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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Council Worksession <br />June 28, 2016 <br />5:00 pm <br /> <br />Present: Mayor Valerie Johnson <br /> Councilmember Gina Bauman <br />Councilmember Brian Strub <br /> Councilmember Paul Jacobsen <br />Councilmember Mary Burg <br />Absent: <br /> <br />Staff in Attendance: Joe Hatch, Sandy Brueur, Jason Hicks, Bill Bach, Craig Schlichting, Janice Gundlach <br /> <br />Guests in Attendance: Charlie and Brian with TRANE, Scott <br /> <br /> <br />NBCC Solar Options Discussion <br />Hicks discussed the solar options available to the Council for the New Brighton Community Center (NBCC). <br />He recalled the Council’s previous discussion held in February regarding solar light and solar power. He <br />provided a further definition of solar lighting noting this option would allow natural daylight into the building. <br />The pros and cons of solar lighting were further discussed. He then provided further comment on the solar <br />power options available for NBCC. The three options available were lease to own, community solar <br />subscription and the last option was to install solar panels on the NBCC. <br /> <br />Councilmember Strub questioned how solar power would be brought to the NBCC through a solar <br />subscription. Charlie Holt described how solar subscriptions worked in detail with the Council. <br /> <br />Councilmember Burg asked how popular solar barns were. Charlie Holt indicated solar barns were on the rise <br />and the number of subscribers was increasing. He believed that the City could save $150,000 to $250,000 with <br />the lease to own solar option depending on solar credits. <br /> <br />Councilmember Jacobsen inquired what maintenance would be required from the City. Charlie Holt indicated <br />the maintenance was pretty minimal. He provided further comment on the value of the lease to own solar <br />options and noted now the value could be communicated to the public. <br /> <br />Councilmember Bauman commented on the hazardous materials found in solar panels. She questioned the life <br />expectancy of solar panels. Charlie explained this would be 20 to 25 years. He stated after 25 years the panels <br />would still be 90% efficient. <br /> <br />Hicks appreciated the questions from the Council and stated staff was looking for direction from the Council <br />on how to proceed. <br /> <br />Charlie stated he values the partnership he has with the City and needed direction from the City before <br />beginning the engineering aspect behind the solar panels as this would become intellectual property that would <br />have to be paid for by the City. He estimated it would take him 60 days to prepare documents for the City on <br />its solar options.