February 06, 2025

Council decides on EV charger

An electric vehicle (EV) charging station will soon come to downtown Greenfield because of action taken by the city council during their Tuesday, July 25 meeting.

The group heard more information from Greenfield Municipal Utilities General Manager Scott Tonderum on an alternating current charger GMU received from Farmers Electric Cooperative.

Tonderum said Farmers Electric received the charger as part of a program from their power provider, Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO), however they turned around and gifted it to GMU.

The council tabled the issue at a meeting not long ago, wanting additional information before agreeing to installation of the charger.

“I would like to put it across the road [from city hall] behind the streetlight right beside the alley,” Tonderum said. “It is in the city parking. It wouldn’t take up a parking spot because there’s not one there.”

Members of the council noted that it could be risky to have a charger near an existing parking spot because the spot proposed, which is near Union State Bank, Greenfield Public Library and other locations, gets congested sometimes already.

Other locations, such as at Hotel Greenfield or on the east side of the Old Carnegie Library, which houses Wandering Hearts massage therapy and shop, were talked about. Tonderum said the reason GMU proposes where it does is because there is infrastructure already in place for it there, though GMU wasn’t opposed to other locations. A remedy to the problem might be to have a sign indicating the nearby parking spot is for EV charging only.

Another added duty for city workers will be removing snow around the charging station. Tonderum said GMU takes care of the sidewalk in this location anyway.

“We’ve looked at a lot of different locations. There’s not a lot of overnight parking,” Tonderum said. The charger, because it puts out an alternating current, will take awhile to charge. Direct current chargers, which take much less time to charge, are much more expensive.

There will be a credit card reader on this charger so patrons can pay for the charge.

“I would say that the farther you get from the square it is less likely people will use it,” Tonderum said. “It doesn’t take up a lot of space. I would put a couple of bumper posts around it.”

The council decided that the challenges of installing a charging system aren’t insurmountable. The city’s likely approach will be that they will learn as they go and decide later whether or not they need to dedicate a parking spot for charging EVs only.

Potential liabilities identified would be covered by insurance.

GMU provides rebates to its customers for various initiatives they choose to participate in, including for those who decide to install quick-charging ports in their garage at home.

Caleb Nelson

Caleb Nelson

Caleb Nelson has served as News Editor of the Adair County Free Press and Fontanelle Observer since Oct. 2017. He and his wife Kilee live in Greenfield. In Greenfield and the greater Adair County area, he values the opportunity to tell peoples' stories, enjoys playing guitar, following all levels of sports, and being a part of his local church.