The Fort Scott City Commission voted 3-1 during last weeks city commission meeting to move forward with a 225-kilowatt solar panel system at the city's water treatment plant, a scaled-back version of a proposal commissioners first heard in August.
Commissioners Matthew Wells, Tracy Dancer and Julie Buchta voted in favor, and Commissioner Tim Van Hoecke voted against. Mayor Kathryn Salsbury was absent.
Wells' motion directs the city to borrow the upfront cost from its wastewater fund, repay the fund at 1% interest and order materials as quickly as possible.
Daniel Zywietz, owner of Chanute-based SEK Solar, first presented rooftop solar and battery systems for five city buildings at the commission's Aug. 18 meeting, at a total cost of about $1 million. Commissioners agreed then to keep studying the proposal without committing to it.