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Supervisors discuss courthouse energy use, possible metering and dispatch center upgrades
Summary
County staff and board members discussed higher-than-expected courthouse electricity bills, suggested separate metering for heat pumps (estimate up to $500), and noted dispatch-center equipment is being updated after about 25 years.
Board members and staff spent time Nov. 18 discussing courthouse energy consumption and the condition of dispatch-center equipment.
A board member said Osage Municipal Utilities reviewed recent electricity usage and recommended checking the county’s newer heat-pump/geothermal system to ensure it is operating correctly; the utility representative was surprised there had not been a larger reduction in electricity use. Staff said one practical step would be to install a separate meter on the heat pumps to isolate that load; the cost for isolating and metering the heat pumps was estimated at up to $500 if limited to that scope.
Separately, the board was told dispatch-center equipment — described in the meeting as about 25 years old — is being updated and that staff will include the topic as an agenda item for further discussion. Board members noted that HVAC design during the COVID period included higher ventilation and circulation standards that can increase energy use relative to older systems.
The board directed staff to place related items on a future agenda for further review and possible action.
