Purpose decided for grant money

North Perry Village has pinpointed how it will use a NOPEC Energized Community Grant.

At a meeting earlier this month, council agreed to specify that the $755 grant would be earmarked to help purchase a new furnace for Village Hall, located at 4449 Lockwood Road.

“We don’t want to let (the grant money) get away,” said Mayor Ed Klco, when village administrators and council members discussed the subject.

The village now must meet a June 30 deadline to notify NOPEC of how the grant money would be used.

“We need to see if whatever they are requesting qualifies,” said Dave Jankowski, chief marketing and communications officer for NOPEC, which is formally known as the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council.

NOPEC’S Energized Community Grant program supplies funding to help member communities “implement energy savings or energy infrastructure measures,” according to the organization’s website.

In addition, NOPEC noted that the Energized Community Grants can be used for government facilities, businesses or residents. Examples of eligible projects include LED lighting upgrades, insulation, energy-efficient windows and generators.

NOPEC, formally known as the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council, is a provider of energy aggregation programs for communities throughout Ohio. The organization uses the principle of buying in bulk to get lower rates on electricity and natural gas for its group of members than those members could receive individually.