[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6155904,"mediaKeyId","5473024-d918869a9fbad2d65ad3e068bcee19ec","parentId",5473024,"title","City contracts Ameresco for performance contracting work; AMI and facility upgrades scoped with guaranteed savings","audioSeconds",1951,"startMs",2975000,"endMs",4926000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473024-d918869a9fbad2d65ad3e068bcee19ec&start=2975&end=4926","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473024-d918869a9fbad2d65ad3e068bcee19ec/thumbnail_2975000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6155904/Columbia/Boone-County/Missouri/City-contracts-Ameresco-for-performance-contracting-work-AMI-and-facility-upgrades-scoped-with-guaranteed-savings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155904-def7d5c334320e257aaece05c3d583e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775693836&Signature=LykGr19f~EbCbtK~T~oJjhBL~u1SVUG5nnh4xNotMN6F2to0TlNdUYCSkhwTknn4WZWUzp2vJHX0b6H01gvFAS1teZpnCWis1d2x40sPEAfCAPqJM26YxRo5Z05~bgmInnxP6928lfBYSQWtnKI4lSt3O7xpuP2eegHjDDE--23m~SE8f2WCq~zd30u3~jhodd8Y5WrxYFxOCEhc6lQSEH3yTjdgfbakkJ4TpmJgQixOOR9QIrTdNFOaNZqLqPf6OJCQL5GztJ9jWqv2WgtSZQhMs8nql89Hl4amBbYVpIb5vHc23pB6oyFT16hc6z42lI1JyEnPLsG2xa6p6Kn9jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","MO / City of Columbia","date","2025-07-21T00:00:00Z","article","City staff and Ameresco described an energy savings performance contracting project and an associated Columbia Water and Light advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) effort during the pre‑council meeting on July 21, 2025.

The procurement method: Eric Hempel (City staff) introduced Ameresco, the company selected through a request‑for‑proposal to serve as the city’s energy services company (ESCO). Dana Dunn (Ameresco) explained that energy performance contracting is a state‑authorized procurement method (RSMO 8.231) that can fund infrastructure upgrades by leveraging guaranteed energy and operations & maintenance savings and, typically, tax‑exempt lease financing for up to 15 years.

Why this matters: The model can deliver deferred‑maintenance and efficiency projects in a potentially budget‑neutral way by using projected savings to finance capital improvements; it also creates opportunities for resilience investments such as battery storage and site upgrades that could serve as community resiliency hubs during outages.

Scope and examples
- Selected contractor and experience: Dana Dunn said Ameresco was selected through the city’s RFP process and highlighted prior work in Missouri, including a Columbia landfill‑gas plant partnership (design, build, own, operate) that began in 2009 and an energy performance contract with Columbia Housing Authority implemented in 2011 and tracked through 2023.
- Facility targets: Ameresco said it is developing measures for three city facilities: the Armory, the Activity & Recreation Center (ARC), and City Hall. The Armory and ARC were each noted to have major mechanical equipment around 25 years old and potential for lighting redesigns and envelope work; the ARC in particular was highlighted for opportunities in lighting daylighting, pool‑mechanical replacement and roof work, plus possible solar or battery storage.
- Columbia Water and Light (CWL) / AMI: Ameresco and staff said a project development agreement for an AMI project with Columbia Water and Light is in progress; if executed the AMI development phase typically takes roughly 3–5 months before construction planning begins.

Financing, guarantees and operations
- Financing and guarantees: Dunn described open‑book pricing, guaranteed energy savings (up to a 15‑year performance guarantee), and a typical financing vehicle of a tax‑exempt lease (TEL). She noted TELs do not count against the city’s bonding limits because equipment remains leased until paid. Ameresco emphasized fixed‑price, no‑change‑order contracting and the company’s willingness to assume cost overruns within the guaranteed price.
- Operations and maintenance: Ameresco explained the typical model: Ameresco designs, builds and commissions measures and guarantees savings; after turnover the city normally operates and maintains systems. Ameresco said it can offer post‑installation operations services if the city prefers, but that the plan assumes municipal staff will maintain equipment after acceptance.

Timeline and next steps
Ameresco and staff said they are conducting multiple verification meetings with department heads (typical practice is three verification meetings but the process can vary), and they aim to complete facility verification work by December to enable 2026 construction for measures that require summer shutdown windows (pool HVAC replacements, for example). The AMI project remains in the CWL project development agreement stage; once that agreement is signed, Ameresco estimated a 3–5 month development period prior to construction.

Council questions and staff responses
Council members asked about solar, resiliency hubs and maintenance. Nick asked whether ARC solar could pilot broader municipal rooftop or ground‑mount solar; staff said the work could be used as a pilot and the city will evaluate broader installations later. Councillors asked what a resiliency hub would provide; Dunn and staff described battery storage, backup power, charging and climate‑controlled space for residents (for example, to preserve temperature‑sensitive medications during outages). A council question about maintenance elicited clarification that the city would normally assume operations after turnover but that Ameresco can provide operations services under a separate arrangement.

Ending: City staff said they will continue verification meetings and complete the facility development phase by year‑end to support potential 2026 construction; the AMI work with Columbia Water and Light will proceed after the project development agreement is finalized.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Columbia City Council Pre-Council Meeting July 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff and Ameresco told the Columbia City Council during the July 21 pre‑council meeting that Ameresco — selected through an RFP — will develop energy performance contracting measures for the Armory, ARC and City Hall and is working under a project development agreement with Columbia Water and Light on an AMI proposal.","taxTitle","Columbia, Boone County, Missouri","taxId",2593,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6155909,"Actuarial review: Columbia police and fire pensions 55% funded; employer contribution rates recalculated for FY2026",1699,81000,1780000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5473024-d918869a9fbad2d65ad3e068bcee19ec&start=81&end=1780","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5473024-d918869a9fbad2d65ad3e068bcee19ec/thumbnail_81000.jpg","/articles/6155909/Columbia/Boone-County/Missouri/Actuarial-review-Columbia-police-and-fire-pensions-55-funded-employer-contribution-rates-recalculated-for-FY2026","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6155909-ee471d1c20e78b96f1ac1d5ef5e28f9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775693836&Signature=Dd2BEUm2rNuCBAX-gWgg9blNyWyF~Hf~6E4gg1GqmYmsjRTKdoP1nVRIrF-aHWDr0uVOa~qJI1b5GPftc1wewLd1hki2ypBd8Iqx~7PsKl2nMyygGDvODr4Frty4VCj5-zRvdui4cZys2Vi8~etxRk-GXl7k9hdm0jOi3gzJGmoOGUnlISXoZbcM7nlG~g8EWEPINq-Lw6b~g9OVKKb9LMyF8e2KvjDT54Z~4TrgyeiVorEVo5DRpBpkmEfc3TSCo1e6wguIcVO0gj9iXwjbBy12gzckHpd9kHEVae0eVvMGEbi-XOP5z9J-M69uZCUHCxaFHSAvO~l4gc~W6NCAnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heidi Berry, an actuary from GRS, presented the results of the Sept. 30, 2024, actuarial valuation for the City of Columbia’s police and fire pension systems and described how the results set employer contribution rates for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2026.

The valuation showed total plan assets and liabilities that left a combined unfunded liability of about $156 million and a combined funded ratio near 55 percent; the actuarial funding value of assets was about $189 million and the market value was about $204 million as of Sept. 30, 2024. Berry said the plan recognized unusually strong investment performance in 2024 — a market return of roughly 22.5 percent, or about $37.6 million — and that the valuation smooths gains and losses over four years.

Why this matters: The actuarial numbers determine the city’s required employer contribution and influence budgeting decisions. Council members pressed staff about whether the plan is making progress toward a sustainable funded level and whether recent changes to actuarial assumptions affect trend interpretation.

Key results and context
- Active membership and payroll: Berry reported 136 active police members with total payroll of about $11.6 million (≈ +16.5% year over year) and 168 active fire members with total payroll of about $13.61 million (≈ +17.5%).
- Retirees/beneficiaries: The valuation counted about 203 police retirees/beneficiaries receiving roughly $6.8 million annually and about 181 fire retirees/beneficiaries receiving roughly $9.5 million annually.
- Asset valuation and smoothing: Because of volatile markets, the actuarial valuation uses a four‑year smoothing method. Berry said the plan’s market gains in 2024 produced a recognized gain of about $4.7 million in this valuation after smoothing; $15.4 million of gains remain to be recognized in future years.
- Employer contribution rates: For the group Berry presented a total normal cost (before subtracting employee contributions) of 19.93%, employee contributions reduced the normal cost by a weighted 4.07 percentage points, and the resulting normal cost plus an amortized unfunded liability produced a final employer contribution figure Berry gave as 46.57% (the presentation then showed a separate total for fire of 60.56%). Berry and staff explained those percentages are applied to payroll; because payroll rose substantially, the percentage can fall while the dollar amount of employer contribution rises.
- Liabilities and amortization: Total accrued liabilities were reported just under $345 million; the unfunded liability was about $156 million, and the valuation uses a 27‑year amortization schedule for the unfunded portion. Berry and staff described that amortization as the mechanism that drives how quickly the unfunded piece declines and noted the plan is effectively in the early years of that schedule.

Questions and discussion
Council members repeatedly pressed for context. Jackie Sample voiced concern that long‑term funded ratios have trended downward over the last decade and said she was \"deeply concerned\" about a roughly 50–55% funding level. Berry and city staff clarified that the funded ratio rose modestly from the Sept. 30, 2023 valuation (police up about 1 percentage point, fire up about 2 points) and that changes in actuarial assumptions (for example a lowered investment return assumption adopted after an experience study) produce step changes in funded ratio that complicate long‑term trend lines.

Jim McDonald and Matthew Zhu (city staff facilitators during the presentation) emphasized that the city has paid the contributions recommended by the actuary each year. McDonald said the city and pension board are \"committed to keep on this timetable\" and that the intent is not to reset the amortization clock to a longer period at the next review, barring drastic change. Staff also noted that in prior years the pension drew on investment assets to pay benefits, but under the current contribution schedule net cash flow from contributions has improved; in 2023 the plan withdrew about $1.7 million from investments, in 2024 about $700,000, and in the current year staff expected no withdrawal.

Investment managers Mark Shagowski and David Sears (UBS) described the pension’s asset allocation (domestic large cap, small/mid cap, developed international, fixed income, and a growing alternatives sleeve that includes private credit and real estate), noted the board’s investment policy and manager due diligence, and said that negotiated fee levels were about 0.38% overall.

What was decided or directed
There were no formal votes at this session. Staff stated their intent to adhere to the current amortization schedule and to continue following actuarial recommendations for annual employer contributions; the council asked staff to continue reporting the valuation results and to address remaining questions during the budget process.

Next steps
Berry said the actuarial valuations are performed every year; the next five‑year experience study will be performed on a standard schedule (staff noted the next full experience study period will include 2021–2025 and be reviewed in 2027). City staff will incorporate the valuation numbers into the FY2026 budget work and provide follow‑up responses on specific trend tables requested by council members.

Ending: The presentation closed with council discussion about funding priorities and timing; members asked staff for additional clarifications and indicated they would return to pension funding during the upcoming budget deliberations.","Heidi Berry, an actuary from GRS, presented the results of the Sept. 30, 2024, valuation for Columbia’s police and fire pension plans, saying the actuarial funding value of assets was about $189 million and the combined funded ratio stood near 55 percent, with an unfunded liability of roughly $156 million that will be amortized over 27 years.","actionData","errors"]

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City contracts Ameresco for performance contracting work; AMI and facility upgrades scoped with guaranteed savings

Actuarial review: Columbia police and fire pensions 55% funded; employer contribution rates recalculated for FY2026