The Dane County Board took a step toward making county government more environmentally friendly by approving new sustainability guidelines Thursday.

At their biweekly meeting, the board approved the “Dane County Government Sustainable Operations Plan,” which presents a comprehensive set of guidelines for making county government operations greener and more sustainable.

Among the many conservation efforts outlined in the plan are improvements to the fuel efficiency of county-owned vehicles, promotion of water conservation, reduction of waste and increases in environmental education and outreach efforts.

Supervisor Al Matano, District 11, said the plan will not only increase Dane County’s environmental friendliness, but will also save the county money.

“I see this as a huge cost-saving effort and I applaud this operation,” Matano said.

The board also approved the purchase of property at 5721 Raymond Road for $219,000 which will be leased to Housing Initiatives and turned into an affordable housing project. The lease will last 15 years, during which time Housing Initiatives will be responsible for managing and maintaining the building.

In addition, the board awarded a $500,000 contract to J.H. Findorff and Son, Inc. to build loading docks for the Alliant Energy Center’s coliseum and appointed seven individuals to the new Office for Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board.