County Board Pulls Plug on Solar Panels on County Office Building

The Effingham County Board Monday called a halt to a project to install solar panels on the roof of the County Office Building. The decision came after a board member learned that they could get the windows for the half the price they had been quoted.

Building and Grounds Committee Chairman Tim Ellis said that County Board Chairman Josh Douthit asked for a price from a vendor for replacement windows for the second through fourth floors of the Office Building. The price Douthit received was $150,000. That is half the price the Board had been given as part of the solar project. 

Ellis said the difference in price made moving ahead with the combination solar panel and window replacement unnecessary.

The vote Monday was to modify the windows/solar project to windows replacement only using capital improvement funding and to seek Requests For Proposals on the windows to be reviewed by the Board's Building and Grounds Committee before a final recommendation to the full board.

A separate motion was passed to suspend any further action with Centrica, the vendor on the windows/solar project. Much of the interest in the solar project was due to indications that Centrica could save the County money on the windows project. 

The Board Monday also tabled distribution of $5,500 for electrical work in county courtrooms until more information is received on the work.

The Board also:

--appointed Grant Bushue to a term on the County Board of Health, Steve Robinson as a trustee on the Edgewood Bi-County Fire Protection District, and Steve Miller to the County Housing Authority

--approved a resolution on uncoordinated stops by county transit buses

--approved an addendum to a professional engineering agreement for a Liberty Township bridge along 400th Street

--approved use of the Historic Courthouse courtyard for the Chamber of Commerce HAM JAM on July 12 and for the weekly Farmer's Market from May 25 thru October 5

--tabled the receipt of donated chairs for the County Board Room

--approved grant agreements for the county's transportation network including a vehicle lease agreement between the County and CEFS and a memorandum of understanding vehicle use agreement with Shelby County

--approved disbursement of ARPA funding for TREC Trail maintenance ($1,748.14) and for county board member tablets ($2,595.11), but denied disbursement of $10,000 in ARPA funding to One Hope United as recommended by the County 708 Board

--approved up to a $3,600 disbursement in ARPA funding for an Effingham Childcare Gap Scholarship applicant

--approved a certificate of authority by vote to the Effingham County Engineer

--approved an amended salary schedule to include the State's Attorney confidential secretary and the Veterans Assistance Commission Superintendent

Board members heard from Sheriff Paul Kuhns that his office has reached a decision on body cams, pending a review of an agreement by State's Attorney Aaron Jones.

County Clerk Michelle Kollmann reported that 1,250 early and vote by mail ballots have been received ahead of Tuesday's election. Kollmann's guess was that it would be at least the next day before write-in results will be available.

Board member Elizabeth Huston was not present for Monday's meeting.