Following up on a presentation last May regarding the successful deployment of solar power in a nearby township, Nockamixon Township has now moved to actively consider solar power use for its own needs.
The action was taken at its Aug. 18 public board of supervisors meeting, via the appointments of a supervisor, John Haubert, and a member of its Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC), Tim Clark, to serve as key contacts in the exploration of the possibility. EAC Chair Stephen Donovan summarized the possible proposal-to-come as establishing “the generation of electricity to offset (the township’s) electric bill.”
The project is expected to include energy audits for township buildings, street lighting, traffic signals, and heating and cooling; and a free consultation from a solar array installer on particular, potential installations, with financing options including cash, loan, and power purchase agreement (PPA), and with return on investment (ROI) calculations available in any case.
Township engineer Steve Baluh noted that such a free consultation from an installer would not necessarily lead to an installation contract for them, as such a project would need to be put out for competitive bidding.
The original presentation on the matter, to the supervisors at their public meeting last May, was from Jim Miller, a retired supervisor at West Rockhill Township, where the solar installation step has already been taken. In summary, Miller had noted potential overall benefits of reducing township power costs; protecting against higher power costs, due to being otherwise subject to inflation; and acting in the general interest of environmental protection for present and future generations.
Earlier during the Aug. 18 meeting, supervisors conducted a contentious, but civil, discussion with a half-dozen concerned residents of Old Schoolhouse Road in Revere, which the township wants to convert from a private road to a township road, including the use of the township’s eminent domain right, with payment of compensation.
Supervisors Chair Bill Sadow emphasized his view that residents would hardly see any difference as a result of the conversion, but residents remained deeply concerned about various aspects of a proposal they said had roots going back as long as 20 years, and had been through various iterations under different boards of supervisors and their staffs, with varying potential impacts on their lives there.
Officials noted the matter as related to their interest in facilitating increased use of Veterans Park as a community resource, and their need to more freely use the road, which is presently maintained by the residents at their own cost.
The discussion concluded with agreement to place a current township proposal on the matter on hold, pending further discussion, and especially clarification. Officials noted the proposal had already been accepted by two residents, while compensation checks had apparently not yet been issued.
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