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Patchogue trustees approve bond step as Johnson Controls outlines railroad-station solar project
Summary
At the Jan. 13 Village of Patchogue board meeting, Johnson Controls presented completed and in-progress energy upgrades and trustees approved a resolution to fund a new solar carport at the railroad station. Officials described multi-source funding and projected multi-year utility savings.
Patchogue trustees on Jan. 13 heard a presentation from Chris Fitzsimmons of Johnson Controls on the village’s multi-phase energy-efficiency and solar program and approved a resolution to fund a solar carport at the railroad station.
Fitzsimmons, a Johnson Controls project lead, told the board the village has completed 41 projects across municipal facilities since 2020, including 100% LED lighting, building weatherization, rooftop equipment replacements and multiple solar arrays. “These 4 arrays are about 850 kilowatts generating enough energy to support a little bit more than half of the wastewater treatment plant,” Fitzsimmons said, describing the work now under construction at the railroad site. He also said the two arrays behind the theater total about 250 kilowatts and “produce energy that supports about 65 homes in the area.”
Why it matters: officials said the solar and efficiency work reduces the village’s utility bills and greenhouse-gas emissions and will support municipal operations including the wastewater treatment plant. Fitzsimmons and Trustee remarks identified a mix of funding sources: a New York State electrification grant, federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits, local utility incentives and state energy program grants.
Board action and finance details - The trustees approved a resolution authorizing installation of a solar carport at the railroad station at a maximum estimated cost of $5,200,000 and authorizing, subject to permissive referendum, the issuance of a $2,200,000 serial bond of the village to pay part of the cost. The motion was seconded and carried. - At the start of the meeting trustees approved the warrant for the week of Jan. 13 totaling $3,497,838.98. That batch included a $524,389 invoice to Johnson Controls described in the board packet as payment for work on the railroad-station solar array; the board approved payment as part of the warrant.
Funding and savings figures discussed - Fitzsimmons cited several funding sources discussed by staff: a $3,000,000 New York State electrification grant, $1,250,000 tied to the IRA from earlier phase work, PSEG incentives (listed in the presentation as about $150,000) and a NYSERDA charge-ready incentive (about $30,000). Board materials and discussion name the IRA and state grant as principal offsets to the village’s share. - Projected savings described in the meeting included two slightly different figures Fitzsimmons gave at different points in his presentation: he said the arrays would offset roughly $250,000 a year in energy costs for the wastewater plant, and later said the completed railroad-station array would deliver roughly $400,000 in annual utility savings to the village. The village packet and presentation materials were referenced for detailed calculations but the board did not provide a single reconciled savings figure at the meeting.
Scope and timeline Fitzsimmons described the current construction as one of four arrays at the railroad station; the full build will produce roughly 850 kW at that site. He said the theater array and other rooftop systems are already providing power to individual facilities. David Kennedy, reporting for the business improvement district, said the train-station work “looks to me, is gonna be completed by the end of this week,” and trustees said they expect the parking lot to reopen once construction is finished.
What’s next Trustees approved the bond-resolution step enabling the village to borrow part of the project cost; portions of the work are being paid by external grants and incentives, per the presentation. The applicant/contractor (Johnson Controls) and village staff indicated additional agreements or easements (for example final permission to connect power through the local utility) will come back to the board if required.
Board members and staff said the complete financial model and contract documents will remain on file with the clerk for public review; trustees also directed staff to post the Johnson Controls presentation to the village website for public access.
Ending: The board’s actions clear the next financing step for the carport work and formalize payment of current invoices to Johnson Controls, while staff indicated further site-level permits and utility hookups remain to be closed out before full operation.
