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Committee hears progress update on Johnson Controls energy performance contract; third‑party audit planned
Summary
Johnson Controls told the committee phase two construction is on schedule and three photovoltaic sites are producing power; the county will hire a third‑party auditor to verify guaranteed savings once JCI's report is delivered in September/October.
The Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee received an update on the county’s energy performance contract with Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) and discussed project timing, vehicle inventory and an independent audit to verify guaranteed energy savings.
Chief of Staff Cynthia Lalo told the committee that phase 2 construction is on schedule: 11 sites have been mobilized, four more are ready to schedule, and three sites are completed, energized and producing photovoltaic power. Lalo said JCI’s first formal report on performance is not due until September 2025.
Chuck Collins of Johnson Controls attended and said he was available to answer questions. Budget Director Leslie Milner and Director of Finance Marcy Martin discussed next steps: the county plans to post an RFP this month to hire a third‑party auditor to review JCI’s performance report and confirm the contract’s guaranteed savings. Milner said the RFP must be posted for at least 30 days and the county aims to have the auditor on board prior to or immediately after receiving JCI’s report so the auditor can complete its review in a timely fashion.
Committee members asked about electric vehicles acquired under the project and charger capabilities. Lalo said the county currently has two Tesla electric vehicles and two Ford Lightning vehicles in inventory, with one vehicle assigned to the mayor’s office and one to the Department of Management. Milner and Lalo said the county is considering charger upgrades for fast charging in public areas and will coordinate with the separate OATI contract that supplies some chargers.
Finance provided an early accounting: the county made an initial lease payment of just under $1.8 million and additional county expenditures related to the project bring out‑of‑pocket county spending to about $2.0 million to date. Milner told the committee the total contract value is a bit over $20 million and will be paid down over 20 years at a locked interest rate of about 3.84 percent. The committee heard that if JCI fails to meet guaranteed savings, JCI must make up the shortfall under the contract.
Members asked for clearer, legible versions of documents provided to the committee and asked staff to circulate the RFP and to post the JCI report and the auditor’s findings when available. The committee deferred further action and asked for the county’s submitted materials and the third‑party auditor procurement timeline to be returned at a later meeting.
