Saugeen Shores is going ahead with a detailed feasibility study on conserving energy at eight of their buildings.
Council decided last Monday night to spend $26,000 to allow Ainsworth Incorporated to do the two-month study.
Ainsworth did a preliminary study of the Towns properties to determine what buildings could use some improvements.
The feasibility study will determine ways to save energy and money and the amount of time the Town can recoup the costs of the upgrades.
If the study cant find cost savings the Town can simply walk away and would not have to pay for the study.
Mayor Mike Smith says the great thing about the study is that their consultants calculate the recouping of costs over a 6-year period — which is estimated to be around $467,000.
He says the Town gets the upgrades and doesnt have to debenture the cost of the work.
Smith also likes the fact that Ainsworth guarantees that the Town will pay off the upgrades through the savings they will accumulate or Ainsworth will cut them a cheque for the difference.
He says that wouldnt happen if they had done the work themselves.
The eight buildings designated for upgrades are: the Southampton Town Hall, the Southampton Coliseum, the Port Elgin Plex, Southampton Library, the Southampton medical building, the Island Street Water Treatment Plant, the Lehnen Street Sewage Treatment Plant, and the Caroline Street Sewage Treatment Plant.
Smith says the Port Elgin Library was to be part of the study but is currently undergoing other renovations and will be removed.
He says Ainsworth will be monitoring the Towns utility bills for progress once the work is done and they will ask them to look over the Port Elgin Library in the near future.
