Jasper USB hears plans for energy saving grant program, problems in utility payments, and other items at meeting
During the scheduled Jasper Utility Service Board meeting on Monday evening Utilities Manager Bud Hauersperger informed the board of a grant program available for Jasper. The Community Conservation Challenge is a grant program from the Indiana Office of Energy Development. The grant program is in its second year and last year four grants totaling $1.6 million were awarded.
Grants from the program could range from $25,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The grant is important as it offsets the cost prohibitive nature of these types of projects.
The following projects are approved for the grant process.
- Alternative fuel vehicle fleets
- Combined heat and power
- Biomass
- Energy efficiency
- Geothermal
- Solar
- Traffic signal retrofits
- Waste management and recycling
- Water systems
- Hydropower
- Wind energy
Hauersperger informed the USB he was speaking with engineers that specialize in solar power projects for ideas to submit for the challenge. One idea would be to place solar panels in the city parking lot to provide power for electric vehicles. Another idea being explored is the use of an electric vehicle for the meter readers in Jasper.
City lighting was a suggested project from the board but the goal is to cut power usage during peak usage times. According to Hauersperger LED lighting does cut energy usage but does not do so during the peak energy usage that occurs during the day.
Hauersperger said. “There are a lot of opportunities listed in the package and we are exploring them.”
The grant proposals are due by November 10.
In other utility news, Utilities Office Manager Ashley Kiefer addressed the board about concerns raised by customers over utility shutoff notices. Kiefer explained that the office sends out notices the day after the bills are due.
Some confusion occurred this month as Columbus Day was also the date bills were due. Many customers did not get their bill paid on time because they thought the city offices were closed on the holiday. Kiefer explained that the bills are always due on the tenth of each month unless the customer’s invoice states otherwise.
Other issues raised were utility bills paid by electronic checks from banks. Kiefer stated some banks mail paper checks under a bulk mail rate and the checks arrive at the office in one envelope. The office then applies the payment on the day the check was received since the checks do not have a postdated stamp.
The Jasper Post Office no longer postdates mail, it is all sent to Terre Haute for processing. The postdate is the date the payment is mailed unless it is mailed on Saturday. Saturday’s mail does not arrive in Terre Haute until Monday and is postdated then.
She confirmed the utility office checks the mail twice each day. She also advised that the office installed a new drive-up drop box for payments last week and any payment received before opening the day after the bill is due will be considered paid on time.
The rates for the penalty are set by the Indiana State Administrative Code. It is 10% of the first $3 and then 3% of the remaining balance.
The Utility Service Board also discussed the following:
Mike Oeding from the Water Department took under advisement a quote from Gudorf Supply for a valve maintenance trailer in the amount of $54,500 for a 250 gallon tank or $55,500 for a 300 gallon tank.
Gary Schitter from electric reported a low bid from Keystone Electrical Manufacturing for control panels for the central substation. The bid was $85,330.10 and it was approved.
Windell Toby from the Jasper Power Plant reported they had finished sealed the plant up better to be prepared for the cold weather.
Mike Oeding from the water department reported 997 of 1000 hydrants flushed in the city. This is the first time the city has had 1000 hydrants.
He also reported an odorizer unit is approved and ordered and they are waiting for its arrival.
Oeding went to Beaver Creek Lake to check on the progress. He stated that quite a bit of the dirt was removed from the spillway. The walls around the spillway are gone and the water is very low.
Oeding also reported he is sending out requests for quotes for chemical bids to open in November and then approval in December.
Ed Hollinden from Waste water reported that Uebelhor and Sons had quoted a truck for $24,637 and the board approved the purchase.
Bud Hauersperger, Utilities Manager, presented an invoice from H.J. Umbaugh and Associates for work done on the power plant rate studies. The original price was $7500, but city had added to the original analysis. The additional work cost is $2330. The board approved the additional cost and payment to H.J. Umbaugh.
A payment request for work completeted on the Beaver Lake Creek Project was also received. The contractor requested one third of the payment for work completed thus far. EDA and OCRA both must approve the work and payment but the USB initially approved the payment of $57,560.38. This amount is a third of the cost minus 10% retainage. It was approved.
