WARREN, Ark. – In a special called meeting on Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Warren City Council unanimously approved a groundbreaking solar contract with Scenic Hill Solar to construct a solar farm dedicated to powering Warren’s city government facilities.
Top photo(left to right): Warren City Council member Emily Moseley, Warren Mayor Gregg Reep, Jeremiah Herman of Scenic Hill Solar, Council member Dorothy Henderson, and Council member Memory Burks Frazer.
Present at the meeting were Council Members Emily Moseley, Dorothy Henderson, and Memory Burks Frazer. Angela Marshall participated by phone, while Joel Tolefree and Latanza Atkins were unable to attend.
Mayor Gregg Reep presided over the session, during which the solar contract from Scenic Hill Solar was presented. This agreement follows months of consideration since Scenic Hill Solar initially proposed a solar plan for the City of Warren. The solar farm will specifically cater to the energy needs of various municipal structures. It will not be used in any way for private residential or private business use.
Scenic Hill Solar, a company with a nationwide presence, specializes in developing, building, and operating solar power projects. Their customized projects aim to provide businesses, utilities, non-profit, and public sector organizations with reduced electricity costs, long-term predictability of power costs, protection from rate increases, and clean energy solutions.
A legal review of the solar contract was conducted by the Friday, Eldredge and Clark law firm, and a letter outlining minor changes was presented at the meeting. These modifications were duly approved by Scenic Hill Solar prior to the council session Thursday evening.
Jeremiah Herman, a representative from Scenic Hill Solar, was present during the meeting to address any queries from City Council Members. The financing for the project is set to be facilitated through Stephens Inc very soon.
Council member Dorothy Henderson initiated the motion to approve the contract, which was seconded by Council member Burks Frazer. The vote was 4-0 in favor of approving the contract. The motion passed unanimously, setting in motion the initial phase of what will be the eventual construction of a solar array farm for the City of Warren’s municipal government and City services.
Mayor Reep expressed his satisfaction with the unanimous decision, stating, “I’m very happy that the City Council has granted unanimous approval to authorize a contract between the City of Warren and Scenic Hill Solar to build a solar facility for City-owned facilities.” He added, “While this is only for City-operated structures, we anticipate this will save the City costs in the long run, which is in the best interest of the taxpayers.”
With the approval of this solar contract, the City of Warren takes a significant stride toward a more sustainable and cost-effective future for its municipal operations. The new solar farm for the City will be built by Scenic Solar, but fully owned by the City of Warren.