APMM Series: Mapping our Path to Sustainable Communities with Sara Gibson, Bailey Rocco and Kate Robeson Grubb

🎧 This episode of PCC Local Time is part of the APMM Series, featuring conversations with Pennsylvania’s municipal managers and leaders about the evolving practice of local government.

In this episode on Sustainability, host Nancy Hess talks with three guests who are redefining what local sustainability looks like on the ground:

• Sara Gibson, Borough Manager, Camp Hill Borough, creator of Stormfest
• Bailey Rocco, Sustainability Coordinator, Pennsylvania Municipal League
• Kate Robeson Grubb, Sustainability Specialist, Solebury Township, and Penn State Distinguished Alumni Award recipient

They share how communities are translating mandates into meaningful local action—from stormwater festivals and inter-municipal cooperation to new sustainability certification programs and community engagement efforts.

SHOWNOTES:

00:00 – 02:00 | Introduction

Nancy opens with reflections on the meaning of sustainability and how local governments bring it to life.

Introduction of guests: Sara Gibson, Bailey Rocco, and Kate Robeson Grubb.

02:00 – 22:00 | Sara Gibson – From Compliance to Community: The Story of Stormfest

• Origins of Stormfest and the MS4 stormwater permit requirements
• Turning federal compliance into a community celebration
• Building partnerships among watershed groups, boroughs, and volunteers
• Educating elected officials and residents about stormwater systems
• “We all live downstream” — understanding local impact and interconnectivity
• Reflection on sustainability as intergovernmental collaboration and community awareness

23:00 – 45:00 | Bailey Rocco – Measuring What Matters: The Sustainable PA Program

• Bailey’s path from social work to sustainability
• How Sustainable PA helps municipalities benchmark and communicate their sustainability efforts
• Certification levels: Bronze through Platinum
• Challenges for small municipalities and the importance of partnerships with universities
• Regional collaboration and shared learning among municipalities
• Transparency, resident trust, and the power of visibility
• Future directions: energy use, inclusion tracking, and young professionals entering the field

46:00 – 1:11:00 | Kate Robeson Grubb – Building the Future Locally

• Kate’s journey into sustainability and local government
• Solebury Township’s Energy Transition Plan and Ready for 100 goals
• Partnerships with the Environmental Advisory Council and community volunteers
• Challenges: funding large projects and public education
• The link between sustainability and equity (affordable housing, inclusivity)
• Long-term planning vs. short-term wins (solar installations, single-use plastic ordinances)
• Clarifying misconceptions about sustainability and building local resilience
• Closing reflections: “Resilient communities outlast instability.”

1:11:00 – 1:12:00 | Closing