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Considering the previous discussion about trains and the additional fossil fuel <br /> being produced and transported through this area exacerbating that problem, Ms. <br /> Barsell opined that the more that could be done to find alternative and renewable <br /> energy sources, the better for everyone. <br /> Randy Neprash, 1276 Eldridge Avenue <br /> Mr. Neprash expressed his appreciation for the question, "What should the City's <br /> role be?" as a good starting point, suggesting that the City view itself as a <br /> facilitator in this process, since it was obviously clear that there was interest in it. <br /> Mr. Neprash suggested a variety of roles for the City, including: collecting and <br /> distributing information based on the City's credibility and its communication <br /> sources; soliciting expressions of interest in a systematic way; addressing <br /> questions of codes and ordinances and identifying hurdles and reducing them; and <br /> assisting with expert services (e.g. specialized legal services) and providing <br /> individual citizens with those resources, as this is often difficult for those citizens <br /> to locate, while the City can solicit interest from those firms and evaluate their <br /> skills; structural engineering opportunities to look at roofs. If the City is <br /> genuinely interested in the facilitator role, Mr. Neprash suggested that they first <br /> lay out a plan identifying the questions and resources to answer those questions. <br /> If there was support for a community solar garden, Mr. Neprash noted that this <br /> would require a good sized array or arrays; and suggested it may be more prudent <br /> to look at more and smaller numbers, but to make a determination on which <br /> would be more appropriate and benefit residents and the community the most. <br /> Ms. McKeown stated that based on the grid for this area and required space and <br /> band width to get that solar panel onto the grid, there were certain places that it <br /> would work well and others that would not. Ms. McKeown advised that Xcel <br /> Energy and a developer could work on where the best place would be; and <br /> assured that Xcel would not approve the location if it wasn't going to work well. <br /> Ms. McKeown clarified that specific to the grid situation, it was less important on <br /> how big or small it was, but where it was positioned on the grid. <br /> Mr. Neprash thanked the PWETC for this presentation and discussion, opining <br /> that it was a great start for an exciting opportunity. <br /> Nettie Wertz, Avenue <br /> Ms. Wertz questioned how long the state had to decide on this Xcel application; <br /> with Ms. McKeown estimating that the PUC had ninety days to make their <br /> decision; and if a plan was approved and the doors opened, Xcel had 30-60 days <br /> to approve any solar garden that came available. Ms. McKeown anticipated that <br /> by August or September of 2014, the rules should be in place, but cautioned that it <br /> remained pending at this time. <br /> Page 11 of 20 <br />