Effingham County suspends solar project

Mar. 21—The Effingham County Board is abandoning plans to install a rooftop solar system at the Effingham County Office Building as part of a proposed energy-saving project.

During its meeting Monday, the board voted to suspend any further action with Centrica Business Solutions, an engineering consultant, on the county's plans for an energy-saving project, which includes the installation of a solar system on the roof of the Effingham County Building and the replacement of the building's second, third and fourth floor windows. The county approved plans for the approximately $600,000 project during its meeting in February.

Effingham County Board member Tim Ellis told fellow board members that he recently saw a quote for the window replacement portion of the project that revealed that the cost of replacing the windows on the building's second, third, and fourth floors could actually cost about $150,000, roughly half of the cost reflected in a previous quote.

"We were under the impression, going through the solar and window project, that the window-only cost was going to be somewhere around $300,000 or north of $300,000 which would obviously make it worth our while to partner the solar project with it," Ellis said.

The board had initially hoped to offset the cost of the energy-saving project with solar incentives it would be able to apply for after installing a solar system on the roof of the Effingham County Office Building, and Effingham County Board Chair Josh Douthit noted that the deadline to apply for some of these incentives is approaching.

"We've hashed this out for a long time now," Douthit said. "I do know that there was conversation in the building and grounds committee meeting that if we did wait through the next month, it was going to effect those solar rebates, at least the first initial one."

Due to the change in the expected cost of replacing the windows in the Effingham County Office Building, Ellis said it no longer makes sense to move forward with plans to install a solar system.

Additionally, In response to a question from Effingham County Board Vice Chair Dave Campbell, Ellis said that county employees would be able to open all newly installed windows.

"Better yet," Campbell said.

Board members agreed to table any further action with Centrica, and they voted to send the matter back to the Effingham County Building and Grounds Committee before sending out requests for proposals for the window replacement project.

Also during the meeting, Effingham County State's Attorney Aaron Jones updated members of the board on the continued implementation of the SAFE-T Act, which abolished cash bail in Illinois in 2023. He referenced some statistics that Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis mentioned in a recent article.

"From 2014-2023 there were 171 bail or bond appeals up to the appellate courts. In the first five months of the SAFE-T Act going live, there's been 2,003," Jones said. "I point that out because that's one of the changes that's been impacted by it."

According to Jones, this is just "one of the many different issues" he's been seeing since the SAFE-T Act was first implemented, and he expects legislators to further tweak the law in light of these problems.

"Obviously, we're not going to go back to the old system, but there are certainly improvements that need to be addressed," Jones said.

Board member Elizabeth Huston was absent Monday.

In other matters, the board:

—Approved the appointment of Grant Bushue to the Effingham County Board of Health for a term lasting from March 18, 2024 until June 30, 2026.

—Approved the appointment of Steve Robinson to the Edgewood Bi-County Fire Protection District for a term lasting from May 1, 2024 until April 30, 2027.

—Approved the appointment of Steve Miller to the Effingham County Housing Authority for a term lasting from May 1, 2024 until April 30, 2028.

—Approved the use of the Effingham County Courthouse Museum courtyard for the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce's HAM JAM on July 12, 2024.

—Approved the use of the Effingham County Courthouse Museum courtyard for the Effingham Farmer's Market on Saturdays from May 25, 2024 to Oct. 5, 2024.

—Approved a vehicle lease agreement between Effingham County and CEFS.

—Approved a memorandum of understanding for a vehicle lease agreement with Shelby County.

—Approved a purchase of service agreement between Effingham County and CEFS.

—Approved the disbursement of $1,748 in earmarked American Rescue Plan Act funds for the maintenance of the TREC Trail.

—Approved the disbursement of $2,595 in earmarked American Rescue Plan Act funds for tablets for Effingham County Board members.

—Denied the disbursement of $10,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for One Hope United per the recommendation of the Effingham County 708 Board which determined that this would no longer be the best use of these funds.

—Approved the disbursement of $3,600 in earmarked American Rescue Plan Act funds for an Effingham Child Care Gap Scholarship applicant.

—Approved a certificate of authority by vote to allow the Effingham County Engineer to enter into contracts on behalf of the county.

—Approved an amendment to the county's salary schedule for the 2024 fiscal year to include the Effingham County State's Attorney's confidential secretary.

—Approved an amendment to the county's salary schedule for the 2024 fiscal year to include the superintendent of the Effingham County Veterans Assistance Commission.

—Approved an addendum to a professional engineering agreement for the Liberty Township Bridge along 400th Street.

—Authorizing the execution and amendment of a Section 5311 grant agreement.

—Authorized the execution and amendment of a Downstate Operating Assistance Program agreement.

Nick Taylor can be reached at nick.taylor@effinghamdailynews.com or by phone at 618-510-9226 or 217-347-7151 ext. 300132.