Councillors disagree on how to proceed Energy audit supported - but how?
JOHN MCPHEE Brockton council is ready to move ahead with reducing its energy consumption, but officials differ on just how to take that next step.

Last week council, staff, and members of the environmental committee heard a presentation from representatives of Ainsworth, which conducted an energy audit earlier in the year.

Their findings reported last month that the municipality could save $34,900 a year in energy costs if it allows Ainsworth to implement changes to reduce energy consumption in five facilities - Walkerton Library, wastewater treatment plant, community pool, pumphouse 7, and the recreation centre.

Council was also told there was no financial risk in going ahead with the $241,438 project as Ainsworth guarantees the projected savings or it will pay the difference. Furthermore the cost of the project would be "leased" to a third party lending firm. Payments would be made annually from the savings realized and would not have any impact on the municipality's borrowing levels. "We absolutely guarantee the savings, both financial and in energy," said Chris Stockwell, a former provincial Minister of the Environment who's been hired by Ainsworth as a consultant.

Albert Zwart, a member of the environment committee noted the offer "sounds too good to be true". He was told that Ainsworth officials had calculated the profit and built it into the projections. "We're not philanthropists," Stockwell said in reply.

Council heard that Ainsworth has done similar projects for several municipalities including a $1.2 million revamp in Orangeville, and has more on the go in Chatsworth, Saugeen Shores and others.

While councillors all agreed the idea seemed like something they wanted to do, there was a difference of opinion on how to proceed.

See Councillors, page 2

Some wanted to follow the municipality's purchasing policy by tendering the work out while others thought they could move straight ahead into a contract with Ainsworth.

"We're not actually buying anything here," Mayor Charlie Bagnato said. "The costs are guaranteed and will be neutral."

Coun. Dan Gieruszak pushed the idea of tendering. "Our policy won't allow us to do that," he said. "We should do an RFP and evaluate who can do it best. We have to adhere to our own policy."

Coun. Chris Peabody, who chairs the municipality's environmental committee, worried about delays going to a tender could create. "This may cause a six-month delay," he said. "That would be unacceptable."

Peabody also noted it cost Brockton $120,000 for the tendering done when council was searching for new managers for Walkerton's water and wastewater systems. "That's pretty expensive," he noted.

Gieruszak stood his ground arguing for "a quick RFP. If someone can respond, great, if not, we go forward".

When it was suggested that the municipality could forego doing an RFP if it tried its best to follow the rules, Gieruszak interjected saying "I would like to see 'or best intent' (written) in the policy."

Council decided to have its solicitor examine the project to see if it qualified as a purchase.

After the meeting Bagnato said regardless of the outcome and recommendation on how to proceed "it's pretty obvious council wants to move ahead with this".

Peabody agreed. "This is a great opportunity with no financial risk. We'll save money and reduce our carbon footprint," he said.

Peabody also said at the April 28 council meeting that Westario Power offers an auditing service.

He said that Sacred Heart High School, where he works as a teacher, had a Westario audit for upgrades that would be cost-neutral within two years.

"No one would turn down a two year payback, because after that, you're making money," Peabody said.

Gieruszak said he would like all options to be explored before the municipality signs anything with Ainsworth.

"It may be the best ball game in town, but we have to ask the right questions before we know," he said.

Mayor Bagnato agreed that alternatives should be looked at. "This is something so new... and it's going to cost they say nothing. If we don't feel comfortable we can look at other options," he said.

Council also looked into another energy solutions firm, Local Authority Services.

Brockton CAO/clerk Richard Radford asked LAS to confirm the accuracy and compare their own services to that of Ainsworth's audit.

LAS offers an audit of one municipal facility free of charge, while Ainsworth will audit all municipal buildings for free.

Also, with LAS doesn't assist with financing, and has an audit deadline, where as Ainsworth uses the savings generated from the project for payment, and the audits can be done at any time.

LAS however, has a software package that monitors the energy usage.

"Their software is interesting," Radford said, adding "it may be a very good way of tracking what we do."

Council decided to look into what Westario has to offer, before moving ahead with either firm.