FormTomorrow

The Town of Hatch insulates and goes solar

On June 8th, 2011, Town of Hatch officials completed the final walk through with their contractors, and officially started the towns solar system. With support from the Five County Association of Governments, Form Tomorrow, and local citizens, the Town of Hatch received Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funding form the Utah State Energy Program made possible by Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding.  Grid tied solar photovoltaic systems were installed on the town’s new community center, the town’s water pumping station, and the fire station. Combined with other energy saving strategies, these installations will substantially reduce the operational cost of the town’s facilities, saving the town and the taxpayers money now, and in the future. EECBG funds were also used to insulate the town’s fire station, and to install an efficient heating and cooling system.

Small town’s are especially vulnerable to swings in energy costs. In the past the Town of Hatch contended with a $3000.00 propane bills for its fire station, in a town of 100 full time residents, greatly impacting the cost of necessary services. In this case, energy efficiency has a direct impact on the financial sustainability of the town, now and in the future. While many people the effectiveness of ARRA, the Utah State Energy Program should be credited for getting these funds into small rural communities where they could make a difference. More than anyone else, Lucinda Josie, Town Councilor in the Town of Hatch, deserves high praise for coordinating her communities effort, and navigating the red tape involved in any grant funded project. While it was not easy, it will certainly be worth it. Form Tomorrow is proud to have supported the efforts put forth by the Town of Hatch, and congratulates the town. We also want to congratulate and thank Precision Development, the general contractor, and Solar Unlimited, the solar specialist, for their patience and perseverance during these projects. A great deal of effort was put forth by all parties.

Listen to an Audio Interview with Lucinda Josie, Councilor in the Town of Hatch here. . . .

Education to Action is upon us

Thanks to the actions of the communities of Eastern Washington County, Education to Action is moving forward, full steam ahead. Form Tomorrow has secured housing for the Education to Action interns in the City of LaVerkin, the Town of Virgin, in Cave Valley, and in the Town of Rockville. We have interns staying throughout the areas in which they will be working. This is heartening news for those of us who have been organizing the program, as we want to ensure that students have maximum immersion in the communities they are serving.

A special thank you to homestay families can be found here, as well as ways for you to help.

For those of you new to Education to Action, the premise is simple: students seeking advanced degrees gain valuable work experience serving small communities. Form Tomorrow staff provides guidance and resources to the students as they do their work. Education to Action is designed as a transitional experience from education to work that allows students to actively make a difference while gaining real world experience. Continue Reading…