Council watch

Item: The city approves a solar license agreement between the city and ESA Fleet Community Solar LLC to locate solar equipment at 1010 S. Westmoreland Drive.
Translation: Just when you thought all of that talk of the city putting solar panels on top of everything had dissipated like so many property values, the city is now planning to allow ESA – which is not the European Space Agency, unfortunately – to install and maintain a photovoltaic electricity-generation facility out at its fleet-management facility in order to provide more environmental power to the city. Seeing as ESA has already worked out a power-pricing deal with the Orlando Utilities Commission, the city will allow the company to lease the land for $1 a year over 25 years and, if all goes well, the city will save $800,000 in energy costs over the duration. That future sure is bright.

Item: The city approves modification No. 2 of the fiscal year 2011 High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program grant award.
Translation: Back in the halcyon heroin days of May 2011, the city (via the Orlando Police Department) was approved for a grant totaling $119,464 in order to buffet the costs of the Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (FAST!), the DEA Heroin Task Force and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation panty sniffers. But now that grant has been reduced by $40,275 because, well, the unused portions are being shifted to "equipment." Still, the city was able to utilize $79,189 of that money – the lion's share, $54,752 went to the MBI, natch – before it was whisked away. The program has now concluded, and as you'll clearly notice, there are no more drugs available.

> Email Billy Manes