Energy Commission Minutes

Minutes of 6/18/2024

June 24th, 2024

Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of June 18, 2024
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 and Select Board Representative John Greer, Member Brian Mycko, Vice Chair Imre Szauter, and Chair Bill Vecchio.

Members of the public in attendance: None.

The meeting was called to order at 5:01 p.m. by Chair Vecchio.

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

Prior to the discussion on previous meeting minutes, Secretary Szauter stated that the agenda for the June 12, 2024 meeting contained an error. Instead of discussion and voting on the May 17, 2024 minutes, the agenda called for discussion and voting on the May 8, 2024 minutes. The May 8, 2024 minutes were approved as written at the May 17, 2024 meeting, so the 4-0 vote on those minutes during the June 12, 2024 meeting was duplicative. Since nothing changed, the May 8, 2024 meeting minutes remain approved as written.

Chair Vecchio stated he would entertain a motion on the May 17, 2024 meeting minutes. Member Greer motioned to accept the minutes as written. Chair Vecchio seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed unanimously.

Chair Vecchio stated he would entertain a motion on the June 12, 2024 meeting minutes. Member Amirault motioned to accept the minutes as written. Member Greer seconded the motion. Under discussion, Member Amirault pointed out that attendee Chris Pappas was not listed in the minutes. Secretary Szauter admitted he overlooked Chris Pappas as an attendee. With no additional discussion, Chair Vecchio made a motion to approve the minutes as amended. Member Greer seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, the motion passed with 4 AYES and 0 NAYS, with Member Mycko abstaining, as he was absent and excused from that meeting.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the June 12, 2024 Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) presentation at 4:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Community Room. He repeated his gratitude for Madelyn Bradley and Henry Herndon of CPCNH hosting the presentation, answering questions from attendees, and remaining afterwards for additional questions and conversation. As a reminder, the CPCNH presentation can be found on the Town of Carroll website, under Meeting Minutes > Energy Commission Minutes > 2024 Energy Commission Archives > Minutes of 6/12/2024 > Attachments.

Vice Chair Szauter expressed a concern about formation of the required Electric Aggregation Committee (EAC), which would be responsible for preparation of an Electric Aggregation Plan (EAP), hosting two public hearings, and bringing the EAP to Town Deliberative Session and Town Vote for adoption. He recalled that during the presentation, Henry Herndon stated that towns with energy commissions or committees usually task that body with creating the EAC as a subcommittee and expect them to carry out the previously-mentioned tasks. Vice Chair Szauter questioned whether this added responsibility provides as large a payback to the town’s residents and businesses as some of the other projects explored by the commission, such as municipal solar. In the current environment, the differential between the CPCNH energy rate and the Eversource Energy default energy rate is extremely small.

Chair Vecchio offered his observation that the CPCNH commercial rate is better than the Eversource Energy commercial rate. Given the current environment, he recommended we continue discussion on the CPCNH program at future meetings. Member Mycko recommended the commission be mindful of the early December deadline for the submission of articles for the March 2025 warrant, should the Energy Commission vote to move the CPCNH proposal forward.

Members agreed to continue the CPCNH discussion at future meetings, especially after both Eversource Energy and CPCNH announce their new per-kilowatt hour electricity rate.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the New Hampshire DOE (Department of Energy) Municipal Solar Grant Program. He reminded members that the deadline for grant submission is August 1, 2024.

Members referenced documents made available by the NH DOE, including the checklist of items necessary to complete the Municipal Solar Grant Program application.

Members reviewed an updated solar PV array proposal for the Public Safety building provided by Ted Vansant of Barrington Power. Discussion of how much power the west roof-mounted panels would produce took place and whether the 80% insolation requirement would be met with this configuration. The NH DOE Municipal Solar Grant Program Buy America requirement was also discussed. Vice Chair Szauter will contact Ted Vansant for clarification on these two issues.

Chair Vecchio reviewed the grant application checklist, including the SAM registration, the FEMA Flood Map, the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s Wetland maps, aerial and panoramic photos, proof of municipal ownership of all buildings, solar PV schematic, solar site survey, PV watts calculator results, specification sheets, resumes of installation company personnel, the recent town financial audit, and the Davis-Bacon Assurance letter, with an eye toward who should provide the required documents.

Chair Vecchio reviewed the list of questions members felt should be submitted to the NH DOE by the noon deadline on June 20 and offered to handle submission of the questions by the deadline.

Members discussed the letters of community support as outlined in the NH DOE RFP (request for proposals). They felt obtaining such letters, even though they would result in only five additional points in the grant application scoring, are worthwhile. Member Greer offered to work with the Select Board to provide a community letter of support on behalf of the town.

Vice Chair Szauter asked about future meetings to work on the NH DOE Municipal Solar Grant Program application. Members proposed scheduling additional meetings for June 26 at 5:00 p.m. and July 24 at 5:00 p.m.; the regular monthly meeting scheduled for July 10 at 5:00 p.m. will stand. Vice Chair Szauter will work with administrative assistant, Megan Basnar to schedule the meetings and post the agendas.

Under Other, Chair Vecchio called for topics for discussion. Vice Chair Szauter offered an update on the Affinity LED Lighting street light conversion project. He stated an email from Johnny Muy indicated the required audit of existing street lights had been completed on June 12 and it would be several weeks before the final report is made available to the town.

Under Other, Member Mycko asked if members had a chance to view the solar-rechargeable LED flag pole light installed on the Straw Cemetery flag pole. Members commented they thought it was a good-looking installation. Additional flag poles at the St. Margaret’s Cemetery, the Carroll transfer station, and the Rosebrook Cemetery should be lit as well.

Under Other, Member Amirault asked about the May 28, 2024 Select Board minutes that stated that the Energy Commission agreed to delay by one year submitting an interest message regarding EV (electric vehicle) charging stations in the Town of Carroll. Chair Vecchio clarified that the Energy Commission voted by a 3-1 margin (Member Amirault was absent and excused for the May 17 meeting) to move forward with submitting the Town of Carroll as having an interest in EV charging stations. He also reminded members the submission did not commit the town to any action on EV charging stations or guarantee any grant funding for EV charging stations.

Under Other, Member Amirault shared his concern about the number of projects the commission is either taking on or considering. The number of meetings, the challenges to member’s time, and the benefits to the town based on priorities should be closely monitored to be fair to all involved.

With no additional agenda items for discussion, Chair Vecchio entertained a motion for adjournment. Member Mycko motioned to adjourn. Member Amirault seconded the motion. With no further discussion, the motion passed unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 7:08 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary