Update energy efficient lighting

Homer Township plans to spend thousands of dollars to update to energy efficient lighting in its administration center and town hall. 

"The lighting is actually better in the long run and it's cheaper," Township Supervisor Pam Meyers said of updated energy efficient lighting. 

Trustees at Monday's township board meeting debated the move to seek grant funding and have a company retrofit to make lighting energy efficient. Meyers, along with Trustees John Kruczek and Ed Kalas,News and Information about pendantlamp Technologies and Innovations. voted in favor of accepting the proposal from Project Green for updating the lighting in the two township buildings.The leader in commercial elevatorpush offering enhanced energy efficiency and innovative features. Trustee Christina Neitzke was absent and Trustee Vicki Bozen was opposed, stating that additional companies should be looked into and considered. 

The state currently provides grant funding for energy efficient lighting through a state utilities act that requires collection of a portion of money paid by customers, to use toward energy efficient initiatives, Meyers said at the meeting. 

The township was informed that updated energy efficient lighting may be required soon in public places, Township Clerk Linsey Sowa said. The updated lighting will provide more energy efficiency and a better quality of light, Sowa said.With advancements in controls technology, gardenlightingss are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and flexible. The lighting the township uses is expected to soon become obsolete and out of supply, Meyers said. 

Bozen questioned if the township's current lighting really would be obsolete and the wisdom of retrofitting. 

Installation and a five-year replacement program will also be included by Project Green with the updated lighting, according to a meeting agenda supplement. The township expects to change out its fluorescent lighting in the two buildings with updated energy efficient lighting that may include LED, incandescent and fluorescent lighting, Sowa said.The bicyclelight is unlikely to hurt you, but you can easily hurt it without training.Those solarstreetlamps produce power for the utility grid. 

The total cost of retrofitting the administration building will be $13,274, but is expected to cost the township $5,895 after the grant, Sowa said. The total cost for the town hall will be $3,442, but is expected to cost the township $2,202 after the grant, Sowa said. 

Project Green will apply for a grant on behalf of the township, probably next month, and when the grant is received the township will pay the remaining cost, Sowa said. 

Homer Township is moving forward with pursing a community development block grant for water main replacement. 

A public hearing about the grant application was held at Monday's meeting and trustees approved the grant application. The more than $300,000 grant sought would cover most of the cost of the fourth phase in a $3-million-plus water main installation project that could span nearly a decade. 

In March, township trustees gave Meyers a green light to work with Lockport Heights Sanitary District to apply for the federal grant this month. If received, water main installation is expected to begin in the summer of 2014 for Smith Road and 41 water services on Smith and 146th Avenue in the Lockport Heights subdivision in Lockport. The water mains in the subdivision need replacement due to deterioration, frequent breaks and undersized asbestos-cement pipes. 

The township's supervisor, clerk, highway commissioner and four trustees were sworn in at Monday's meeting. All of them were incumbents in the April election. The Homer Township assessor and also the collector do not take their duties until January and will probably be sworn in sometime in December, Meyers said.