photo by: City of Lawrence

In this file photo, Lawrence-Douglas County Sustainability Coordinator Jasmin Moore speaks to the Lawrence City Commission about the timeline of the development of the Climate Action Plan as part of the commission's meeting on Oct. 19, 2021.

Lawrence-Douglas County Sustainability Director Jasmin Moore has left her position, and the city and county have both named staff members who will be taking on duties related to environmental sustainability on an interim basis.

The city and county jointly fund the sustainability director position, and Moore recently left her role after close to four years of leading the efforts of both local governments. Moore’s last day was Dec. 14, according to county spokesperson Karrey Britt. Britt said that Douglas County Sustainability and Food Systems Analyst Kim Criner Ritchie is serving as the county’s interim sustainability director.

For its part, the city has named Solid Waste Division Manager Kathy Richardson to serve as the city’s interim sustainability director, according to a city news release. Richardson will begin in that role on Jan. 1. Solid Waste Operations Supervisor Mike Brown will temporarily take on additional duties and responsibilities related to the division’s day-to-day operations while Richardson takes on sustainability duties.

The release states that Richardson and Criner Ritchie will work together closely on sustainability efforts. Richardson will work with the city’s Sustainability Advisory Board as well as continue work on sustainability projects already underway, such as the Climate Action Plan, Common Ground Program, energy monitoring for city buildings, and compost and food waste pilot projects.

The city and county are collaborating on the development of the Climate Action Plan, which will call for specific actions from local governments, as the Journal-World recently reported. The plan will help implement goals included in the city and county comprehensive plan, Plan 2040, which was adopted in late 2019. Plan 2040 calls for the community to identify specific actions to reduce greenhouse gases, risk and exposure to hazards, and to manage air quality to limit outdoor air pollution, excessive greenhouse gases and indoor air pollution. Moore previously said the goal was to have the plan brought forward for consideration in the spring of 2022 so that it could be used to help inform the decisions regarding city and county budgets for 2023.

Britt said the transition to interim sustainability directors is not expected to affect the timeline or process for the Climate Action Plan.

Moore has accepted a position at the environmental law organization Earthjustice, according to Britt. Moore began her position in January 2018, taking the place of former sustainability director Eileen Horn. Moore was previously the sustainability program manager for Johnson County. Horn had served in the position for seven years before leaving to serve as the representative for the Kansas House’s 10th District.

The release states that the city and Douglas County will be discussing the long-term plans for the sustainability director position in the coming weeks. Britt said Douglas County is committed to sustainability work and will be evaluating the program alongside the city.

When asked about the specifics of the discussion, city spokesperson Maureen Brady said the city was evaluating the sustainability program with the county to determine how the collaboration would work best for both organizations into the future. Both Britt and Brady said the city and county were committed to maintaining the position as part of their continued environmental sustainability work.