InstantnewsBellaire.com

The city council this week voted to allow city staff to apply for federal money to conserve energy in Bellaire, but Councilman Phil Nauert said the money is “tainted” voted against it on philosophical grounds.

“It’s the intellectual equivalent of a drug deal,” Nauert said at Monday’s council meeting. “It’s money a politician printed and wants to give out to make people feel better about him.”

Bellaire is eligible for at least $50,000 available through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, which was funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Local governments are supposed to use the money to reduce fuel emissions, cut total energy use and become more energy efficient.

“I don’t know how far $50,000 goes,” City Manager Bernie Satterwhite told InstantNewsBellaire on Oct. 28. “We definitely will apply for it, because I think there are applications out there for us.”

Examples of specific actions the funds can pay for include promoting recycling, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from landfills and installing renewable energy technologies in government buildings and other infrastructure.

Councilmen Pat McLaughlan and Jim Avioli agreed with some points Nauert made during Monday’s council meeting, but both voted to allow the city to apply for the funds.

“If we don’t take this money it could possibly go to the retirement fund for the Bank of America chairman,” Avioli said.

McLaughlan said the energy conservation money may be “a little tainted” but he compared it to another federal grant the city accepted previously to upgrade the light bulbs in street lights.

“This money is no more tainted than that money we fell all over ourselves taking,” McLaughlan said.