Morris Model

June & July Recap + What’s Coming Up

Hello Morris Model community,

I have been working here in Morris now for two months, and it has been busy! One of my goals is to increase community engagement in and knowledge of what is happening with sustainability in Morris, and that starts here with you – the people engaging in our Morris Model content through the website or email list. So what does that mean? Expect to find a monthly recap in your inbox and on the website of all the Morris Model happenings, as well as a breakdown of what’s coming up for the next month or two. When something bigger happens that I just can’t wait until the end of the month to share, you’ll see a post about that as well. These updates will also keep me accountable to you regarding what I am doing in this position and who I am working for (the Morris community and surrounding region!).

So what HAS the Morris Model been up to these past few months?

  • Checking in on how our solar panels are working! We put solar panels on four public buildings (the municipal liquor store, library, community center, and city hall) back in 2021 and 2022, and it has been a year since anyone has checked on how they are doing.
    • As of June 2025, the city has saved a rough estimate of $35,784 since our first array went online in October 2021! About a third of this money is from the savings on the community center alone.
    • One of the Morris Model goals is to be able to showcase solar production to the public via screens installed in the library, liquor store, and community center. These screens have presented a challenge since their installation BUT we are working with Blue Horizon Energy to find a solution to bring them back online!
    • An important tool in seeing how well our solar panels are performing is viewing how they decrease the midday energy load the buildings take from the grid. To do this, Otter Tail Power Company has graciously allowed us a preview of their new interval data tool on MyMeter. Each of the four buildings is performing as well if not better than expected!
    • Otter Tail Power Company and Blue Horizon Energy have been our partners in this endeavor, and it has been a pleasure working with both of them on this project for the past two months.
  • Working to put together community events with our Morris Model partners
    • We partnered with Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light to put on two community events on July 8th around community resilience hubs, the role of faith groups in community resilience, extreme weather, and property insurance. Check out the linked article for more details!
    • We are partnering with West Central Initiative to do a film screening of Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics on September 8th at the Morris Theatre – see more details below!
  • Getting the City of Morris involved in ChargingSmart & SolSmart programs again
    • The City of Morris was awarded a Bronze designation in the SolSmart program back in 2021, before the installation of our solar arrays. The SolSmart program is a technical assistance program for local governments and organizations to get help with and be awarded for their work in advancing solar energy in their communities. I am working on getting us to the Silver designation and getting up to speed on how far we’ve come since 2021. Be on the look out for more details in coming recaps and blog posts!
    • We also worked towards a Bronze designation in the ChargingSmart program before Griffin Peck left this position, but were not quite there. The ChargingSmart program is a technical assistance program for local governments to get help with and be awarded for their work on expanding electric vehicle infrastructure in their communities. I am working to get us that Bronze designation, so be on the look out for more details in coming recaps and blog posts!
  • Hosting groups from outside Morris at the University of Minnesota Morris
    • In June, the Minnesota Farmers Union held a three-day event for agricultural education teachers from across Minnesota. I had the opportunity to join them for a couple of sessions and the tour of the West Central Research and Outreach Center!
    • In July, the first ever Minnesota Coop Summit was held and over 100 people came! Troy Goodnough, Sustainability Director at the University of Minnesota Morris, and I gave tours showcasing the cooperatives and sustainability wins here in Morris. You can check out the sustainability pathway at the bottom of our resource page to do your own self-paced tour!
  • We are now on LinkedIn!!
    • Want to stay in the know between recaps and get the most up to date news about what is happening with the Morris Model and our regional partners? Follow us on LinkedIn and turn on notifications to always know when we post!
    • Are there other platforms that you consume media on that you think we should be on? Email me at talitha@ci.morris.mn.us!
  • I have had the opportunity to meet so many people in and out of the Morris area over the course of the past two months, and I am so excited to connect with even more people in the months to come!

So what’s coming up in the next few months for the Morris Model?

  • The Morris Model is heading to the State Fair!
    • When: August 28th, 12 pm to 6:30 pm
    • Where: GreenStep Cities table at the Eco Experience
    • Going to the State Fair? Feel free to stop by, say hi, and chat for a little while!
  • Join us for Plastic People: The Hidden Crisis of Microplastics!
    • When: September 8th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
    • Where: The Morris Theatre
    • What: Join us for a screening of the documentary Plastic People to learn more about how microplastics have infiltrated our bodies and the potential health impacts they have, then stay after for a community discussion on what we can do as a community to lower our daily intake and reduce the amount of single use plastics in our small town! Food and drinks will be provided.
    • We will be joined by the featured UMN researcher, Mary Kosuth, who is a Ph.D candidate at the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
    • Cost: FREE!
    • You can RSVP here to help us know how many snack packs to order from the theater!
  • Find us at the Green Solutions Expo!
    • When: September 20th, 9 am to 12 pm
    • Where: United Methodist Church (6th Ave East, Alexandria, MN)
    • What: The Morris Model will have a booth at the Green Solutions Expo to talk about the community partnership and our work over the past decade. Stop by, say hi, and chat for a little while!
  • We are doing a poster presentation at the UMACS Conference!
    • When: September 26-27th
    • Where: Luther College in Decorah, Iowa
    • What: We will be attending and presenting a poster at the Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability’s annual conference this year! We are excited to be able to share our work with a variety of educational institutions and other community partners.

Have a sustainability-related project you’d love to see or interested in partnering/connecting with us? Send me an email at talitha@ci.morris.mn.us!