TOA LED Street Lights Timeline
Anticipated Construction: Winter 2022 – Spring 2024 (project not completed as of 4/2/2024 - track us announcement in May of 2023 notes it will take up to a year to complete which would target May 2024 for conclusion).
Closing Date of Asset Purchase: November 2022
Authorization to Proceed (NYPA): October – November 2022
Aug. 8th 2023: Governor Hochul Announces New York Has Achieved Goal to Install 500,000 LED Streetlights Throughout New York State
March 31st 2023: NMPC dba National Grid financials report total sale proceeds from the Town of Amherst from the streetlight acquisition to be $15.5 million
Oct. 3rd 2022: Town of Amherst Streetlight Acquisition and Upgrades adds Supplemental Bond Resolution of $2.4mm
The plan of financing includes the issuance of bonds in the principal amount of $2.4 million to finance said appropriation, and the levy and collection of taxes on all the taxable real property in the Town to pay the principal of said bonds and the interest thereon as the same shall become due and payable.
After the project bidding, it was identified that the project required additional funding to account for a shortfall in the General Fund. As such, the 2022-2027 CIP project will be amended at the October 3, 2022 Town Board Meeting with a new project H-17 by Town Board Resolution to include supplemental funding for the General Fund.
$2.4mm loan (TOA Streetlight Acquisition A Fund) on 10/3/2022, issued 6/15/2023
Total new bonded number is now $33.4 million.
Sept. 8th 2022: Wendel recommends contractors to carry forward the LED conversion. WENDEL PROJECT NO. 2613-43 NYPA PROJECT NO. ES-ESN-0933
Bidding documents were sent to five (5) qualified bidders, with all five (5) bidders attending the mandatory pre-bid meeting which was held remotely via Zoom. Two (2) bidders, Frey Electric and MATCO Electric Corporation, provided no bid forms. Three (3) bidders, Concrete Applied Technologies Corp dba CATCO, O’Connell Electric Company, Inc., and Ferguson Electric, Inc. provided bids on the bid due date of August 5, 2022. Bids were received on the bid due date of August 5th, 2022 via email by Robin Prytula. Wendel reviewed all three (3) of the qualified bids. Wendel conducted bid review meetings with the two (2) lowest bidders to review the scope of work, insurance and bonding requirements, subcontractors, Minority- and/or Women-owned Business Enterprise goals, project schedule, project management, and coordination responsibilities.
Wendel recommends that the Cobrahead Street Lighting Improvements Subcontract be awarded to O’Connell Electric Company, Inc. for the project scope of work in the amount of $2,339,059.87. This amount is inclusive of performance and payment bonds. O’Connell has requested a waiver of the Minority- and/or Women-owned Business Enterprise goal requirement. The waiver request was included in their bid package.
Wendel recommends that the Decorative Street Lighting Improvements Subcontract be awarded to CATCO for the project scope of work in the amount of $4,579,340.60. This amount is inclusive of performance and payment bonds. CATCO has requested a waiver of the Minority- and/or Women-owned Business Enterprise goal requirement. The waiver request was included in their bid package.
April 15th 2022: Town of Amherst agrees to purchase streetlights from National Grid & New York State Electric and Gas with $15.1 million.
Jan. 18th - Feb. 7th 2022: The Town of Amherst bonded the purchase of street lighting materials and the majority of the construction as appropriated in the approved 2022-2027 Capital Improvement Program under Project H-15, Purchase of street light assets and conversion to LED. Town of Amherst Resolutions numbered 2022-89 and 2022-128.
A total of $31 million ($26.5 million lighting district fund & $4.5 million general fund) bonded for 20 years at 5% interest.
Quick breakdown of the $31 million bonded is: $15.1 million to acquire streetlights as-is from National Grid & New York State Electric and Gas , $3.6 million for materials (ie: LED lights), $6.9 million towards the two awarded contracts (equipment for install & labor costs), $2.9 million of allowances (other possible expected expenses not disclosed), $1.35 million of contingencies (unknown things at unknown costs [10%]), and $3.3 million of other costs.
$26.5mm loan (TOA Streetlighting E Fund) authorized on 2/7/2022, issued 11/3/2022
$4.5mm loan (TOA Streetlighting A Fund) authorized on 1/18/2022, issued 11/3/2022
Jan. 11th 2022: Joseph Rende (Senior Director of Clean Energy Solutions)
Sept. 27th 2021: Governor Hochul Announces Midway Point of More Than 286,000 LED Streetlights Installed Under Smart Street Lighting NY Program
March 1st 2018: Jacqui Berger holds Energy Conservation Citizens Advisory Committee with (Attendance: Jacqualine Berger, Sara Schultz, Isabell Berger, John Szalasny, Jay Zagoda. Absent: Patricia Trawinski, Rob Townsley, Mike Delamere) and noted:
Governor Cuomo’s announcement of Smart Street Lighting NY initiative – Per Jason Kulaszewski, the program is not different than one that has been available through NYPA for years. There is an online form that would need to be filled out by the town. NYPA provides assessments of current lighting and costs associated with the project. Potential projects could include town parking lots, Niagara Falls Blvd street light replacement.
Feb. 20th 2018: Governor Cuomo’s Smart Street Lighting NY Program Calls for 500,000 Street Lights to Be Converted to LED Technology by 2025
https://www.nypa.gov/services/clean-energy-solutions/smart-street-lighting-ny
2015: Governor Cuomo signed legislation that was passed by the NYS Legislature which provides for communities like the Town of Amherst (Town) to negotiate with utility companies on the potential transfer of ownership for street lighting assets.