Editor:

The Carbondale Trustees via Resolution 19, on the Sept. 25 agenda, granted $80,000 in a mid-year appropriation to Garfield Clean Energy (GCE). Since 2008, $760,000 has been granted to Ennovate, GCE, CLEER, CORE and BIospace for energy savings and education programs. Through 2012, the total will now be $840,000. How much is now sustainable, and how much more is required to reach the 20 percent reduction by 2020 goals? GCE, formerly Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative, is managed by CLEER (Clean Energy Economy for the Region). GCE, which used to receive regional state grants, is not listed with the Colorado Secretary of State as a charity or a business, but is reportedly a new type of organization.

Resolution 19 is not clear as to how the monies will uniformly benefit the residents of Carbondale. I generally am supportive of conservation and economic energy savings, but concerned when our town of Carbondale employees have only received 4 percent raises in 2008, nothing in 2009, 2010 or 2011, and a 2 percent COLA (cost of living adjustment) in 2012. The director of CLEER received pay increases from 2008 through 2010 of 47 percent.  How many of you get 47 percent increases over three years? (This data is available from 990 forms at the bottom of the following link: http://www.sos.state.co.us/ccsa/ViewSummary.do?ceId=86121 [1].)

It is important in these tough economic times to keep our money close to home and help people working for the town and our town residents.

Resolution 19 states the money is to be spent in Carbondale. What have the past grants to Ennovate, GCE, CLEER, CORE and BIospace accomplished? Now that most energy efficiencies and instruction are universally available on the Internet, do we really need to be duplicating what we can have with a few clicks?

How many people and organizations in Carbondale have received rebates and incentives from Ennovate, GCE, CLEER, CORE and BIospace, and just how much did they each receive?

We’ve been funding these organizations since 2004. After eight years, it’s time to become sustainable, or at least accountable for results. Or, let’s start using surplus dollars that we seem to have to give a well-deserved real raise to town employees.

Bill Grant
Carbondale