Brentwood committee votes to join regional 'Switch Together' solar-buying program

The City of Brentwood Public Works Committee voted unanimously May 14 to participate in Switch Together, a regional group-purchasing solar initiative led by partners including the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association and iChoosr.

Christine Maida, a resident and member of the Sustainability Commission, told the committee the dashboard and related sustainability efforts “are a method to measure the city’s efforts and provide a way to clearly communicate it to the community,” and Commission members reiterated support for municipal participation in the Switch Together program.

Staff described the program steps: free, no-obligation resident registration; competitive bidding to secure group pricing; individualized installation recommendations for participants; and optional battery-storage offers. Switch Together will provide marketing materials, host the registration platform, coordinate installers and offer customer support; municipal partners are asked to host a webpage or link, allow logo use, and promote the program through city channels.

Alderwoman Nancy Parker Tice moved to join Switch Together; Alderwoman Michele Goad seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Committee members were told Switch Together will provide program performance reports to participating municipalities and that staff will handle resident inquiries.

The committee also asked to revisit a proposed sustainability dashboard at a future meeting so members can review details and potential budget implications. The Sustainability Commission suggested grant opportunities and estimated potential savings of about $25,000 for recycling projects if grants are secured.

Next step: staff will finalize municipal participation by the program’s June 1 partner confirmation deadline and proceed with outreach and coordination if Brentwood remains a partner.