County outlines climate goals, pilot EV and composting steps in quarterly update

County staff presented the quarterly update on implementation of the county's Climate Action Plan, reminding the council of the county goals "to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050" and to become a carbon‑neutral electric provider by 2040. The presentation covered 13 action items for the year: one completed, five ongoing, four in progress and three upcoming, and staff highlighted recent community outreach and education efforts branded as the "Give A Shift" campaign.

Staff reported five internal combustion vehicles were converted to electric vehicles in fiscal year 2026 and said the county installed new chargers at the municipal building late last year with slowly increasing utilization. "Unfortunately, we are operating at a loss," staff said of charger operations, noting that demand charges and low utilization currently make the chargers unprofitable. Councilors pressed for more detailed cost breakdowns; staff agreed to provide a report separating demand‑charge costs from per‑kWh energy charges.

The county also announced a pre‑proposal conference scheduled within days to solicit vendors for a food‑composting collection and management RFP. Staff said the initial approach will prioritize commercial generators and two drop‑off locations while building toward broader community service. On concerns about wildlife at drop‑off sites, staff said compost will be collected in bear‑resistant roll carts at drop‑off locations and managed off‑site to reduce human‑wildlife interactions.

Council discussion emphasized how to finance the county's long‑term electricity goals and whether long‑duration storage or blended resources (geothermal, nuclear, other emerging technologies) will be required. Staff described an existing 80 MW/4‑hour battery capacity contracted through a power purchase arrangement and said ultimate system sizing and cost estimates will require a load‑profile study. Public commenters urged lower charger prices and more accessible charging locations to increase adoption, and some residents raised equity concerns about EV affordability for low‑income households.

The update closed with staff noting ongoing work on green building standards and energy audits and with a promise to return later in the year with additional metrics and next steps.