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Verona council approves quotes for solar panels at City Center and fire station
Summary
On March 24 the Verona Common Council voted to approve quotes from Art Solar to install rooftop solar arrays at Verona City Center and the Verona Fire Station, using $59,270 from the fire department fund balance and $10,433 from the contingency fund.
The Verona Common Council on March 24 approved quotes from Art Solar to install solar panels on Verona City Center and the Verona Fire Station, a step the council and local sustainability advocates said will advance the city’s renewable-energy goals and lock in current pricing.
The council approved the vendor quotes after public comment and a recommendation from the city’s Sustainability Task Force. The motion passed by voice vote with no opposition.
Sustainability Task Force members and residents urged the council to approve both installations at the same time because current bids are lower than prior offers and because national tariff or incentive changes could increase future costs. “This investment is vital for advancing sustainability in our community,” Kathy Johnson, a Verona resident and member of Sustain Verona, told the council during the public-comment period. Jeff Johnson, a member of the Sustainability Task Force, said the recent bids for City Center were about $20,000 lower than previous offers and urged the council to act now to avoid higher prices later.
Council members said they relied on the task force’s review and a positive project review conducted by Wauwatosa. Alder Posey moved to approve the quotes from Art Solar for both buildings with $59,270 taken from the fire department fund balance and $10,433 taken from the contingency fund; Alder Lytle seconded. Staff said the funds are already in the budget and that a formal budget amendment was not required.
Council discussion and staff remarks focused on cost certainty and vendor experience. Alder Takumar said the task force selected city buildings with the highest potential energy and cost savings and had checked vendor references; the council noted the Wauwatosa reference indicated Art Solar/Arch Solar completed work on time and handled issues proactively. Council members also noted that the approval was made to cover the “worst-case” cost scenario if incentives do not materialize.
The motion passed by voice vote; the meeting record shows no opposition. Staff were directed to proceed with contract execution and follow the task-force recommendations and any required verification steps from the Wauwatosa review. The council did not set a specific installation start date in the discussion.
