Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ev Charging topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Eustis commission asks staff to pursue draft agreement after Optimus Energy proposes fast chargers at Farren Park
Summary
Optimus Energy Solutions presented a proposal to replace scattered slow chargers with two high‑power fast chargers at Farren Park under a 10‑year, no‑cost agreement in which the company would install and operate chargers and pay electricity; commissioners instructed staff to work with the company to draft an agreement for review.
Optimus Energy Solutions owner Ben Paloon told the Eustis City Commission on June 18 that his company can install high‑power, fast electric vehicle chargers at Farren Park at no up‑front cost to the city and that, under a municipal agreement, Optimus would own the equipment, pay electric bills and collect user fees.
Paloon said the company’s standard approach is a roughly 10‑year agreement in which Optimus bears the cost of equipment, utility work and electricity and invoices users for charging. He described the current city chargers as “slow”—about 6–10 miles of range per hour and taking roughly 20 hours for a full charge—and said the proposed fast chargers would bring charging times to about 40–45 minutes for a full charge.
Paloon described a conceptual layout for Farren Park that would install two fast‑charging stalls (two chargers with three parking spaces to satisfy accessible aisle requirements) and, by consolidating scattered slow chargers, “remove the 6 spots that are currently used for charging in the city” while upgrading the amenity and improving parking turnover. He said Optimus would integrate the chargers with mapping services like Google and Apple Maps so drivers can find them.
Paloon said the company would propose a pay‑per‑use revenue model that is market‑aligned; he told the commission Optimus would set rates in line with Florida averages and noted that fast charging generally carries a higher per‑kWh or per‑session cost than slow charging. He also described a grace period and an overstay penalty in the company’s tariffs to promote turnover (example: a short grace period then higher penalties for extended overstay).
Commissioners asked about parking impacts, rates and the proposed contract; one commissioner moved to “direct Tom to get it done,” and staff and the company agreed to exchange a municipally‑approved template agreement for redline and review. Tom and city attorney Sasha said staff would work with Optimus and circulate a draft municipal template (including insurance and Florida statutory clauses) for commission review.
No binding contract was executed at the meeting. Commissioners said they support pursuing a formal agreement and requested comparative information about current city charging fees so they could evaluate costs and resident impacts. Staff also noted that any final agreement would be reviewed for market rates and compliance with city procurement and insurance requirements.
Next steps: Optimus will send the city a word version of a municipally‑approved template for staff redline; city staff (Tom and Sasha) will prepare a draft agreement and present it to the commission for consideration.
