Girard residents may have access to energy efficiency loans

Under the provisions of Efficiency Kansas, Girard utility customers could have access to loans for improvements aimed at making their homes or businesses more energy efficient.

Nickie Lee of the State Energy Office described the program Monday night during a Girard City Council meeting.

“This is a revolving loan program, financed with federal funds Recovery Act money,” she said. “We wanted to create a program that would have a lasting effect, and we have $30 million to loan out for cost-effective energy improvement efforts.”

Lee said that the program can utilize partner lenders, primarily banks, or partner utilities, including municipal utilities such as Girard. Among those signing on to the program so far are Chanute, Iola, Sabetha and Burlington.

“You could be one of the first municipal utilities to become part of the program,” she said.

At the start, home or business owners must have an energy audit, which costs $500 to $600. Currently, this is available with the customer paying $100 and the remainder being subsidized by Efficiency Kansas. The audit will determine the most cost-effective ways of making the residence/business more energy efficient.

“Westar and KPL will be coming onto the program later, and you may want to beat the big guys before they eat up the money in the audit program,” Lee said.

Council member Richard Cussimanio asked if there was a way to be sure that the person receiving the loan used it for the intended purpose. Lee assured him that the money is tracked to prevent misuse.

“Can somebody get the audit and then decide to do the work on their own?” asked council member Sharon Mattson.
“Yes,” Lee said, “we just want Kansas to be more energy efficient.”

She also noted that it would cost the city nothing to participate in the program.

“I think we should get further information and consider this at our next meeting,” said Maurice Harley, mayor.

A brief recess was held from the regular meeting at 7 p.m. to allow public comment on the proposed 2011 budget, which was published in the Pittsburg Morning Sun. There were no comments, and at the end of the meeting the council formally adopted and signed the budget.

Gary Emry, city administrator, had more bad news about the city swimming pool, which has been plagued with a leak all summer. He said that recent repair efforts by the firm which designed the pool had not improved the situation.

“In 2007 the pool used 2.4 million gallons of water, in 2008 it was 3.2 million, in 2009  it was 4.3 million,” Emry said. “So far this year we’re at 7.5 million gallons, and water is running out of the ditch at the west end. I recommend that, after the pool closes on Sunday, we close it for the season.”

He said he had spoken earlier to the engineers who attempted to diagnose and repair the leak. They had advised the problem was in the plumbing inside the concrete walls, and the repairs could run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

“I was less than impressed with the engineers who designed the pool, and I think we have some major decisions to get through,” Harley said.

Emry said that there is some idea of the general location of the leak.

“We did a common sense test, and drained the pool about midway,” he said. “At that point, we had no further leakage, so we believe the leak is in the upper area.”

The council followed Emry’s recommendation and voted to close the pool after Sunday.

In other business, the council:

• Approved payment of $34,089.48 to Crossland Construction for resurfacing work at the Sports Complex;

• Approved payment of $5,225 for the purchase of a 2,500 foot reel of underground wire for the Electric Distribution Department;

• Granted a six-month extension for Amanda Proffitt, compliance officer, to establish residency in Crawford County.