The East Grand Forks Public School District board voted to accept an RFP from Ziegler to install solar panels at CMS, contingent on the district receiving Round 2 of the Solar for Schools grant. The motion passed by voice vote after a brief discussion of financing, permitting and timeline.

Speaker 1, a board member, told the board the solicitation drew about "10 companies, with actually I think 13 bids," and said the bids used a 22% loss factor recommended by state guidance to keep proposals comparable. "It's 3.5 or 3.7 years payback," Speaker 1 said when asked about savings projections, adding the district expects substantial long-term electric-cost reductions and an educational component for students.

Board members discussed financing mechanics: Speaker 1 said the district will need to put 10% down to qualify for a federal tax benefit that must be in place before the end of the year, and indicated some federal and other funds will cover additional costs so the district will not have to finance the full amount up front. Speaker 1 also noted zoning considerations: the proposed site is currently zoned residential and may require rezoning or a special-use permit before installation.

Speaker 3 asked about annual savings; Speaker 1 responded that projected savings could be roughly $50,000 a year and cited a longer-term reduction "after, like, say, year 4, we're saving $55,000 on the electric bill," while cautioning the figure was an estimate. Speaker 1 also described equipment warranties and inverter replacement expectations and said the vendor expects construction to occur next summer unless permitting or other issues cause delays.

The motion to accept the RFP "contingent on successful round 2 of the solar for schools grant as presented and attached" was moved and seconded; the board voted by voice and the motion carried. The approval is explicitly contingent on the grant; the district did not approve any extra funding beyond the contingency on the record.

Next steps noted on the record include finalizing permits with the city water and light department, confirming rezoning or special-use requirements, and completing contingency documentation required by the grant and federal tax treatment.