Your local renewable electricity provider.
Powering communities since 2010.

I am beginning to take the off ramps from regional agencies on which I serve after nearly 28 years as an elected official. Yesterday was my final meeting as a member of the ABAG Executive Board, and last night was my final MCE board meeting, on which I have served as chair the last two years. I have represented the City of Richmond on the MCE board ever since Richmond joined MCE in 2012, and it has been a rewarding experience. MCE has an extraordinary staff and a hard-working collegial board of directors. MCE has made a big difference in Richmond, sponsoring Solar 1, which provides 7 percent of our city’s electrical load, saving Richmond residents and businesses millions of dollars for electricity and providing the largest reduction in carbon towards fulfilling the goals of our Climate Action Plan.

I will truly miss serving on MCE.

Although last night was my final board meeting, I will remain chair until I strep down as mayor on January 10, 2022.

A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF MARIN CLEAN ENERGY HONORING BOARD CHAIR TOM BUTT

WHEREAS, Marin Clean Energy (MCE) is a joint powers authority established on December 19, 2008, and organized under the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Government Code Section 6500 et seq.); and

WHEREAS, MCE members include the following communities: the County of Marin, the County of Contra Costa, the County of Napa, the County of Solano, the City of American Canyon, the City of Belvedere, the City of Benicia, the City of Calistoga, the City of Concord, the Town of Corte Madera, the Town of Danville, the City of El Cerrito, the Town of Fairfax, the City of Fairfield, the City of Lafayette, the City of Larkspur, the City of Martinez, the City of Mill Valley, the Town of Moraga, the City of Napa, the City  of Novato, the City of Oakley, the City of Pinole, the City of Pittsburg, the City of Pleasant Hill, the City of San Ramon, the City of Richmond, the Town of Ross, the  Town of San Anselmo, the City of San Pablo, the City of San Rafael, the City of Sausalito, the City of St. Helena, the Town of Tiburon, the City of Vallejo, the City of Walnut Creek, and the Town of Yountville; and

WHEREAS, Thomas King Butt was the driving force that led the City of Richmond to request membership in MCE; and

WHEREAS, the City of Richmond executed the Joint Powers Agreement establishing membership in MCE on July 15, 2012; and

WHEREAS, Tom Butt was elected to the Richmond City Council in 1996, with the most recent eight years in service as Mayor; and

WHEREAS, Chair Butt was appointed to serve on the MCE Board of Directors on November 1, 2012 as the first Board representative from Richmond, where he has served for 10 years on behalf of the City of Richmond, additionally serving as Chair of the Board (2021 – 2022), Vice Chair of the Board (2014-2021), and as a member of the Executive Committee (2013-2022, Chair 2014-2021), Ad Hoc Contracts (2013), Ad Hoc Rate Setting Committee (2014), and Ad Hoc Committee for the Virtual Power Plant (2022); and

WHEREAS, Chair Butt’s leadership, drive, and dedication was instrumental to the development and construction of MCE Solar One, the largest publicly operated photovoltaic facility in the Bay Area, a 10.5 MW solar system in the City of Richmond built with the partnership of RichmondBUILD; and

WHEREAS, Chair Butt represented his Richmond constituents skillfully and effectively as a member of the MCE Board of Directors, championing the agency during Contra Costa Mayors and industrial association meetings; and

WHEREAS, under his leadership MCE has dramatically reduced carbon emissions by bringing over 900 megawatts of new renewable power onto the grid,

launching numerous local programs for energy efficiency, electric vehicles, solar and battery storage, and has saved customers an estimated $90 million on energy bills; and

WHEREAS, Chair Butt inspires integrity and forthrightness and has embraced a commitment to climate action, displayed by his leadership and his conscientious and thoughtful service; and

WHEREAS, the MCE Board of Directors and Staff thank Chair Butt for his support and engagement with the agency, its mission, and its vision.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Directors of MCE that the MCE Board and Staff do hereby extend to Tom Butt our appreciation for his dedicated service, our congratulations on his future endeavors, and our best wishes for his continued success, happiness, and good health in the years to come.

PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the MCE Board of Directors on this 15th day of December, 2022, by the following vote: