Freeholders Approve Improvement Authority Funding for Countywide Renewable-Energy Program

 Jan 27, 2010

SOMERVILLE – Solar arrays on public-sector rooftops in Somerset County could be producing energy by early 2011, according to Freeholder Director Jack M. Ciattarelli.

“We’ve identified a new and dynamic economic model whereby public-sector rooftop space will be, in essence, leased for the installation and operation of solar arrays. As a result, we’ll reduce our carbon footprint and decrease taxes by lowering our energy costs,” Freeholder Ciattarelli said. “A third party will own the solar arrays and take advantage of federal tax credits and accelerated depreciation which are not available to local governments and school districts.

“This exciting countywide program is central to our Long-Term Sustainability Initiative, which is dedicated to creating clean, renewable energy and keeping Somerset the greenest county in New Jersey,” he said. He also touted the shared-service arrangement that taps the county’s engineering and financial resources through the Improvement Authority for the benefit of the participating municipalities and school districts.

The announcement followed the Board of Freeholders’ authorization this week of up to $500,000 to be made available through the Somerset County Improvement Authority to fund legal and engineering consulting fees associated with the county’s renewable-energy program.

The consultants will identify the county, municipal and school buildings to be included in the initiative and will prepare the bids that are expected to be advertised by the end of March, Freeholder Ciattarelli said.

“Through a fair and objective process, all public buildings in Somerset County will have an equal opportunity to participate,” he said. Buildings with larger, flatter rooftop space will be grouped with others that may have more challenging rooftop configurations.

In Somerset County, the aggregate roof top space on county, municipal and school-district buildings is more than 5 million square feet.

The county expects to recoup all costs, including those associated with hiring the consultants, through the generation of electricity and sale of the corresponding solar renewable-energy credits, or SRECs, thereby making the project taxpayer-neutral.

Somerset County’s Energy Council – the only formal county energy council in New Jersey – has endorsed the renewable-energy program.

The county will host outreach sessions for the towns and school districts on Feb. 19 to further explain the program.

The timetable following the issuance of bids in late spring calls for the selection of vendors by mid-year and construction to begin sometime in the second half of 2010, so some of the first solar arrays could be generating energy by early 2011.

Volunteers Sought for County Civilian MRC

 Feb 18, 2010

Register by March 9

HILLSBOROUGH - Community members are invited to attend a recruitment and basic training program for volunteers for the Somerset County Civilian Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) on Wednesday, March 10, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Somerset County Emergency Services Training Academy. The Academy is located at 402 Roycefield Rd.

The Somerset County Department of Health, in partnership with the county Office of Emergency Management, is hosting the program.

To register by March 9 and for more information, contact MRC Coordinator Lucille Young-Talbot of the Somerset County Health Department at 908-231-7155.

“The county civilian MRC plays an integral part in planning response efforts that protect our communities,” said Freeholder Patrick Scaglione, health department liaison. “During an emergency, the many talents that we have and may take for granted can be used to help others.”

The MRC is looking for medical and non-medical volunteers to assist in protecting Somerset County’s more than 320,000 residents. During a disaster, volunteers can play numerous roles, including greeting, calming and directing people to registration and triage stations; helping package and distribute medications and instructions; managing traffic flow and parking volume; managing inventory; answering phones; and making sure people are comfortable and safe.

Training to become a volunteer is free. Attendance at an orientation is mandatory, but participation in additional programs is not. Volunteers are asked to become informed community members and share information with co-workers and families. They may participate in as many drills and emergency exercises as they wish.

Volunteers, as first responders, and their families are offered recommended vaccinations in emergency and non-emergent response efforts.

In an emergency, medical persons would be utilized under the auspices of their licenses or in another capacity, should the need arise. People who speak other languages or know sign language could be utilized to act as interpreters.

Recently, the MRC provided assistance at more than 25 H1N1clinics and vaccinated over 20,000 residents. Volunteers used their skills in various areas from administering vaccines to answering questions, registering clients and working as an integral part of the team.

The MRC continually plans ahead and updates plans to insure they are prepared with a cadre of civilian MRC volunteers to assist during any public health emergency that may arise.

The Somerset County MRC, which began in 2001, joins over 850 units nationwide with over 200,000 volunteers. It is part of the Office of Civilian Medical Reserve Corps, under the auspices of the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States.

“The county MRC currently has over 300 dedicated and professional members,” said Freeholder Scaglione. “However, we are looking to increase the number of volunteers because far more would be needed to sustain any large-scale unpredictable act of man or nature, disease outbreak such as a pandemic flu, terrorist activity or other public health emergency.”

The Somerset County MRC works closely with the county Office of Emergency Management, local health officers and other emergency response programs, including Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and public and private agencies throughout the county.