With more than $400,000 spent and more than a year’s worth of construction work almost complete, a major infrastructure enhancement project approved by Athens City Council last year is coming to a close.
The Cincinnati-based Perfection Group began to implement both energy and infrastructure updates in city buildings in July 2011. The improvements, which are estimated to save the city money in the long-run, cost taxpayers about $425,000 to implement.
About $300,000 was borrowed for the enhancements, but the energy-saving improvements will pay for themselves in about eight years, said Councilwoman Chris Knisley, D-at large.
With an estimated cost savings of $43,206 a year, the city would account for the borrowed amount in seven years.
Under the same amount of yearly savings, it would take the city three additional years to pay back the full $425,000.
The Athens City Code Enforcement Office, City Building, Athens Parking Garage and the Athens Community Center have all received cost-cutting enhancements, said Ron Lucas, assistant service-safety director.
Representatives from the firm reported to Council last month that phase one is about 98 percent complete and strongly suggested that Council should vote to begin further improvements.
Based on the presentation, Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, said she’s satisfied.
“This is a part of reducing our carbon footprint ... but this is also going to save the city money in the long-run,” she said.
The project focused on buildings that had regular occupants, Lucas said.
“There’s a lot that we can do in our facilities that can make them a lot more energy-efficient and save money,” he said. “Hopefully, we see some savings in our bills.”
Though more energy-saving enhancements are likely, Lucas said he did not know whether the city would partner with the Perfection Group again.
“One of the things we worked into the contract (with Perfection Group) was to utilize local contractors, and that wasn’t as successful as I would have liked it to have been ... they were short-term jobs,” he said.
Lucas said the group was responsible for having 10 percent of their workforce on the Athens projects be local contractors and that Perfection did fulfill that requirement.
Perfection Group was not available for comment.
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