April 8, 2026
VIROQUA Wis. – The Vernon County General Government Committee voted April 1 to advance an Investment Grade Audit Agreement with Schneider Electric pushing the county one step closer to a facility modernization project. The agreement will now head to the Finance Committee and the full Board of Supervisors for their consideration.
The vote was another step in a process that has taken place over the last several months to find a partner to help the county evaluate and finance its aging infrastructure. Earlier this year the county issued requests for proposals for a comprehensive energy study. The county is facing millions of dollars in deferred maintenance including failing boilers at the jail and antiquated heating systems in the courthouse annex.
The push for a comprehensive energy study in Vernon County began when a county supervisor attended a regional planning meeting. Supervisor Charles Jacobson explained that he first saw a presentation on energy savings performance contracting at a Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission event. The concept seemed like a perfect fit for the county because it offered a comprehensive way to address the exact infrastructure and heating problems they had been trying to fix piece by piece.
“I was at the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission and that’s where this presentation first when I first saw it,” said Jacobson. “When we were looking at that it matched just about everything with all the meetings that I go to probably infrastructure issues H back right on down through is everything that we were having issues with and trying to piecemeal.”
Highway Commissioner and Buildings and Facilities Director Phil Hewitt strongly supported the long term vision of the Schneider plan. Hewitt noted that the county currently struggles with disjointed infrastructure including three different automated control systems and oversized boilers at the jail that create a daily maintenance challenge. Hewitt envisions the partnership solving those issues by integrating the systems and right sizing the equipment so it runs efficiently.
In late February the committee held a special meeting to interview prospective firms. They heard presentations from inBYLT and Schneider Electric while a third firm Opterra Energy Services failed to attend the mandatory walk throughs.
Highway Commissioner and Buildings and Facilities Director Phil Hewitt recommended Schneider Electric to the committee because of their flexible approach. Hewitt noted that Schneider was willing to work with local contractors and piece together a long term plan rather than just handing the county a list of problems. The committee ultimately chose Schneider to move forward and develop a specific scope of work.
To address the long term needs Schneider Electric proposed a three phase partnership that includes a comprehensive energy study building an actionable project to take care of pressing needs and creating a multi year capital plan. The company wants to serve as a single point of accountability that handles the design the installation the performance guarantees and the post project support.
During the April 1 meeting Administrative Coordinator Cassandra Hanan presented the final audit agreement to the committee. Hanan explained that the contract includes a break fee if the county decides not to proceed with any construction after the audit is finished. If the county does move forward with Schneider the audit costs are rolled into the final project price.
“The break fee is this is the amount the county is on the hook for if we decide not to move forward with any part of this project,” said Hanan. “So that break fee is in your pocket $30,635 dollars.”
Much of the April 1 discussion centered on a specific addition to the agreement regarding solar panels. Schneider Electric representative Conner Trepton explained that the company added optional language for procuring materials early to help the county secure a massive federal tax credit.
“We have to order by May 11 to receive those panels by June 1 and we cannot invoice you until we receive the panels,” said Trepton. “You have to have received and paid us that invoice ahead of the 4th of July to receive that tax credit so there was really just no way to move quick enough if we wait until after the 21st.”
Supervisor Mary Henry noted the financial benefit of capturing the 30 percent tax credit before it expires.
“It is very good that you are realizing government moves slow with all these committees,” said Henry. “My feeling is it is to our benefit to get those and to get that tax credit before it is gone.”
Supervisor Wayde Lawler questioned whether approving the agreement legally obligated the county to build the solar project before the full facility audit was even complete.
“Should we decide between now and April 21 not to move forward because that is kind of the purpose of the audit,” said Lawler. “Is there any obligation incurred prior to April 21.”
Trepton assured the committee that the early procurement language was merely a mechanism to act fast if the county chooses to do so.
“The language is just extra,” said Trepton. “It is all optional language that you can choose to exercise if you want and if not it is just it is just there on the paper and you do not exercise the action.”
Supervisor Paul Wilson asked for clarification on where the solar array would actually be located. General Government Committee Chair Alycann Taylor explained that the county was still just exploring options and nothing was set in stone.
“We went through the proper bid process found the candidate we like the best and then it will go to county board for further discussion,” said Taylor. “So we are kind of vetting to get it to the floor.”
Trepton added that the proposed solar site would be a ground mounted system located in a field to the west of the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department. He explained it would be sized to offset a specific percentage of the electrical usage at the jail.
Sheriff Roy Torgerson raised immediate security concerns about placing energy infrastructure that close to the jail facility.
“On that west side of the building our real estate is limited there so I would like to see a blueprint of how close to the building because that could be a security risk,” said Torgerson. “I just I would want to see how close to the building because somebody could lay in those.”
Trepton promised to provide the committee and the sheriff with a tentative layout of the proposed solar array.
Henry reminded the committee that while the expiring solar tax credits were dominating the conversation the county still had much larger facility issues to solve through the upcoming audit.
“The HVAC system at the sheriff department is reaching the end of its life so that is kind of the bigger picture thing,” said Henry.
Trepton agreed that the audit would cover a comprehensive look at multiple buildings beyond just the alternative energy options.
“The only reason we are spending so much time talking about solar is because of the expiring tax credit,” said Trepton. “We are just trying to do everything we can to make sure that if it makes sense that you guys are able to move forward with that a whole lot of things more comprehensive than just solar.”
The committee voted unanimously to advance the Investment Grade Audit Agreement. It will head to the Finance Committee and then to the full County Board of Supervisors for a final vote on April 21.
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