JACKSON, Wyo. — The Energy Conservation Works (ECW) Joint Powers Board approved a contract with Melissa E. Turley, principal of m.e.t. solutions, for executive director services during a special meeting last week. Energy Conservation Works creates equitable access to energy conservation and renewable energy to improve and preserve the quality of life for all residents. It is a partnership between the Town of Jackson, Teton County and Lower Valley Energy, and collaborates with community organizations to develop and implement programs.
Headwaters Consulting has provided executive director services to ECW for over 10 years and the Board has been happy with the work performed. After the Board’s contract with Headwaters expired this year, ECW issued a request for proposals for executive director services. The Board carefully considered the proposals it received and the decision was difficult as ECW would have been well-served by each of the proposers. At the June 26 regular ECW Joint Powers Board meeting, the Board voted to negotiate a contract with m.e.t. solutions. Headwaters will support this transition before Phil Cameron departs to take on a new position.
Turley was a founding member of the Energy Efficiency Advisory Board and strongly supported the creation of the JH Energy Sustainability Project, which laid the groundwork for Energy Conservation Works during her decade in local elected office.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to return to work I started on the policy level as a Town Councilwoman and County Commissioner,” said Turley. “ECW is uniquely positioned at this critical time to conserve energy at scale across Lower Valley Energy’s service area, which will keep power rates lower and reduce carbon emissions.”
Turley recently departed the Teton Village Association ISD, where she worked to mitigate traffic growth and make Teton Village an exceptional resort community as the organization’s Executive Director.
During the decade Cameron provided executive director services, Energy Conservation Works saved or displaced over 450,000,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity use and provided over $7.5M in funding for energy efficiency projects in Teton County. ECW’s other significant successes include helping grow Lower Valley Energy’s Green Power program, securing more than 600 new accounts and more than doubling the volume of Green Power purchased. ECW has also provided low-interest financing to more than 165 homeowners to improve energy efficiency and distributed 5,000 home energy efficiency kits to community members. Teton County voters supported SPET ballot initiatives in 2010 and 2022 for a total of $8.8M in funding for clean energy projects.
The ECW Board is proud of its accomplishments and is grateful for the work done by Phil Cameron of Headwaters as the organization’s Executive Director.
“ECW wants to thank Phil and his team from Headwaters for all of their work over the last 10 years and for all of the benefits and services they provided to our community,” said ECW Board Chair Jim O’Brien. “We are excited for the opportunity to work with Melissa in the future to complete our community solar project and to continue to find ways to save energy.”
ECW Program Managers Megan Jennings and Zach Isler will continue their great work to implement important ECW programs, including residential and commercial loans for energy efficient upgrades and community solar.
For more information on ECW work in residential, commercial or public projects, please visit EnergyConservationWorks.org or email info@energyconservationwoks.org.
