Committee backs EV charging agreement at Lakeview Park; staff say pricing will aim to cover costs not create profit

The Middleton Finance and Personnel Committee on Jan. 6 recommended that the Common Council approve a Dane County public electric-vehicle charging agreement for Lakeview Park (8476 Market Street), with the recommendation contingent on final city-attorney review.

Committee members asked whether charging could produce net income beyond cost recovery and whether additional Middleton locations might be included. Unidentified Speaker 5, engaged as the county representative in the discussion, said federal requirements limit how much income the program can generate and that the county will work with the city to set rates so charging covers electricity costs, required excise taxes and reasonable insurance charges without producing excessive profit. "There's federal requirements that limit how much income we can make from this," Unidentified Speaker 5 said.

Planned Middleton locations discussed in the meeting include Market Street/Greenway Station and Lakeview Park; the school district applied for several sites (the high school and district offices on South Avenue) and may host public-use chargers. An airport application was not selected during this round. Unidentified Speaker 3 moved to recommend council approval pending final legal review; the motion was seconded and the committee voted 'aye.'

Next steps: staff will finalize attorney review and pricing structures with the county to ensure compliance with federal grant requirements and local budgeting preferences.