Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (WFHR, WIRI) – The solar panel array on the roof of the McMillan Library was installed in 2017. In July of 2022, the Building and Grounds Committee started discussing what would happen at the end of the contract with Viking Electric in June of 2023. There was an option to purchase the solar panel array at fair market value. At the August meeting, the Committee agreed to begin dialogue with Viking Electric. Now, the Library Board and Scott Prahl have been fighting in court over the future of the solar panel array. Most of the funds for the array have already been donated. The Library itself would be responsible for a small amount of the entire buyout payment to own the panels.

History of Discussions on Solar Buyout

On December 14, 2022, the Building and Grounds started discussing the possibility of purchasing the solar panel array. The Library Director, Katherine Elchert, stated there is $150,000 in the operating budget for solar buyout. Chairman Doug Machon said that Viking Electric had provided what they believed to be a fair market value. However, Machon also thought the Board should get an unbiased solar expert to evaluate the value of the system.

Other Options

Director Elchert said it was possible that the Water Works and Lighting Commission would perhaps be interested in purchasing the solar panel array. However, they had concerns about existing contract details. WW&LC claims it advised against entering into the contract in 2017. They thought the details of the contract were not favorable to the library. This according to Building and Grounds Committee meeting notes from December 14, 2022. Director Elchert shared that Viking Electric offered the option to continue renting the solar panels. They could then ignore the balloon payment option. The Committee made the motion to have an impartial assessment of the solar system’s value completed by Northwind Solar.

Impartial Assessment

The Building and Ground Committee heard the report from Northwind Solar at their February 8, 2023 meeting. Doug Stingle from Northwind Solar attended the meeting. He shared his assessment of the condition and output of the solar panel array. He shared that 10K Solar manufactured a microinverter, one of the main components of the array. The company had already gone out of business when the contract was agreed upon between the Library and Viking Electric. According to Mr. Stingle, the 10K Solar microinverter has suffered known massive failure rates in other such arrays. There would be no warranty with the company out of business and there are limited repair options. Mr. Stingle didn’t believe the output was where it should be, due to these microinverters having already begun to fail. He recommended having Viking Electric assess the array prior to any sale taking place.

Board of Trustees Meeting

At the March 15, 2023 meeting of the Board of Trustees, the owner of Viking Electric, Scott Prahl and his wife Dawn, attended. Chairman Machon shared the Board’s concern regarding obsolete materials and suppliers allegedly going bankrupt. They didn’t want to purchase a system that is not functioning properly. Mr. Prahl stated in the meeting that both the Library Board and Andrew Barnett, the Library Director at the time, were aware of the issues surrounding 10k Solar’s business. However, the Director and the Board still felt the system that Viking provided was the right choice. Spare parts were ordered at the time in case they were necessary.

No Bankruptcy

Mr. Prahl refuted the claim that 10K Solar had bankrupted. He stated that another company has since obtained the rights to the production of the inverters. He’s certified to work on the library’s system. He told the Committee he’s willing to teach library or city employees what to look for if the system were to be failing. He acknowledged the production of the solar panel array seemed to be down approximately 20%. The reason for the reduction is because the system is too large for the electrical capacity of the library. The Library Board and then Director, Andrew Barnett, insisted that the roof be completely covered with solar panels. The infrastructure of the library can’t handle the capacity, so the array was dialed back 25% on purpose. This was done to not overload the electrical system.

Terms of the Agreement

The contract based on a 6-year term was insisted upon by Mr. Barnett, then Library Director. The agreement stated at the end of the term, the library would purchase the system. Mr. Prahl agreed his company would be willing to renegotiate points in the contract and the price of buyout. Multiple other questions were asked by Committee Members. Mr. Prahl verified the current balance on the solar panel array loan was $144,364 at that time. Once the loan is paid off, McMillan would own the system. Mr. Prahl agreed to come assess the panel array once the snow was gone. He would determine what repairs were needed and provide a report.

Possible Changes to the Agreement

In the April 12, 2023 Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting, Chairman Machon shared the changes to the agreement proposed by Scott Prahl. He agreed to reduce the buyout amount to $123,000. Susan Feith shared there was progress in a potential generous donation by Mr. Rick Potter. This would be used towards the purchase of the solar panel array. The meeting concluded with a motion to recommend buying out the solar array in the amount of $123,000. The proposal would go to the full board. However, it would contain the condition of obtaining a maintenance agreement that would be acceptable to the board.

Outside Review of Panels

At the Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting on May 10, 2023, Chairman Machon shared an update. He’d reached out to Radtke’s Green Energy about the possibility of an ongoing maintenance contract. Staff at Radtke’s reviewed the solar panel array and came back with a fairly negative report. They said half of the panels point towards the north and the array was not a planned out proposition. Scott Prahl had agreed to assess the array on May 12th. He declined to train any library staff until Viking Electric received the final balloon payment.

They’re Not Pointed Wrong

Scott Prahl, owner of Viking Electric, said the array is a 10K Solar Duo. One half of the panels point north and are tipped 30 degrees. The other half point south and are tipped 20 degrees. This is how the system works. The reduction in production has nothing to do with how the panels are pointed. It has everything to do with the capacity of the electrical system in the library. The array is dialed back 25% on purpose because the library electrical system can’t handle it at its full capacity.

Interpreting the Data

At the August 9, 2024 Buildings and Grounds meeting, Chairperson Ryan Austin discussed the numbers. A spreadsheet had been prepared with the usage numbers and the document provided from Scott Prahl. Austin said it showed there was a reduction of 25% of what was to be produced. He claimed that after reviewing the numbers and various factors, Scott Prahl may owe the library over $80,000. WW&LC came to the same conclusion after reviewing the data. Chairman Austin recommended they get a lawyer involved at this point.

Time to Get Lawyers Involved

The Finance Committee also met on August 9, 2023. It was stated during this meeting $150,000 had been earmarked for the purchase of the solar panels. The recommendations of the Buildings and Grounds Committee were brought to the Board of Trustees Meeting on August 16, 2023. They stated that the handshake deal with the previous library director and Prahl has the library overpaying on rent. It was decided to get lawyers involved since they didn’t think Scott would agree with the numbers.

Last Open Meeting

The October 11, 2023 meeting ended with the last open session regarding the solar panel array. Committee members had met with attorneys to draft a response to Viking representation. Library Director Elchert would gather all electric bills from September 2017 and board meeting minutes. These would show approval for the monthly installment paid to Viking Electric.

What Happens Next?

The Board of Trustees will meet on May 15th, 2024. It will be decided at that meeting if Viking Electric will need to remove the panels on May 21st. Scott Prahl said the library has at least $100,000 already donated towards the loan. They only need to come up with $20,000. If they decide to have him remove the panels, he will be stuck with the $130,000 loan. He will also have the $25-30 thousand dollars he’s had to put out to fight this in court. Scott said the library has made an investment of $300,000 into this solar panel array and they’re just walking away. We’ve reached out to Director Elchert and other board members. They have not yet replied at the time of publishing.