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Work is continuing to place a wind turbine at the waste water treatment facility.
The El Dorado City Commission received an update on the project during a special meeting Wednesday afternoon.
“As part of the wind turbine project, they require us to do an environmental assessment,” said Kurt Bookout, public utilities director.
They are currently in the middle of that assessment and Bookout said it was going well.
Once that is complete the city will be able to receive the $250,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Energy, which is also paying for the assessment.
This is maybe 10 percent of the project cost, which has gone up since they first started talking about it because of increased demand for wind turbines.
But in addition to the increased demand, there also are new manufacturers opening up across the United States, so by the time the city is ready to purchase a turbine, the price may have gone back down.
There is the potential to pay off the turbine, which would provide at least 98 percent of the energy needs for the treatment plant, in five to six years.
But, Herb Llywellyn, city manager, said if the numbers weren’t right they wouldn’t move forward.
“I like green energy, but I’m not sure I want to levy taxes to have it,” he said. “We’re not going to do it if it doesn’t make sense. It’s cost benefit on it.”
The turbine is proposed to be located west of the treatment facility halfway between the facility and the Westar transmission lines that cut across the field.
In other business, the commission:
• approved, 4-0 (Mayor Tom McKibban was absent), the low bid of Barkley Construction in the amount of $117,998.45 for the southeast quadrant sidewalk project. The work will begin immediately.
• approved 4-0 the low bid of Bryant & Bryant in the amount of $98,974.78 for the North Main sidewalk from 12th Avenue to Post Road. This will be a sidewalk/bicycle path and will be paid for using excess sales tax dollars. This follows the sewer project that was wrapped up in that area. This project will start in mid-November.
• approved 4-0 a resolution authorizing temporary notes in the amount of $2 million for the paving of Boyer Road and Sixth Ave.
Work is continuing to place a wind turbine at the waste water treatment facility.
The El Dorado City Commission received an update on the project during a special meeting Wednesday afternoon.
“As part of the wind turbine project, they require us to do an environmental assessment,” said Kurt Bookout, public utilities director.
They are currently in the middle of that assessment and Bookout said it was going well.
Once that is complete the city will be able to receive the $250,000 grant from the Kansas Department of Energy, which is also paying for the assessment.
This is maybe 10 percent of the project cost, which has gone up since they first started talking about it because of increased demand for wind turbines.
But in addition to the increased demand, there also are new manufacturers opening up across the United States, so by the time the city is ready to purchase a turbine, the price may have gone back down.
There is the potential to pay off the turbine, which would provide at least 98 percent of the energy needs for the treatment plant, in five to six years.
But, Herb Llywellyn, city manager, said if the numbers weren’t right they wouldn’t move forward.
“I like green energy, but I’m not sure I want to levy taxes to have it,” he said. “We’re not going to do it if it doesn’t make sense. It’s cost benefit on it.”
The turbine is proposed to be located west of the treatment facility halfway between the facility and the Westar transmission lines that cut across the field.
In other business, the commission:
• approved, 4-0 (Mayor Tom McKibban was absent), the low bid of Barkley Construction in the amount of $117,998.45 for the southeast quadrant sidewalk project. The work will begin immediately.
• approved 4-0 the low bid of Bryant & Bryant in the amount of $98,974.78 for the North Main sidewalk from 12th Avenue to Post Road. This will be a sidewalk/bicycle path and will be paid for using excess sales tax dollars. This follows the sewer project that was wrapped up in that area. This project will start in mid-November.
• approved 4-0 a resolution authorizing temporary notes in the amount of $2 million for the paving of Boyer Road and Sixth Ave.
