The Council of the Township of Whitewater Region approved the single-source award to Envari Energy Solutions Inc. for their Option 2 – Limited Service Offering proposal for the LED streetlight conversion program.
Public Works Manager Lane Cleroux said that Envari Energy solutions and their buying power would make them the best choice.
He said that in previous years they just replaced them with ‘generic’ lights, and that this plan would allow them to ensure better infrastructure in the future.
He said there were two options , for standard and decorative lights.
Option 1 was $173,223 and Option 2 was $133,932, with the latter being just ‘supply and tendering’ with buying from local companies.
He said that the planning stages would determine what lights are adequate for what areas, and tendering out their supply.
Councillor Jackson asked if Renfrew Hydro would team up with them in the first for the ‘full turnkey option’, which Cleroux confirmed.
Cleroux said that they would tender out the interest with option two, with Renfrew Hydro being a potential tender.
Jackson asked if they were going to standardize the lights for the entire region.
“There’s going to be more standardized lights for the municipality. Cleroux said. “For any new subdivision we’re going to suggest that they install these lights.”
Jackson said that it was previously hard to find an installer to install the lights as there were many lights to be installed in a vast area.
“I don’t think we’ll get quite as many bidders as we expect.” She said.
Reeve Regier asked when Cleroux would anticipate installing the decorative lights if not now.
Cleroux said he ‘hoped they’d be done within the year’. He said they’d look at Haley’s Station for examples.
Cleroux said that the fixture came from the labour, not the supplier.
Nicholson asked if the christmas lights were part of the agreement.
“I forgot about that.” Trembley said. “I’m sure Lane’s plan includes that.”
Cleroux confirmed it included new outlets.
Nicholson asked if the analysis would also determine positions for other lights, which Cleroux suggested.
Councillor Jackson asked “If we’re not replacing them, why are we not replacing them with more of the same?”
“What we’re doing here is creating a standard.” Cleroux said. “In Beachburg, they’re on fixtures, while on Cobden they’re on poles.”
Jackson asked if the fixture would be different or the pole, which Cleroux said was based on the kind of pole.
Olmstead: “Steel is going up by 5 soon ,so I really implore you to get pricing soon.” he said.
Councillor McLaughlin asked if the assessment would tell them where the poles were going.
Cleroux said they weren’t actually changing the poles, but “look at the spacing of the poles and determine what kind of light fixture. There are one or two lights depending on rural or urban. We’re not adding anymore poles right now.”
The motion was carried.
