At its Tuesday meeting, the Gary Common Council opened proposals for a city energy conservation contract.
The council was seeking proposals for conservation measures for guaranteed savings contracts, said President Lori Latham, D-1st. The deadline for applications was 4 p.m. Tuesday.
A guaranteed savings contract is an agreement to reduce energy and operating costs of a building or group of buildings, according to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.
Gary began asking for bids after the council unanimously approved a resolution creating the contract at its Oct. 15, 2024, meeting. Former Common Council President Tai Adkins sponsored the resolution.
The Gary Board of Public Works published notices of the request for proposals, said Attorney Marco Molina. The board published the notice on May 30 and June 6, Molina said.
“Today, we are just opening to see who made a response, and then we’re targeting Aug. 5 as a time to select … one of the applicants,” Molina added.
The city’s goal is to have an energy savings contract 15 days after selection.
Council Attorney Rinzer Williams opened the three proposal packets at the Tuesday meeting, ensuring that the applications received were consistent.
At the council’s Oct. 15, 2024, meeting, Adkins and Gary Mayor Eddie Melton both spoke in support of the energy savings contract. In summer 2024, Melton’s administration sent a request to the council, asking for support to research the contract.
“If in fact we are successful in this effort, it will not put additional debt on the city,” Adkins said at the meeting. “You will be literally utilizing the amount of money you would’ve paid for said utilities anyway to pay for the execution of these conservation efforts.”
Melton said the provider will look at the city’s facilities to help with energy savings. The proposals will help the city reinvest in its infrastructure, Melton said at the Oct. 15 meeting.
“Hopefully, we’ll get some very knowledgeable institutions that will be able to help us,” he said.
