BENTONVILLE — A proposed energy audit has been put on hold by Benton County Judge Bob Clinard, who said the project demanded too many limited resources.

“There are four or five reasons,” Clinard said of his decision to delay an energy audit and related energy-saving work on buildings. “First, it takes an inordinate amount of time for our Accounting Department to gather the information these companies need to develop their proposals. It takes one person at least a week to gather the invoices and other information and we don’t have the staff available during budget time.”

Sarah Daniels, comptroller, said many of the records needed are in storage in Springdale. That is where the county rents space in a secure, climate-controlled facility for records.

The Quorum Court’s Finance Committee asked Clinard last month for more information before it would consider a $4 million proposal from Energy Systems Group, an Indiana-based firm that approached the county with a proposal.

Kerry Becton, an account executive with the firm’s North Little Rock office, and Chris Salzman from the St. Louis office pitched the proposal to justices of the peace in July and August. The company has an outline for a project to reduce energy use, according to the presentation.

The county could see about $350,000 in annual savings that would pay for work done on buildings, gas, water and electric systems and heating and air-conditioning systems and controls, according to preliminary estimates. The work would be paid over 15-years, and Energy Savings Group would guarantee the savings.

Becton and Salzman said the contract would require ESG to make up any savings shortfall any year of the project. The company would manage the project and expect a 6 or 7 percent profit.

Justices of the peace were interested, but unwilling to pursue the concept without information

from other sources. Several said the county might be able to do the work on its own at less cost. Becton and Salzman said ESG’s “investment grade audit” would cost the county $31,500 and provide detailed information on costs and savings.

Clinard also met with CTS Group representatives and asked them to provide information to develop a request for qualifications to advertise for interested companies. That company asked for the same information provided to Energy Systems Group, which Clinard said the county hasn’t time to research again.

The energy audit firms also require staff from the Maintenance Department to spend several days with them, showing them the operations of buildings. That would take them away from normal duties, Clinard said.

“Our maintenance staff has to go with them for three or four days while they’re looking at the different facilities,” Clinard said. “They don’t have the time to do that. And I don’t have the time right now to go with them, and while I don’t necessarily have to I would prefer to be involved in the process if we’re going to do this.”

Kurt Moore, justice of the peace for District 13, said he’s concerned much of the equipment the companies would recommend replacing is new or relatively new and, if replaced, the county won’t have gotten its money’s worth from that investment. Moore said he’s not bothered by the decision to wait on the proposal.

“That’s one of those things that I don’t see as a pressing matter,” Moore said. “I’m not completely sold on what they’re offering.”

Tom Allen, justice of the peace for District 4, said he thinks the county can do some of the work on its own. He also said he favored putting the study on hold until the county solves other issues such as rural ambulance service and the 2014 budget. The county needs to have a better idea of the status of a new courts facility before committing money to other projects, Allen said.

“I think we have enough issues on our plate without dealing with this now,” Allen said.

Clinard said he also has decided more urgent business doesn’t give him time to devote to an energy audit. He also said the response to the proposal from the justices of the peace didn’t indicate any great interest in the project.

“We’re interviewing candidates for the Road Department job and I need to focus on that and make the right decision, sooner rather than later,” Clinard said. “And I’ve not gotten good feedback from anybody on the Quorum Court. I think this is something we can do anytime we think we want to. So we’ll let it go until the end of this year or the first of next year, once we’re done with budget. Then we’ll see if it’s something we want to pursue.”