Energy Commission Minutes
Minutes of 2/3/2025
February 3rd, 2025
Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of February 3, 2025 @ 5:30 p.m.
Carroll Town Hall Conference Room
The Carroll Energy Commission mission is to advise, encourage, and facilitate energy conservation, energy efficiency, and clean energy solutions for public buildings and properties, businesses, and resident homes. The Committee shall provide leadership and direction for community education relating to energy and shall propose and explore funding for local energy projects.
These minutes of the Town of Carroll Energy Commission have been recorded by its Secretary. Though believed to be accurate and correct they are subject to additions, deletions, and corrections by the Energy Commission at its next meeting when the Commission votes its final approval of the minutes. They are being made available at this time to conform to the requirements of New Hampshire RSA 91-A:2.
Minutes recorded by Imre Szauter, Secretary
Commission members in attendance: Member Vern Amirault, Member John Greer (via Zoom), Member and Select Board Representative Brian Mycko, Vice Chair and Secretary Imre Szauter, and Chair Bill Vecchio.
Members of the public in attendance in person or via Zoom: None
The meeting was called to order at 5:31 p.m. by Chair Vecchio.
Chair Vecchio invited all attendees to rise and join in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Chair Vecchio requested a roll call. Member Amirault – Present; Member Greer (via Zoom) – Present; Member Mycko – Present; Vice Chair Szauter – Present; Chair Vecchio – Present. With a physical quorum in the conference room and Member Greer on Zoom, all five Energy Commission members were in attendance.
Chair Vecchio stated he would entertain a motion on the Jan. 8, 2024 meeting minutes. Member Mycko motioned to accept the minutes as written. Member Amirault seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, a roll call vote was taken: Member Amirault – AYE; Member Greer – AYE; Member Mycko – AYE; Vice Chair Szauter – AYE; Chair Vecchio – AYE. Motion passed with 5 AYES and 0 NAYS.
Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the 2025 warrant Article 3 To purchase and install a Solar PV array on the Town Public Safety Building, scheduled for review during the first session (deliberative session) on Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Community Room.
Vice Chair Szauter expressed a concern about the wording in the non-lapsing provision, which reads “This will be a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until the Solar PV array installation is completed or by December 2027, whichever is sooner.” He stated that the words “installation is completed” could be misinterpreted to mean that once the exterior visible racking and solar panels are in place, the first condition of the “or” clause is satisfied and the entire project would be considered completed. This is clearly not the case, as there are many additional steps to be accomplished before the entire system is up and running. He also expressed a concern about the “December 2027” date specified, as current actions at the federal level are creating uncertainty among funders, suppliers, and installers, so the entire project could possibly go longer than that date.
Member Mycko suggested replacing the word “installation” with “project”. Member Greer concurred with Member Mycko’s suggestion.
Vice Chair Szauter asked if anyone had an issue with the “December 2027” date. Member Mycko suggested replacing “2027” with “2028”, thereby taking some of the pressure off the project’s completion deadline, due to these uncertain times.
Vice Chair Szauter made a motion to change the wording in the non-lapsing clause of Article 3 To purchase and install a Solar PV array on the Town Public Safety Building, from “This will be a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until the Solar PV array installation is completed or by December 2027, whichever is sooner.” to “This will be a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until the Solar PV array project is completed or by December 2028, whichever is sooner.” Member Mycko seconded the motion.
Chair Vecchio called for additional discussion, to clarify the motion seeks to replace “installation” with “project” and “2027” with “2028.” Members agreed that was what the motion seeks to change. With no additional discussion, a roll call vote was taken: Member Amirault – AYE; Member Greer – AYE; Member Mycko – AYE; Vice Chair Szauter – AYE; Chair Vecchio – AYE. Motion passed with 5 AYES and 0 NAYS.
Vice Chair Szauter stated that Chair Vecchio will create a written version of the agreed-to amended warrant article to provide to Town Moderator, Ben Jellison prior to the start of the deliberative session. He will also provide Town Clerk, Crystal Bailey and Administrative Assistant, Meghan Basnar copies for their records.
Chair Vecchio stated that in addition to the amendment to the warrant article, he will ask Moderator Jellison if he might offer a few talking points about the project. The talking points would include a very brief history of the town’s application for the NH DOE Municipal Solar Grant Program funding, the IRA Elective Pay credit, and the NH DOE Commercial & Industrial Solar Incentive; the capacity of the solar PV energy system; and the expectation that the system will offset the annual energy consumption of the Public Safety building.
Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio stated that he felt the warrant article for the Solar PV array on the Public Safety building had been sufficiently discussed under New Business, so no further discussion was needed. Members agreed.
Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the solar PV array project informational materials for distribution. He created a single-page, two-sided handout that is a compilation of questions and answers from the Jan. 18 display at the transfer station and Bobbi Amirault’s post office distribution. Additionally, FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) provided by Melissa Elander, Clean Energy New Hampshire (CENH) North Country Circuit Rider were used in the handout. Chair Vecchio stated that if the amended version of Warrant Article 3 is accepted at the deliberative session, the handout will be updated to reflect the new wording.
Member Amirault volunteered to stand near the solar panel in the Community Room during the deliberative session and make the handout available to anyone interested in learning more about the project.
Under Other, Chair Vecchio asked if there were any other items for consideration. No items were raised for discussion.
Chair Vecchio reminded members that the next regularly scheduled Energy Commission public meeting is Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. in the Town Hall conference room.
With no additional items for discussion, Chair Vecchio entertained a motion for adjournment. Member Mycko motioned to adjourn. Member Amirault seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, a roll call vote was taken: Member Amirault – AYE; Member Greer – AYE; Member Mycko – AYE; Vice Chair Szauter – AYE; Chair Vecchio – AYE. Motion passed with 5 AYES and 0 NAYS, and the meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary