Committee reviews grants and rebate prospects: $500,000 COPs grant, ETO rebate activity and matching funds

District staff and the contractor updated the committee on grants and rebate prospects for the summer projects.

Karen told the committee the district has $500,000 in a COPs grant that requires matching funds. She said she will map grant dollars to specific projects in the packet (for example, exterior lighting at the high school, budgeted at about $104,000) and will return next month with the list of matching sources and proposed allocations.

Scott explained work with the Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO). He said Christina Skellinger (ETO) and Brian Morrison have been involved in examining lighting and mechanical scopes to identify potential rebates and incentives; Scott reported roughly $94,000 in ETO‑eligible funding remains available for lighting work and said the district is pursuing larger ETO funding for mechanical system replacements.

Scott also summarized Senate Bill 1149 as described in the meeting: he characterized it as a grant mechanism that authorizes the district to spend funds it will receive, contingent on qualifying projects and required authorizations.

Why it matters: Grants and rebates can reduce the district’s reliance on bond proceeds and influence which projects proceed under the summer work program. The committee asked staff to reconcile grant matches with the bond budget and to present a clear list of proposed uses at the next meeting.

What’s next: Karen will return next month with a list of project matches for the COPs grant and other funding sources; the district will continue coordination with ETO to confirm rebate amounts and eligibility.