BURBANK : City Gives Check to Electric Car Group

The city of Burbank presented the first of two $10,000 checks Tuesday to a consortium of public and private agencies formed to promote the production of electric cars.

The Burbank City Council voted last month to give CALSTART $20,000 over the next two years to pay utility expenses at its Burbank headquarters. The funds came from the city’s Public Service Department. The second $10,000 check will be presented next year.

In June, the city’s redevelopment agency loaned CALSTART $110,000 to remodel its facility on Empire Avenue to suit the consortium’s needs. The building was leased free of charge to CALSTART by Lockheed Corp., a member of the consortium.

Last week CALSTART won $6 million in state and federal grants, giving the partnership the $20 million it wanted to cover expenses for the next two years. The balance of the funds came through contributions from public and private firms participating in the partnership.