Unless something changes, it looks unlikely that Reno County Commissioners will approve spending as much as 1.4-million dollars to install a GEO-Thermal Unit when the new county jail is built.
Although Commission Chair Dan Deming says they want to build as green as possible, he says
adding this type of system is a “giant green gamble.” That’s because they have no way of knowing how far out the pay-back would be, plus what energy savings it would really provide.
There have been reports of others who have added this type of system having maintenance issues and high cost associated with maintaining it.
Harlen Depew, Director of Maintenance for the county says some that he talked with said they wished they never heard of it. He believes the jury is still out on how much savings could be achieved with most he talked with only adding the system within the past few years.
Although there are some contingency dollars the county could use which would cut the cost down some, County Administrator Gary Meagher told the commission that some of those dollars may be needed for others things in regards to the jail.
The county didn’t take a vote on adding the system at this point, but it appears that all three commissioners are not sold on adding the additional cost with so much still unknown.
They are scheduled to take a vote on the measure next week.