Politics & Government

Precinct Getting New Roof After All

Town puts aside nearly $10,000 for project to accommodate $89,000 grant for solar panels.

Town officials scrapped together nearly $10,000 for a new roof on the in Montauk to accommodate solar panels.

A project installing solar panels on the town's Lamb Building in Amagansett came in under budget this fall, leaving an option to use leftover grant money to bring solar power to another building.

The precinct, which had been previously been idenfitied as a building that was well positioned for solar power, turned out to need a new roof. With town finances being tight, a sudden project estimated to be between $15,000 and $20,000 threatened to nix the energy project that has to be completed by the end of March to comply with the grant.

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Passing up the project would mean giving back the remaining $89,000 of a $207,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Last week, the town board approved a budget modification to move $9,800 from the contingency budget to fund the new roof. No bond was required, as originally discussed.

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"It's a win-win for the police department," Police Chief Ed Ecker said. "We're getting a new roof out of it and free energy." Ecker, who spent six years as the precinct commander, said he was excited that the town board was looking in the direction of renewable energy.

Tom Ruhle, the director of the Office of Housing and Community Development, overseeing the project, said the project will get started soon on the former kit house. Solar panels have to be installed by the end of March.


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