Trustees terminate previous agreement, now looking at Baker Electric for solar panels at FHS

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

Trustees of the Fallbrook Union High School District voted at their Jan. 10 meeting to terminate their previous agreement dated Sept. 28 with Johnson Controls, Inc. for solar panels to be built on the senior parking lot at Fallbrook High School.

The district and JCI did not agree on JCI's construction proposal within 10 business days from district's receipt of the Construction Proposal, such that the proposal was deemed withdrawn and of no effect, reported Superintendent Ilsa Garza-Gonzalez.

"The district has determined that it is in the best interests of the district to provide a Notice of Termination for Convenience to JCI," the superintendent reported. There has been an incurred expense of $350,000 to date, she noted, mostly in plans that can still be used.

At previous board meetings, there was discussion during the public comments that the agricultural department's adjacent land to the senior parking lot was impacted by the proposed solar panel project.

Later in the Jan. 10 meeting, trustees voted to direct Garza-Gonzalez to negotiate a new contract with Baker Electric.

The district previously entertained presentations at an open session board meeting on Nov. 19 regarding the district's solar project from three vendors – Baker Electric, Empowered Solutions and Schneider Electric. During the presentations, the board was given information regarding each firm's ability to provide engineering design, procurement, construction, start-up, commissioning, and ongoing operations, maintenance, and monitoring, and a long-term performance guarantee for installation of a photovoltaic solar electric generating system ("PV System") on district property. The superintendent noted that Johnson Controls, Inc., was also invited to present, but was unable to attend the board meeting.

The board had a brief discussion before voting unanimously to select Baker Electric and directed the staff to solidify the scope of the PV System project and negotiate a design-build contract for construction of the solar panels.

Baker will be asked to return to an upcoming board meeting to present the scope of the project with the board. When approved by the board, the district will negotiate a design-build contract with the selected vendor for the vendor to complete the installation of the PV System project. The design-build contract with the selected vendor would then go for board approval.