The Village of Northport will be reaching out to local businesses and donors to help with funding of their electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in town, following council discussion and approval on Jan. 4 to commence forward with its next steps.
The EV stations were first installed in 2017 as free and open to the public, and have been paid for by the Village of Northport since that time. The stations can be found at the village’s community parking lot at 116 Waukazoo Street, and accommodates both Tesla and universal Level-2 stations on a first come, first served basis. Depending on the model of electric vehicle and the size of the battery, a car can take up to 30 minutes and 12 hours to charge.
In December, Trustee Laura Cavendish reported that the infrastructure committee was investigating options for the village to cover the increasing expenses of the electric bill for the car chargers. In the committee’s progress report, it was noted that while the improved usage is to be encouraged and applauded, the cost of the electricity is reaching levels that may require additional revenue sources to fund.
According to Northport Village Manager Jim Dyer’s January report, he said given the increasing cost of providing the free public charging stations, the infrastructure committee has recommended the council to authorize a fundraising effort to secure a funding stream for this amenity. Dyer also recommended the adoption in his report of a motion to authorize the program and allocating funds for a sign to advertise those that contribute to the program.
Village Council trustees unanimously voted to authorize the purchase for an advertising sign for the EV charging station not to exceed $1,000 at the January meeting. This change is expected to result in a cost saving of approximately $3,000. The initiative not only supports the village’s sustainability goals, but also alleviates the financial burden on the village’s budget.
“I think it’s a nice little potential benefit for people coming into Northport,” Dyer said at the council’s January 4 meeting. “If we can fund the monthly expense of providing the EV juice by non-public funds, the expense for the sign is minimal.”
In 2023, the village paid over $2,550 to supply the power for the EV chargers. Cavendish said based on this amount, they’re shooting to raise about $3,000 from 12 businesses, where each business would contribute $250 once a year. She is currently getting bids for the sign they would utilize to showcase sponsors.
“I think we will be able to achieve that… If we get more than that, then it just helps us buffer or pay for the sign,” Cavendish said. “I will also say that that cost has been occurring and recurring since those (chargers) have been there and Leelanau Energy stopped reimbursing us, and that has been coming from the general fund and has been paid by the village.”
