Four years and one City Council later, property tax abatements are back in the cross hairs of Fort Wayne’s legislators.FORT WAYNE – Fort Wayne will begin looking at ways to reduce power use at its water plant.
The Board of Public Works on Wednesday approved a $75,000 contract with CDM Smith to examine energy consumption at the plant and alternative energy options.
Doug Fasick, with City Utilities, said the consultant will spend the next several months examining processes used at the plant ranging from automating procedures to using properly sized equipment. In addition, the consultant will review using alternative energy sources, such as wind power or hydroelectric energy at the city’s existing dams.
The plant consumes about $1 million worth of electricity each year, and utility leaders are working to reduce those costs at the same time it seeks to raise water rates. The City Council is debating a proposal to raise water rates 40 percent.
The study is expected to be completed in late June, and will include recommendations and cost estimates for improvements.
The board last month approved a $90,071 contract with Tetra Tech to identify ways to reduce energy use and costs at the city’s sewage plant.
That plant also uses about $1 million in electricity annually.
Elevator work moves forward
In other business, the board approved the project to modernize the six elevators in Citizens Square.
The Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission last month voted 3-2 to spend up to $950,000 from one of its tax-increment financing districts to upgrade the elevators.
The mayor’s appointees supported the expense, and the council’s appointees opposed it.
The expense drew heated criticism from the City Council, which will eventually be asked to approve the contract for the work.
The board’s action on Wednesday allows the city to seek bids for the work, which is expected to begin in April and take a year to complete.
