The Government Affairs, Education, and Energy committee canceled the regular first Thursday of the month meeting in October 2017, instead inviting committee and Chamber members to a City Council Forum and a Tour of SolarTAC on Oct. 20.

The committee was invited to the Aurora City Council Forum at the Aurora Municipal Center on October 4.  The Forum was hosted by Tamara Mohamed with the Aurora Chamber, held for Aurora City Council candidates in Ward I, II, II and At-Large. The taped coverage of The Forum will run through election night on AuroraTV.  Election winners will be announced on November 7.  Sponsors of this forum included the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, The Business and Professional Women of Aurora, The Aurora Sentinel, The Aurora Election Commission, and the League of Women Voters.

The committee was also invited to tour the SolarTAC facility, on Friday October 20.  Dustin Smith, Executive Director of SolarTAC gave a brief introduction about the SolarTAC business plan, explaining that it allows its members to sponsor proprietary research; government-funded R&D; common research in which results are shared with other SolarTAC members; and the broadest level of research that can be shared with the public.  Many attendees expressed interest in working with SolarTAC.

The group was given a private tour – and now has bragging rights as the first group to see the new $1.5 million world-class testing facility. Smith is responsible for the vision, construction, and implementation of the new testing grid in Aurora, Colorado, and the group was enthusiastic about the options of renewable energy into the future.