Here's a chance to state your case to the Charlotte City Council about our city's green future:

A vote on 18 green projects that would be paid out of a $6.78 million U.S. Department of Energy stimulus grant goes before Charlotte city council Monday.

The council meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center, but the vote isn’t expected until about 8 p.m. Anyone who wishes to speak on the item can sign up through the City Clerk’s Office.

Last week, council members got a preview of the projects. Several proposals were criticized. So were the formulas used for determining job creation and emissions reduction.

The 18 projects – culled from about 250 ideas – are part of a community conservation strategy required under terms designated by the federal program. The projects must be approved by council and submitted to DOE by Dec. 4.

Read the rest of this Charlotte Business Journal article, which includes a summary of the projects, here.

Can't make the meeting but want to stay informed? Those of you with cable can watch on the GOV channel.

Councilwoman and Mayor Pro-Tem Susan Burgess talks about why young folks should get involved in local politics pre-election: