Hillsboro talks security cameras, rebates
Staff writer
Two impactful proposals were accepted at a Hillsboro city council meeting Tuesday.
The first was a resolution aiming to create a qualified low-income benefit program for a solar power facility expected to open next year.
Leslie Atherton, a director at Kansas Power Pool, spoke about the project’s need for funding and tax credits.
The program would give households with low and moderate income money off on electricity bills.
Having such a program would help KPP apply for a 20% tax credit, which KPP will use to fund the program for five years.
Credits will be equivalent to half the difference between generating solar energy and KPP purchasing the energy.
“It’s a really great benefit, and an unexpected benefit,” city administrator Matt Stiles said.
The second accepted resolution saw Hillsboro join a new TCW program called Smart Town, which will install new security cameras using Hillsboro’s fiber network.
The lease will cost $61,987.64 over three years.
The city also had the option of spending $48,259.96 outright to purchase the program for three years.
By leasing, the city will pay lower upfront costs, and free equipment replacements will be included.
Primary locations for new cameras are the basketball court, the sports complex, and Memorial Park, of which all have been subject to vandalism. Six cameras alone are going to the park.
18 cameras total will be installed.
Other locations include the Mennonite Museum, the municipal pool, and the entrance to the police station.
Doug Teetzen of TCW said the viewing system could be expanded so that city workers such as pool or museum staff could watch their own feeds.
An artificial intelligence component can search through video to find certain incidents or suspects.
“We would love for the city to add that advancement for the project,” Teetzen said.