GREEN LAKE CITY HALL
Reporter
A proposal to install a solar array at the Green Lake County Government Center sparked sharp criticism Monday before the city of Green Lake Plan Commission approved the project’s site plan in a 5-2 vote.
GREEN LAKE CITY HALL
County officials said the project is intended to offset rising electricity costs at the government center.
Maintenance and Parks Supervisor Mike Van Meel told the commission the county budgeted $150,000 for electric bills in each of the past two years, but those budgets had to be increased because of higher-than-expected costs. This year’s budget was increased to $192,000.
Van Meel said the solar array is expected to reduce the county’s electrical costs by nearly half.
Before discussion of the proposal began, Mayor Ray Radis criticized how the project came before the city, describing it as “coming out of the blue” and being “shoved down the throat” of the city.
Van Meel answered questions from commission members about the proposed installation.
Commission member Mike Ratter voiced concerns about long-term maintenance and equipment warranties.
“My concern is the warranty on the components,” he said. “If the maintenance is not done exactly as specified, then the failure … of these different components when they [fail, then] the warranty will be prorated.”
Another commissioner asked whether additional conservation measures would be a better investment than installing the solar array.
“I appreciate what you are saying and where you’re coming from, but the building was built to be as efficient as possible in the present climate that we live in,” Van Meel said. “It was LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certified [with] automatic lights, automatic controls on all the heating systems. There is not much more we can do to save energy.”
LEED Silver standards recognize buildings that meet benchmarks for energy efficiency and other sustainability measures.
As discussion continued, Radis stopped the conversation, saying the commission’s role was limited to reviewing the site plan and that broader questions about the project were outside the scope of the hearing. He urged Ratter to take his concerns to the Green Lake County Board.
Radis also told Van Meel the city retains authority over the land on which the county facility is located, giving the city some control over matters involving the property. Van Meel said he was unaware of that arrangement and would relay the information to county officials.
Although the county already has approved the solar project, several commission members indicated they still have questions about the process. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027.
Ratter and John Meiborg voted against the proposal.
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