Energy Commission Minutes

Minutes of 9/17/2024

September 17th, 2024

Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of September 17, 2024 @ 4:00 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 and Select Board Representative John Greer, and Vice Chair and Secretary Imre Szauter. Chair Bill Vecchio and Member Brian Mycko were absent and excused.

Members of the public in attendance in person: none

The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Vice Chair Szauter.

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

Vice Chair Szauter stated he would entertain a motion on the September 11, 2024 meeting minutes. Member Greer motioned to accept the minutes as written. Member Amirault seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed with 3 AYES to 0 NAYS.

Under New Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on the updated Affinity LED Lighting Streetlight Plan resulting from the September 11, 2024 meeting. An updated version of the spreadsheet and the maps agreed to during the meeting were distributed to Energy Commission members, as provided by Xavier “X” Ocadiz, Project Lead with Affinity LED Lighting. Vice Chair Szauter explained that changes made to streetlight and floodlight fixtures in the audit map resulted in the project budget exceeding the voter-approved amount for the project. He stated that the Energy Commission should look for options to reduce the amount so a favorable recommendation to proceed with a modified plan could be presented at the September 17, 2024 Select Board meeting at 5:00 p.m.

Under New Business, Vice Chair Szauter opened a discussion on options to reduce the overall cost of the project, including removal of some streetlights and/or floodlights, reducing the wattage of some cobraheads to reduce the purchase cost of the lights, and reducing the number of spare streetlights and floodlights (safety stock).

Member Amirault made a motion to modify the safety stock listed in the Affinity LED Lighting Streetlight Plan by keeping one (1) 18W LED streetlight [S900D-18W-30K-T2-GR], and reducing from three (3) to one (1) the 50W LED streetlight [S901D-50W-30K-T2-GR] and from one (1) to zero (0) the 75W LED floodlight [P902D-75W-30K-T3-BR-TNM]. Member Greer seconded the motion. Members confirmed the proposed changes save $966.00 and would reduce the project cost from $64,211.60 to $63,245.60, which is $157.15 below the $63,402.75 amount approved in the warrant article. With no additional discussion, the motion passed with 3 AYES to 0 NAYS.

Vice Chair Szauter stated that he would update the spreadsheets prior to the Select Board meeting and distribute them with a recommendation from the Carroll Energy Commission to accept the project changes and amount as presented.

Member Amirault asked about the statement at the bottom of the Affinity LED Lighting spreadsheet that reads, “11 previously converted LED fixtures will be given to the town.” Members discussed and agreed that these LED cobraheads might be useful for non-streetlight applications, such as parking lot, highway garage, or transfer station illumination.

Vice Chair Szauter summarized his planned presentation to the Select Board, including a brief description of what took place during the September 11, 2024 Energy Commission meeting with Affinity LED Lighting (via Zoom) to review the audit, make changes to the streetlights and floodlights on the maps as needed, and how reducing the safety stock will bring the project back within the specified budget.

Under Old Business, Vice Chair Szauter asked if there were any items for discussion. None were presented.

Under Other, Vice Chair Szauter asked if there were any items for discussion. None were presented.

With no additional items for discussion, Vice Chair Szauter entertained a motion for adjournment. Member Amirault motioned to adjourn. Member Greer seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed unanimously with 3 AYES and 0 NAYS and the meeting was adjourned at 4:23 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary