Energy companies offer services to commissioners

Highland County Commissioners Jeremy Shaffer, Shane Wilkin and Tom Horst met with Rocky Fork Lake area resident Richard D. Housh regarding a possible energy audit of county facilities.

Housh is the CEO and chairman of the board of Plug Smart (Intelligent Energy Solutions).

According to its website, Plug Smart "is an energy services and technology company that helps commercial, industrial, non-profit, institutional and utility companies implement a broad range of energy solutions on both sides of the utility meter. The business helps clients implement self-funding energy efficiency projects, leverage renewable energy resources, lower power generation and energy supply costs, and reclaim investments in energy efficiency projects."

Housh has been a member of the Association of Energy Engineers and a certified energy manager since the 1980s.

Plug Smart is headquartered in Columbus.

Housh told county commissioners he was interested in providing a free energy audit – after reading about Palmer Conservation Consulting performing a similar service as reported in September.

"We do the exact same thing," Housh said. "We compete with them every day. We are very competitive. I'll match the offer to do the free stuff that Palmer is doing."

As reported by The Highland County Press on Sept. 27, commissioners agreed to have Palmer conduct an energy and utilities audit of the Veterans Service Commission offices on North High Street in the county annex.

"We'd love to have you take a look at it, too," Wilkin said. "Our biggest issue right now is if there's any debt to take on. If I were to go down to Bill's office (Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley) and say we want to borrow money, he might explode."

Fawley was in attendance at the commissioners' meeting and agreed that was a fair observation.

Housh said he would need access to the county's utility records and facilities' square footage in order to get started.

"There's no sense paying AEP and the gas companies more than you have to," Housh said.

Housh said his company could guide the county through state legislation, rebate programs and energy efficiencies.

"We would be more than happy to let you look at our facilities," Wilkin said.

For more information, go to www.plugsmart.com.

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• Champion Energy Services representatives Jeremy Smith and Bill Turner also met with Highland County commissioners this week as a followup to their visit during the board's Aug. 22 meeting.

Champion Energy is offering its services for the county's electric utility options for 2014 and beyond.

Wilkin asked Champion to "present us with rates for 2014 and we'll have to make a decision."

"We'll be in with a contract and get the rates to you," Smith said.

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• Rocky Fork Lake area property owner Arleen McGarvey also spoke to commissioners Wednesday.

McGarvey attempted to clarify a situation that occurred in the commissioners' office on Monday, Oct. 15.

On Wednesday, McGarvey explained to the full commission that she had had a sewage backup inside a resident's home at one of her rental properties within the Rocky Fork Lake Sewer District. She believed the problem was related to a faulty grinder in the sewerage system.

On Monday, McGarvey had asked for a contact person for the county's engineering service that has oversight and management of the sewer district.

Commissioners invited Steve Canter, president of Environmental Engineering Service in Lebanon, and Frank Leone, EES marketing and administrative manager, to discuss the situation.

After investigating and speaking with their service personnel, Canter said the problem was caused by tree roots that had gotten into the grinder.

"Our goal is to satisfy the customer and respond timely," Canter said. … "In this case, I think we did. Technically, the problem was on your side of the grinder and was your responsibility."

"As a homeowner, am I allowed to clean out around the grinder?" McGarvey asked.

"Sure," Canter said. "If you plan to do that, please give us a call and we'll mark things.

"I'm truly sorry it happened," Canter said. "It if was our grinder, we're responsible. Unfortunately for you, in this case, the blockage was caused by your side of the system."

According to Leone, EES has 1,587 customers through the county in the Rocky Fork Lake Sewer District. The county pays EES a monthly fee of $25,677 to maintain the treatment plant and work with EPA requirements.

For more on Environmental Engineering Service, go to: http://enveng.com.

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Resolutions

Commissioners passed the following resolutions Wednesday:

• The appointment of Hillsboro Safety/Service Director Rich Giroux to the Metropolitan Housing Authority Board;

• An additional appropriation through a grant for Help Me Grow;

• An appropriation for the county engineer's office through two grants;

• A modification in the Family and Children First Council budget; and,

• A $3,000 appropriation in the county coroner's budget.