Municipal Action Team Messages
City Completes LED Conversion Project in Civic Center with Assistance From Partnership With PUB -
December 4, 2023
On December 4, board members and supporters of Powered Up Baraboo met at the Civic Center to celebrate the completion of the LED Conversion project for that building. The project was made possible through a partnership between the City of Baraboo and Powered Up Baraboo. The non-profit organization raised $20,000 through donations to pay for this project, which is expected to reduce building energy costs attributable to lighting by about 50%. Savings accrued from the lighting conversion will be calculated and deposited in the City's newly-established Carbon Reduction Special Revenue Fund, which will be dedicated to funding other energy-saving projects in City buildings for at least the next 10 years.
City of Baraboo Joins Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition –
May 9, 2023
On May 9, 2023 the Baraboo Common Council voted unanimously to join the Wisconsin Local Government Climate Coalition (WLGCC). This 16-member organization offers Wisconsin municipalities a way to share resources, strategies, and information about taking local action to reduce their carbon footprint. In addition to learning from the experiences of other communities looking to change their practices and policies, members of WLGCC can have a "collective voice" at the state level regarding climate issues and policies. Baraboo City Administrator Casey Bradley said WLGCC membership and collaboration could increase grant funding opportunities for the City. Bradley cited the assistance of Powered Up Baraboo in making progress in tightening up the City's energy use.
An important component in taking local action to reduce energy use and seek environmental grants to improve energy efficiency in City buildings is to have a baseline for energy use in each building, as well as established procedures for tracking future energy use. To this end, Powered Up Baraboo volunteers have been working with City officials to benchmark energy use in City buildings.
Introducing the Carbon Reduction Special Revenue Fund – March 2, 2023
Powered Up Baraboo's Municipal Action Team members were instrumental in catalyzing the establishment of a clean energy fund for the City of Baraboo. At its February 28 meeting, the Baraboo Common Council unanimously approved a project at the Baraboo Civic Center in which the current lighting system will be replaced with an LED lighting system. This energy-saving conversion project also provides for the establishment of the Carbon Reduction Special Revenue Fund for the City. The savings in electrical costs enabled by new lighting system will be placed in the fund for at least five years, and used to fund other carbon-reducing projects for the City. Powered Up Baraboo is embarking on a fundraising initiative to fund the approximately $15,000 for the LED conversion. To view the video from the February 28 Common Council meeting where this resolution was passed, start at minute 2:24 of the video at https://pub-cityofbaraboo.escribemeetings.com/Players/ISIStandAlonePlayer.aspx?Id=5b148b8b-7852-46c1-a566-6104ea768c7d
Municipalities working towards reducing their carbon footprints need to have a strong system for tracking energy usage for lighting, heating, and cooling their buildings, fueling their municipal vehicle fleet, outdoor lighting, and other essential elements of City operations. This project in Baraboo, which Municipal Action Team members have been working on for over a year, is aided by a Municipal Action Team volunteer effort to assist the City of Baraboo in setting up the system for establishing the baseline costs for operating City buildings and monitoring ongoing energy costs.
