago metropolitan region?

Learn more and apply by Sept. 18: https://mayorscaucus.org/were-hiring-manager-of-housing-and-community-development-initiatives/

Know someone who would be a great fit? Please share this opportunity with your network!

CHICAGO (Aug. 31, 2026)- The Caucus is hiring a Manager of Housing and Community Development Initiatives. Interested candidates should apply by September 18, 2026. Help Shape the Future of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Region Are you a dynamic leader, strategic thinker, and exceptional communicator...

08/12/2026

Congrats to the Powering Safe Communities grant recipients!

In partnership with ComEd, $170,000 in grant funding has been awarded to 24 communities to support public safety and clean energy projects that will make our region safer, stronger, and more sustainable.

Learn more about the community initiatives and equipment funded through the grant program: https://mayorscaucus.org/caucus-comed-award-over-170000-for-clean-energy-projects-and-public-safety/

08/11/2026

An article in the Evanston RoundTable featured Climate Action Evanston , one of 37 organizations that received a Low-Income Energy Efficiency Outreach and Engagement (LIEEOE) grant from the Caucus. Climate Action Evanston is encouraging residents to explore energy efficiency and low-income energy assistance programs through events, home consultations, one-on-one coaching, handouts, and more. Their work and other LIEEOE grantees’ outreach helps residents throughout the region save money and energy.

“Sometimes there’s a disconnect between those energy efficiency services and programs, and the people that can especially benefit from them,” said Briana Moore, who helped the Caucus facilitate the grant. “So this program is really all about trying to bridge that gap by having trusted community partners.”

Read the full article to learn more about Climate Action Evanston’s work and to find an overview of energy efficiency and low-income energy assistance programs:

As part of its energy equity campaign, Climate Action Evanston is encouraging Evanston residents to explore programs — particularly for low-income

08/07/2026

The Caucus and regional recycling education and outreach partners won the Beth Brown Boettner Award for Outstanding Public Education/Outreach Program at the 35th annual National Recycling Congress.

The group’s Feed the Cart campaign has become one of Illinois' most visible recycling education campaigns, generating 56 earned media stories and reaching millions through digital outreach, grassroots engagement, and regional partnerships. Cart-tagging efforts reduced recycling contamination from 60% to 27% in the City of Waukegan and from 55% to 35% in the City of Zion.

Judges recognized the Feed the Cart campaign for establishing a scalable, research-based model for improving recycling participation and reducing contamination.

"This honor reflects what is possible when communities come together around a shared purpose. Feed the Cart demonstrates that meaningful behavior change starts with clear, consistent education backed by strong regional collaboration," said Caucus Director of Environmental Initiatives Edith Makra. "We're proud to accept this award on behalf of every partner, community leader, and resident who embraced this effort.”

Learn more at: https://mayorscaucus.org/chicago-regional-recycling-education-and-outreach-partners-win-2026-national-recycling-award/

The Chicago Regional Recycling Education and Outreach Partners include five counties (Cook County Government, Cool DuPage, Sustain Kane, McHenry County Government, and Will County Green), two solid waste agencies (Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) and Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County), the Chicago Department of Streets & Sanitation, and the Caucus.

08/06/2026

Are you heading to the Illinois State Fair on Senior Day, August 17? Check out the EngAging Illinois photo booth!

EngAging Illinois will be launching We Are Aging Illinois: Portraits of Joy, Purpose, and Possibility, a campaign to capture the spirit, diversity, and vitality of older adults and the experience of aging in Illinois.

Stop by the photo booth in the Illinois Building from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and get a FREE professional photo taken with a friend or family member of any age! Just stop by, strike a pose, and share what aging well means to you. You will receive your photo after the event, and your portrait and story may be featured as part of this EngAging Illinois campaign.

EngAging Illinois is the state's 10-year plan to ensure that the growing population of older Illinoisans can live dignified, engaged, productive, and meaningful lives at any age.

Learn more about EngAging Illinois, the Multisector Plan for Aging at bit.ly/engagingillinois

Caucus Executive Director Neil James served on the 25-member Community Advisory Council that helped develop the EngAging Illinois plan and is a co-chair leading the Age-Friendly Communities workgroup for EngAging Illinois.