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Upper Darby committee signals against immediate full rollout of Solar for Schools grant over roofing, timing and reserve concerns
Summary
At a Finance & Operations Committee meeting, staff updated members on a $2.4M Solar for Schools award and options for implementation; members cited a $4.26M roofing bill, an urgent federal 5% spending deadline tied to the investment tax credit, and competing capital needs, and a nonbinding show‑of‑hands favored delaying implementation.
Marvin Lee, the district’s director of operations, told the Finance & Operations Committee that Upper Darby School District won roughly $2.4 million in state Solar for Schools grant awards and has received nine proposals after issuing an RFP to 29 prequalified firms. Lee said updated estimates put the average total project cost at about $5.9 million, with roofing repair and replacement for the six awarded schools estimated at about $4,260,000 and a net solar cost of roughly $940,000 after subsidies — a simple payback the presentation estimated at 3.1 years.
The presentation and ensuing questions focused on two constraints: tight federal timing for the investment tax credit and the district’s other capital demands. Lee and other staff said the federal guidance indicates the district must spend at least 5% of the project cost by July 2026 to claim the full investment tax credit;…
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