Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointes

Woods leaders hope to realize long- term savings from energy agreement

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — City leaders are hoping that they’ll be able to realize some long-term financial, as well as energy, savings by participating in a new program.

At a meeting Aug. 3, the Woods City Council unanimously voted in favor of an agreement with the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office, formed by the Michigan Suburbs Alliance, of which the Woods is a member. The Energy Office will use its staff and expertise to pursue energy efficiency and savings grants for participating communities. If they’re successful and able to secure funding, participants will then be asked to repay the grant as a non-interest loan, with payments based on energy savings realized by the city over time. Once a city pays back the amount of the grant, any energy savings belongs to the city, say organizers. Participants can still pursue grants independently, and any grants they get on their own don’t need to be repaid.

Michigan Suburbs Alliance Program Director Brittany Galisdorfer said the program will make cities more competitive in the grant bidding process and relieves city staffers of the time-consuming work involved in researching, writing and evaluating grants. In addition, by teaming with other communities in the region, the Woods is in a better position to compete nationally for grants, which she said the small community wouldn’t be on its own.

In a proposal to the city, Michigan Suburbs Alliance Executive Director Conan Smith wrote that, “working together our communities can access a wider range of professional assistance than we could separately, and we will be more competitive for additional funding from state and federal sources.”

Cities that have signed on as of press time include Roseville, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Madison Heights and Lincoln Park, Galisdorfer said.

The repaid grants then enable the Energy Office to fund other projects and its own operations.

City Council member Vicki Granger said the state is forcing cities to do more collaborating. Given the challenges of grant writing, she expressed support for the program.

“This comes off as a win-win. … I think it’s a worthwhile program,” Granger said.

City Council member Joseph Sucher also felt that the city would benefit from participating.

“I think it’s a pretty good deal,” Sucher said, noting the typical expense of grant preparation. “It appears to be long-term in our best interest.”

City Administrator Mark Wollenweber said the city might be able to get a grant to replace the gas lamps in two of its parking lots with more energy-efficient lighting. He said the old lamps are not only big energy consumers but also cost the city because of the amount of time spent repairing them. In addition, Wollenweber said the city might be able to receive funding through the Energy Office to tackle projects identified by the state in the city’s energy audit.