Energy Commission Minutes

Minutes of 11/12/2025

November 12th, 2025

Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of November 12, 2025 @ 5:00 p.m.
Carroll Town Hall
The Carroll Energy Commission mission is to advise, encourage, and facilitate energy conservation, energy efficiency, and clear energy solution for public building and properties, businesses, and resident homes. The Commission 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 documented 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.

The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Chair Szauter.

Commission members in attendance: Chair Imre Szauter, Vice Chair Bill Vecchio, Member John Greer, Member Karen Moran. Member and Select Board representative Brian Mycko was not available.

Members of the public in attendance: Melissa Elander, North Country Energy Circuit Rider from Clean Energy NH, via Zoom


Chair invited all attendees to rise and join in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Minutes of the October 22, 2025 Carroll Energy Commission meeting were discussed. Member Moran had noted the incorrect year of 2004 regarding (original) Chair Vecchio’s term. With the correction made to reflect 2024, Member Moran motioned to approve the minutes as adjusted, Vice Chair Vecchio seconded, all were in favor.

New Business:
1. John Greer’s appointment for a 3-year term had been approved by the Selectboard at its meeting on November 4, 2025. Member Greer’s term runs from 2025 through October 1, 2028.
2. A copy of the NH DoE Municipal Solar Grant Program reimbursement, dated October 16, 2025 in the amount of $86,236.00 was provided to all members. The check will reimburse the Capital Reserve Fund, by the end of 2025.
3. Review and discussion of the Knollwood Energy contract, for the sale of Renewable Energy Credits (REC) generated by the solar array on the Public Safety building took place. Member Moran wondered about the specific terms of payments Knollwood will make to the town of Carroll, as the section of the contract, V-A states: “Seller shall be paid by Knollwood within ten (10) business days after Knollwood receives payment for the RECs from an ultimate buyer. Knollwood will pay the Seller via check of ACH transfer.” Chair Szauter stated his residential REC sales to Knollwood are paid quarterly, two quarters in arrears. Chair will verify payment timing and request clarification in the contract regarding payments to the town. Member Moran motioned for the Energy Commission to recommend approval of the contract by the Carroll Select Board, once the clarification is documented. Vice Chair Vecchio seconded. All were in favor.
4. Regarding the Kearsarge Energy letter of intent regarding a solar array at the landfill site on New Straw Road, and an email dated October 31, 2025 to (then) Chair Vecchio and Andrew Bernstein of Kearsarge Energy from Malcolm Bliss of Kearsarge Energy, due to the interconnection study conducted by Eversource, and the anticipated cost of $5-$10 million dollar interconnection, the project “will not work.” A formal letter, on Kearsarge Energy letterhead dated November 10, 2025 to Chair Szauter, indicated “…Kearsarge will no longer pursue development of the Facility referenced in the Letter of Intent approved 9/25/2025.” The letter was signed in duplicate by Malcolm Bliss, Kearsarge, and Imre Szauter as Chair of the Carroll Energy Commission. Member Greer suggested he email Dale Knapp about his interest in pursuing the project, as he had not seemed deterred originally by the interconnection issue. All agreed Member Greer should contact him by email.
5. A draft warrant article, requesting $10,000 be put into the Energy Efficiency Capital Reserve Fund was discussed. The wording was taken from the 2025 warrant article. All members agreed with the article’s inclusion in the 2026 warrant.
6. Clean Energy NH included a blog post about the Carroll LED Streetlight project. All agreed the post was well written. Chair Szauter will provide it to the Carroll Select Board at the November 18, 2025 meeting.
7. $500 payment to the Clean Energy NH for Gold Municipal membership was discussed. Chair Szauter reminded Members that the membership allows for four tickets to the Clean Energy conferences annually. Melissa Elander noted that as a Circuit Rider, she works on behalf of municipalities, not specifically those with Gold membership.
8. Member Moran, as noted in the October 22, 2025 minutes, considered becoming Secretary, with the sole job of documenting minutes. Member Moran affirmatively accepted the Secretary duties. Vice Chair Vecchio accepted responsibility for monitoring the Energy Commission email, and communicating as necessary.
9. C-PACER, as noted by Melissa Elander, is a program funded by the NH Business Finance Authority through Clean Energy NH, assisting municipalities with “Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy and Resilience”. An email from Sarah Brock of Clean Energy, dated October 24, 2025 included a link for more information about creating C-PACER districts.

Old Business:
1. REC reporting continues to be a manual effort that Barrington Solar is then communicating to Knollwood Energy.
2. Public Safety building solar array is functioning as estimated, with September generating 18% more kWh than expected, and October generating 20% less. Variances are due to weather conditions.
3. Federal tax credit preparation for solar PV array projects-this effort is being led by Member Greer’s wife, Anita Greer, due to her legal expertise in tax law. She will meet with Meg Basnar (town office) and Chair Szauter on November 18, 2025 to complete the initial online application with the IRS.
4. Regarding the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, Member Moran informed the Commission that there is no additional monitoring required. This item will be removed from subsequent agenda.
5. Chair Szauter stated the Eversource street light ledger (inventory) agrees with the ledger detail of Affinity. However, the monthly invoice continues to be incorrect. Chair continues to work with both Eversource and the NH DoE Consumer Services division.
6. Regarding the three streetlights on Rosebrook Lane, and determination of the town paying for them vs. the homeowners’ association, Vice Chair Vecchio is compiling documents and will ask to meet with BWPOA representatives after the first of the year. Vice Chair will contact Austin Alvarez, regarding the proper person to contact.
7. Regarding potential new projects, due to the withdrawal by Kearsarge for the solar array project at the landfill, the Commission will wait for a response from Dale Knapp and continue to review any other possible efficiencies. Refer to Tabled item #1.
8. Monitoring information related to C-PACER was added to the “Old Business” list at the suggestion of Chair Szauter.

Tabled:
1. Regarding the Carroll Water System, Member Greer questioned the location of a potential new well, suggesting a higher location. Member Moran agreed that a gravity fed well would be efficient, but siting of the well depends on factors to which we are not aware.
2. Email addresses for Energy Commission members were discussed. The cost is $60 per year * 5 members = $300 per year. Member Moran inquired about the budget, and Chair Szauter and Vice Chair Vecchio both noted there are sufficient funds budgeted to cover this cost. All Members agree this is an appropriate expense. Chair Szauter will look into setting these up.
3. Potential funding sources for future projects were not discussed in detail.


Chair Szauter reminded members the next regularly-scheduled Energy Commission meeting will be December 10, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Conference Room.

With no additional items for discussion, Chair Szauter entertained a motion for adjournment. Member Greer motioned to adjourn. Member Moran seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, the motion passed unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 6:37 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Karen Moran, Secretary

Carroll Energy Commission
John Greer, Member, 2025-2028
Karen Moran, Member, 2025-2028
Brian Mycko, Member and Select Board representative, 2023-2026
Imre Szauter, Chair, 2024-2027
Bill Vecchio, Vice Chair, 2023-2026
Note: terms end on October 1 of the listed year