During the latest meeting of the Argos Town Council, a contract for electric vehicle charging was tabled. Town Attorney Derek Jones stated that he had multiple questions about the contract.
“When I looked through this thing, I do have some questions and I’m not comfortable with my knowledge base to say ‘yep go ahead and sign this thing tonight’,” said Jones.
Utility Superintendent Jamie Lindstrom told the council and Jones that there is time before the contract would have to be signed. Jones replied that he appreciated the extra time to get the answers to his questions.
One of those questions involved what the contract called a local match that details what the town would have to pay. “It talks about 20 percent of the total project cost, but then it makes it sound like there may be grant funds available. And I understand that you can’t rely on that, but I’m assuming that’s a one time, not an annual thing,” Jones said.
Lindstrom replied that it was one time to start up. “And we may be able to use some force labor on that too. I don’t know enough about it, but anything we can do to help to knock that down we will.”
The location where the EV Charger would be installed is at 560 W. Walnut Street, the Argos Community Park.
Jones then discussed what happens to the funds acquired from the actual vehicle charging. The town can charge those that want to hook up to the EV Charger. In the contract, Jones states that it cites that the funds can only be spent on items listed in Title 23 of the CFR, which is the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
“That grant, I believe, is five years that that’s in place. After that, we decide we want to get rid of it, whatever. Because they’ll maintain it for those first five years too,” said Lindstrom.
“And that’s how it looks, but I didn’t like the way that was spelled out,” Jones said and admitted that he might be a little “nit picky” about the contract. “That maintenance paragraph talks about we’re supposed to notify MACOG if there’s any issue but all it talks about then is they’re going to take certain actions. It doesn’t say they’re going to fix it, repair it, or necessarily do anything.”
Council President Ed Barcus asked about who would insure the charger. Jones said that he thought it was both parties while Lindstrom thought that it was the Town’s.
Jones touched on the subject of vandalism and which party would be responsible for that. “I’m saying you get like three teenagers that decide to go out and trash this thing. That’s on the town. And I’m not saying that it shouldn’t be on the town, I’m just saying you guys need to know these things.”
He quoted one of the paragraphs in the contract. He read that MACOG is responsible for 20 percent of the cost and the site owner is responsible for the remainder. “I don’t even know the costs for this thing. But, if there’s $100,000 in damage, we’re eating $80,000. Maybe our insurance covers that. I don’t know that answer either.”
Council Member Charles Randy Snead asked how many electric cars are there in town.
“It’s not necessarily just for here,” Clerk-Treasurer Lisa Mullaney replied. Council Vice President Erica Partin added that the charger would be accessible to electric vehicles traveling on the highway.
“I know, but you know, they’ve went all these years without this, do we really need it? I mean, do we honestly really need it?” Snead asked.
He was informed that some of the Argos Community School’s administration have electric vehicles.
“It’s been all these years. Somehow they’ve gotten back and forth to work. I’m still not. Why would our taxpayers of this town have to pay, even though it’s a grant or whatever it is, part of this for something they’ll never use? Sounds like it may have a little trouble getting to use some of the money and I don’t quite understand what Derek was saying about where that’s got to go, but still. We’re putting something on to the taxpayers that I don’t feel’s fair to them. I don’t see any need for it. That’s just an opinion. Definitely 100 percent against the thing,” Snead said.
Barcus made a point of saying that if the town were to purchase an electric vehicle, the town wouldn’t be utilizing those chargers.
Mullaney asked about the council voting in favor of the chargers in an earlier meeting. Lindstrom said that it had been a couple of years.
“Well, I must not have been here,” Snead said.
“And I don’t know that we can actually say no at this point because we were awarded the grant,” said Mullaney.
Some of the council voiced a possibility of simply letting the grant go.
“It talks about they’re trying to give grants and that there maybe funds available, but it sure doesn’t say that yes we’ve been awarded a grant. Maybe that’s the case,” said Jones.
“I thought they did get the grant. Because that’s what why they’re moving forward with it,” said Lindstrom.
Barcus suggested that the council table the request to allow Jones to look for more answers to the questions he seeks.
Council Member Robert Byers asked about shutting down the chargers during festivals. Jones replied that he thought that in the contract it stipulates that the chargers have to be in service about 97 percent of the time throughout the five years of the contract.
The council voted to table the matter until those questions can be answered.
