Iola City Council members will learn Monday whether the city can afford to add solar power to its electric portfolio.
Scott Shreve, an energy consultant with EMG, will be on hand to present his analysis on the costs associated with installing solar panels to generate electricity locally.
Council members spent $4,000 to fund the study.
Adding solar energy is intriguing from Iolas perspective because the city for the past decade has lacked the generating capacity to meet its peak electricity demands.
Shreves analysis should indicate how much of that demand could eventually be met with solar power, and how much erecting solar panels would cost.
Through its natural gas and diesel-powered generators, Iola is capable of producing up to 22 megawatts of electricity per day, about 5 or 6 megawatts shy of whats needed to maintain designation as a generating city, Shreve explained.
To meet the added demand, the city purchases generating capacity each year from Chanute and Sabetha.
Council members also will further discuss costs associated with hiring an outside agency to conduct a manpower study of city employees.
City Administrator Sid Fleming will present two such proposals one from Wichita State University, the other from Springsted Human Capital Advisors costing $16,474 and $21,850, respectively.
In their budget discussions for 2019 and beyond, Council members questioned whether Iola has too many employees.
If staffing cuts are prescribed, they would be done through attrition, Council members have said.
Mondays 6 p.m. meeting is in the New Community Building at Riverside Park. The public is invited.
