County modifies courthouse EV charger installation; NYSERDA to cover $2,000 undergrounding cost increase

Engineering staff briefed the committee on a change to the courthouse electric vehicle charger installation contract with LinkWell (formerly Livingston Energy). National Grid coordination had indicated tree work and easements would be required for overhead service, so staff proposed an underground run from an existing courthouse panel.
Because undergrounding increased the installation cost by approximately $2,000, engineering staff said they sought approval to proceed and noted that NYSERDA had agreed to cover the additional expense. The revised installation cost for the courthouse site was presented as $19,000 and staff said that amount will be covered by NYSERDA.
Committee members asked about local concerns and tree impacts; staff said tree trimming on county grounds had already taken place and that there would be no tree removals along Allen Street or Prospect (city) as part of the project. Engineering staff said they had notified City of Hudson supervisors and residents who had expressed concerns.
Action: the committee approved the cost change and proceeding with underground service by motion and voice vote.
Why it matters: courthouse EV charging expands county electric-vehicle infrastructure and receiving NYSERDA funds reduces net local cost; underground service avoids new overhead easements but may carry slightly higher construction costs.
Next steps: staff will finalize the installation under the LinkWell contract and proceed with coordination with NYSERDA and National Grid as required.