City to review energy usage

The City of Portland will soon be able to evaluate energy usage in its buildings.
Portland Board of Works on Thursday entered a contract with Honeywell Building Solutions, a company that works to install energy efficient systems in buildings, to evaluate the way the city’s buildings use energy and find cost-effective ways to reduce energy usage.
It also approved purchasing a new VAC truck and backup generator for the wastewater treatment plant and hiring a new police officer.
James Zellman, a representative from Honeywell Building Solutions, said the company will perform a feasibility study on several buildings in Portland — including city hall, the fire station and possibly Community Resource Center — at no cost to the city.
“That allows the City of Portland to understand if there’s any opportunity to save on energy and operations not only with the city buildings but also with utility operations,” Zellman said.
The company typically uses a procurement process called performance contracting to utilize energy and operation savings throughout a city to help offset the cost of implementing those measures, he said.
Replacing the boiler in city hall, which is probably nearing the end of its life span, may allow the city to use less energy, which may save it money long term, Zellman added.
“It’s a means of a municipality, like City of Portland, of getting work done … without the risk of basically having to pay off that debt utilizing that savings,” he said.
The feasibility study is expected to last two to three months.
The board approved the purchases for the wastewater treatment plant after tabling the proposals last month so board members Mayor Randy Geesaman, Jerry Leonhard and Bill Gibson could review quotes and choose the best products.
Wastewater treatment plant superintendent Bob Brelsford presented two quotes for a new generator.
The current backup generator was built in 1980 and needs to be replaced to ensure the plan has power if electrical services were to be interrupted. Wastewater treatment plant superintendent Bob Brelsford presented quotes of $140,474 after trade-in from Two Brothers and $116,918 from Cummins Crosspoint.
The board voted to purchase the generator from Two Brothers, in part because the company’s quote included the cost of installation. Its service contract was also cheaper, Leonhard said.
Members also voted to purchase a new VAC truck for $315,000 from Brown Equipment, although it was the more expensive of the two quotes Brelsford presented. The other came from Best Equipment for approximately $307,000.
“Brown Equipment is a more expensive truck, but it’s better,” Brelsford said. “It’s a world of difference.”
The city’s current truck has had a number of issues during the last year and has been in the shop multiple times. Indiana Department of Environmental Management requires the city to use a VAC truck often to clean debris out of the city’s sewers and when the current truck is in the shop, wastewater treatment plant employees are unable to do so.
Geesaman, Gibson and Leonhard also voted to hire Cody Jessee, a Jay County native, as a police officer. Police chief Nathan Springer recommended Jessee, who has been a reserve with the department since July.
In other business, board of works:
•Approved a contract with Indiana Landmarks. The firm offers assistance to the city regarding historic preservation. The contract is for one year at a cost of $3,000.
•Approved a supplemental agreement with engineering firm DLZ for the safe routes to school project. Geesaman said all the agreement does is move the project’s completion date from October to Nov. 22.