Council to Vote on Bonds for Energy Plan

The Township Council is considering an ordinance authorizing the issuance of up to $2.25 million in township bonds to support energy-efficiency upgrades to township- and Black Horse Pike Regional School District-owned buildings.

The bond ordinance, which is scheduled to be heard on first reading at Council's meeting Monday night, is one part of an extensive shared-services agreement between the township and the regional school district (BHPRSD) aiming to retrofit buildings to increase energy efficiency.

The ordinance is for so-called refunding bonds, Business Administrator Tom Cardis noted during last Monday's Council work session.

"It's qualified as 'refunding' because in this program you have to show that ... the debt service is offset by the energy savings," he said.

"In other words, it pays for itself," Council President Glen Bianchini added.

According to the ordinance, the township's buildings woud undergo up to $650,000 in improvements and BHPRSD buildings up to $1.6 million.

BHPRSD would reimburse the township for its share of the bond ordinance, if approved.

"It's the first time a school and a township have partnered to do this," Cardis said on Wednesday.

The project is to include installation of new boilers and upgrades to lighting and heating-and-air-conditioning systems.

Township officials anticipate they will go before the state Local Finance Board to seek approval for the funding plan as part of the state's Energy Savings Improvement Program (ESIP) in April, Cardis said.

The Township Council and BHPRSD board both approved the shared-services ESIP plan in November.

Work in preparation for the ESIP application was performed for the township by Blue Sky Power LLC and Concord Engineering, according to the ordinance.