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<br />MINUTES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS & SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE <br />MARCH 27, 2023 <br />AUDITORIUM <br />Present: Councilmembers Rader (Chair), Bullock, Baker <br />Also Present: Law Director Vargo, Public Works Director Gordon, Mike Foley of the Cuyahoga <br />County Department of Sustainability, Leslie Quilty and Erin Henning of HELP Foundation Inc., <br />Clerk Bach taking minutes, Deputy Clerk Hamideh <br />Call to Order: 6:03 p.m. <br /> <br />Approval of the minutes of the March 6, 2023 meeting of the Public Works & <br />Sustainability Committee. <br />Motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the March 6, 2023 meeting of the <br />Public Works & Sustainability Committee.All members voted in favor. Motion passed. Minutes <br />approved. <br /> <br />RESOLUTION 2023-10 - A RESOLUTION authorizing the Mayor or Director of <br />Public Works, to enter into an agreement with Cuyahoga County for the operation of <br />a Public Utility within the boundaries of the City of Lakewood. (Referred to PWS <br />03/06/23) <br />Chairman Rader introduced Cuyahoga County Director of Sustainability, Mike Foley and asked <br />him to speak to the proposed legislation. He added that the proposal has the support of <br />Lakewood’s Planning Director, Shawn Leininger, who wasunable able to attend tonight’s <br />meeting. <br /> <br />Director Foley spoke of the County’s recent focus on microgrid technology and its role in <br />sustainability for the region. He explained that as a charter community, Cuyahoga County has the <br />authority to create its own utility and that in September 2021, County Council adopted <br />legislation to explicitly create microgrids. Since that time the County has established agreements <br />with Euclid, Brooklyn, Brook Park and Cleveland Heights. <br />Director Foley explained that the microgrid initiative is intended to start off with large industrial <br />energy consumers and expand from there. He spoke of upcoming grant opportunities to help <br />finance the necessary infrastructure and the goals of promoting clean energy and resilience. He <br />added that the county will likelybe able to offer more affordable energy than its competitors <br />because it willnot have to charge transmission fees. <br /> <br />Director Foley acknowledged that the microgrid initiative is in its infancy but that the County is <br />moving forward with an engineering firm. He explained that the initiative will have no up-front <br />costs to the County or its partner municipalities. Upfront costs will be paid by investors, who will <br />be later reimbursed through rates. <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br /> <br />