title
Consideration of agreement with Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee for use of the City of Wauwatosa logo for a solar group purchasing program
body
Submitted by:
Jim Archambo
Department:
Administration
A. Issue
Shall the City authorize Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee, a nonprofit organization, to utilize the City logo in conjunction with its efforts to coordinate group solar buys among residential and business property owners in and near Wauwatosa?
B. Background/Options
In 2017, the Common Council approved an agreement for the use of the City logo by Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee, formerly the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, a non-profit organization, for the purpose of organizing group solar buys in Wauwatosa. The program allows vendors to bid on the opportunity to participate in group purchases of solar electric equipment for installation on residences and small businesses. Such purchasing power allows for greatly reduced pricing and encourages the increased use of such technologies at the local level. Similar programs have been in place in the City of Milwaukee and in other locations throughout the upper Midwest.
Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee is interested in entering into a new logo use agreement for this purpose for 2024. Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee has explained that such programming is more widely accepted among potential customers if the City has provided some level of support for the concept by allowing cooperative use of its logo on communications materials. The City of Milwaukee and others have cooperated in the past, resulting in installations of solar equipment and electrical savings throughout the upper Midwest.
The 2017 agreement allowed for the use of the City logo for this purpose and protected the City's interests, including intellectual property rights in its logo. An updated logo use agreement between the City of Wauwatosa and Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee is attached to this proposal.
C. Strategic Plan (Area of Focus)
Priority Area Three: Infrastructure
Priority Area Five: Quality of Life
D. Fiscal Impact
There is no cost to the City and the agreement makes clear to users that the City is supportive in concept while not being a direct sponsor of the private installers who might be involved in these transactions.
E. Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of the attached agreement for use of the City logo by Grow Solar Greater Milwaukee, which is limited to the balance of the 2024 calendar year.