At its first meeting of the year, Bethlehem's Water Authority made its typically perfunctory reorganization, choosing to retain all its usual partners and employees for another year while swapping a few seats around the board table.

John Tallarico is back as president after Vaughn Gower served two terms. Gower moved to secretary as Laurie Hackett became vice president, and Mark Jobes is remaining as treasurer.

They quickly moved to a presentation by Green Energy Partner's C. Gage Kellogg, who proposed construction of a solar farm at the Granger Road, Northampton water plant.

Kellogg explained the farm would take up about 2.8 acres very close to the plant – necessary for efficient energy transference – and would produce an estimated 895 megawatt hours per year, or about 90 percent of the plant's energy usage. Upon questioning, he said the company currently has no agreements to sell energy back to the state, so building to 100 percent energy use is illegal, though just how much is truly gleaned is simply a matter of how many sunny days there are in a year.

Kellogg said leasing the farm constructed by Green Energy could save the city an estimated $587,000 over a 25-year contract, but there were additional questions. Kellogg assured the authority the contract would be made with a guaranteed 85 percent minimum return if, as Jobes suggested, "the sun doesn't come out for a year."

Longtime and continuing Executive Director Stephen Repasch said the offer has plenty to consider for internal discussion in the months to come.

The next meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Feb. 12 at city hall.