The city is scheduled to receive up to $200,000 and the county
is slated to get more than $100,000 through grant funds and
low-interest loans that will go toward retrofitting such public
facilities as Hollister City Hall, the Briggs Building and downtown
street lighting in an effort to save energy and money.
The city is scheduled to receive up to $200,000 and the county is slated to get more than $100,000 through grant funds and low-interest loans that will go toward retrofitting such public facilities as Hollister City Hall, the Briggs Building and downtown street lighting in an effort to save energy and money.
A federal program established in 2007 – with a formal grant approval coming in February – is set to provide around $150,000 to $160,000 in unmatched funds to Hollister. A low-interest lending program – originated from the stimulus package – then would offset the remaining costs for the range of projects estimated to total that $200,000 figure for the city.
For San Benito County, the program has earmarked $108,000 in grant funds toward the same types of projects. It’s unclear at this point if the county will request funding surpassing that amount – and thus necessitating the loan portion as well.
The dollar amounts, meanwhile, are based on the population of each jursidiction. The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments is administering the allocation of funds in this region while covering 21 jurisdictions, 17 of which are eligible for the funds, said Emily Schnell, an assistant special projects manager for AMBAG. The other four communities already have received funds under the same program.
Local communities have until Jan. 12 to submit their applications to the California Energy Commission, Schell noted.
Possible projects identified by Hollister officials include retrofitting the heating and air-conditioning systems at the Community Center, City Hall, Park Hill offices and the building housing the YMCA, said Clay Lee, community services director. He also noted such proposals as upgrading the street lighting downtown – as well as inside the Briggs Building where Gavilan College holds classes – for energy efficiency.
Regarding county jurisdiction, Public Works Administrator Steve Wittry said officials primarily are focusing on street lighting at this point.
All the projects, though, must meet one of the major requirements of the program – that they “can be deployed immediately,” according to a staff report for a meeting Monday where city council members are set to approve Hollister’s application.
Look to the Free Lance on Monday for the full story.
