LISBON — Village council members heard a proposal from Scout Solar last month for some potential electric bill savings from solar shade structures built over village parking lots, but made no decision on the idea.

Matt Brophey of Scout Solar estimated the potential savings at $157,711 over the life of the 25-year contract, with the savings per year estimated at $6,308.

Besides generating electricity, the structures would also double as shelter for village vehicles, such as police cruisers at village hall and utility department vehicles at the water plant on state Route 154 and the Miller Road well field site.

Brophey noted that the company has already reached out to Wellsville and East Liverpool and wanted to include Lisbon.

Before Brophey was introduced, Mayor Peter Wilson raised an issue with Councilman Jerry Cox and Council President Dawn Thomas over Brophey being invited to the meeting, saying he thought they had procedures for having someone address council.

“If we have rules for me, they should apply to everyone,” he said.

A comment was made that the gentleman was just there to present information and the conversation between the mayor and council members became a little heated, prompting Police Chief Mike Abraham to ask “what’s the problem?”

After the presentation, Thomas said, “I thought it would be worth exploring.”

In other business, council agreed to pay the $29,030 bill from Boak and Sons for work at the fire department building after it was determined they followed the contract. Lisbon Fire Chief Mark Hall, Cox and other council members had expressed their dissatisfaction with the quality of the workmanship on the ceiling at the previous meeting.

Council meets at 6:30 p.m. today with a full agenda of new business, including an electricity aggregation proposal.