City Leaders,
I am writing to you as a city resident and my opinion does not reflect any official position of the San Mateo County Community College District. Thank you for considering the opportunity being made available by BlocPower. Generally, I am opposed to sole sourced contracts and would insist on a competitive bidding process for all material expenditures of public funds. However, in this case the unique proposal from BlocPower appears to have no cost to the City, no City resident is required to utilize the service, and the offer is non-exclusive and completely voluntary for the City and our residents.
If this is indeed true, then this offering appears to have two benefits. First, it offers an organized and efficient process for residential decarbonization in a manner that makes the project most cost-effective for homeowners. From my perspective as a renewable energy project developer finding a nexus between sustainability benefits and commercial efficiency (cost savings) is the best way to accomplish the capital investment required for decarbonization. Second, the proposal promises potential job creation and training in a sector with solid long term growth prospects. In my role as community college trustee I know these are exactly the types of programs/partnerships the community colleges seek to provide certifications which can help entry level workers enhance earning potential and pursue a career path with improved odds for upward social and economic mobility.
Regards, John Pimentel
168 E. Creek Drive
Menlo Park, CA 94025
