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City outlines resilience moves: street‑light audit, community solar, EV charging and ferry planning
Summary
Deputy city manager reported a Maryland Energy Administration grant to audit street lights, a community solar contract projected to save the city $66k–$127k annually, LED retrofit pilots, planned EV chargers at the police department, and next steps on a hybrid ferry RFI and landing match funding.
Deputy City Manager Jackie Guile briefed the committee on a package of resilience and energy actions intended to cut municipal energy costs and support emissions reductions.
Street lights and LED retrofits: Guile said the city secured a Maryland Energy Administration grant to perform a more detailed street‑light audit, part of a broader review showing potential savings of about $1.8 million over 20 years if the city acquires and converts utility‑owned lights. She said an estimated $800,000–$1,000,000 would be needed to buy and convert lights the city does not currently own and that savings could recoup that investment in roughly 4–5 years.
Community and residential solar: the city signed a community solar contract with Sun Central projected to save $66,000–$127,000 annually and reduce over 51,000 metric tons of CO2 over the contract period. The city also launched a residential solar cooperative with Solar United Neighbors to secure lower prices for homeowners.
Fleet electrification and charging: staff described plans to install one DC fast charger and two Level‑2 chargers (six ports total) at the police department to support administrative vehicles and to run a utility‑supported fleet assessment that will identify candidate vehicles for electrification.
Ferry planning and landings: Guile said the city will issue a request for information on a hybrid electric ferry and noted a $250,000 in‑city contribution from marina development that can be applied to landing improvements. FTA/MTA guidance is pending on whether the grant match can include in‑kind contributions; staff are awaiting federal clarification.
Next steps: staff plan a detailed street‑light audit under the MEA grant, expect to see community‑solar savings on upcoming utility bills, and will continue RFI work for the ferry and landings. The committee did not vote on the items but discussed financing options (including third‑party financing) and possible coordination with county resilience efforts.
