Energy Commission Minutes

Minutes of 12/9/2024

December 9th, 2024

Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of December 9, 2024 @ 5:00 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 Brian Mycko, Member John Greer, 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 5:01 p.m. by Chair Vecchio.

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

Chair Vecchio stated he would entertain a motion on the Dec. 2 meeting minutes. Member Mycko motioned to accept the minutes as written. Member Greer seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed with 4 AYES, 0 NAYS, and 1 ABSTENTION. Member Amirault was absent from the Dec. 2 meeting and abstained from the vote.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on promotional materials for an informational session on the proposed project to install a solar PV array on the Public Safety building, materials and a banner for distribution and display at the transfer station exit, and posters/handouts for distribution around town.

Chair Vecchio provided a draft two-sided document, the front side being a poster and the back side containing project information. Members agreed to edit the document in real time, suggesting additions and modifications. Vice Chair Szauter will distribute the updated draft version for additional review and comments.

Vice Chair Szauter provided a draft design for a banner, for possible display at the transfer station exit prior to the March Town Vote. Members suggested changes and enhancements to the draft banner, and agreed that the 2’ x 4’ size would be appropriate, as the LED street light project banner created in early 2024 was the same size.

After additional discussion, Member Mycko made a motion to add the Carroll Energy Commission logo and the appropriate warrant article number (if available before the end of the year) to a draft 2’ x 4’ banner design and submit it to Staples for creation no later than Jan. 1, 2025 at a cost of $54.00. Member Amirault seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, the motion passed with 5 AYES and 0 NAYS.

Member Mycko asked about approving the draft poster/handout for publication before the end of the year, so it could be charged to the 2024 Energy Commission budget. Member Mycko made a motion to print 100 8.5” x 11” color double-sided handouts (poster on front, information on back) at a cost not to exceed $150.00 before the end of the year. Member Greer seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, the motion passed with 5 AYES and 0 NAYS.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on setting the informational session date and time. Members decided to host one informational session before the February Town Deliberative Session, with a second date chosen as a snow date. Chair Vecchio made a motion to set the informational session for the proposed solar PV array on the Public Safety building project for Friday, Jan. 24 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Community Room, with Friday, Jan. 31 as the snow date. Member Mycko seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, the motion passed with 5 AYES and 0 NAYS.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Energy Commission annual report submission. Members reviewed the 2023 annual report submission and agreed that it should be used as a template for the 2024 report. Vice Chair Szauter will use information from Chair Vecchio’s Energy Commission accomplishments handout to update the submission and circulate it for review and comments.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the status of the Affinity LED Lighting streetlight conversion project. Members commented that the installation crew had been working along US-3 North, replacing the old Eversource Energy high pressure sodium (HPS) lights with the new Affinity LED Lighting LED streetlights. The dumpster had been placed at the Highway Garage the morning of Dec. 9. Members were encouraged to drive along US-3 North and Parker Road following the meeting to view the new streetlights.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the NH Department of Energy (DOE) Municipal Solar Grant Program application. Vice Chair Szauter reported that he had not heard back from either PE (Professional Engineer) he reached out to for a quote on the required NH DOE (Dept. of Energy) roof analysis of the Public Safety building.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the CENH (Clean Energy New Hampshire) battery energy storage system (BESS) proposal. Members agreed to pause this item until after the March Town Vote.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the draft warrant article for the solar PV array on the Public Safety building. Chair Vecchio reported that he and Vice Chair Szauter will participate in a conference call with the town attorney on Tuesday, Dec. 10 to review the draft warrant article and discuss the funding sources.
Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the draft warrant article for an operational and maintenance fund to cover alternative energy projects, such as the proposed solar PV array. Vice Chair Szauter reminded members of the email from town treasurer, Annette Marquis regarding the response she received on this issue from the NHMA (New Hampshire Municipal Association). He also reported an alternative method for channeling the proceeds from SREC (Solar Renewable Energy Certificates) sales might involve the establishment of a trust fund controlled by the Select Board and would require voters to approve depositing the SREC sale proceeds into the trust fund at Town Vote. Because the earliest the town could realize any SREC sale proceeds would be in 2026, further discussion on a draft warrant article for operational and maintenance funds will be halted until next year. Members agreed to remove the draft warrant article from further consideration this year.

Under Other, Chair Vecchio asked if there were any other items for consideration. Vice Chair Szauter stated that the next regularly-scheduled Energy Commission meeting is Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 and wondered if the Commission should meet once more before the end of the year to tie up any loose ends. Members agreed to hold an Energy Commission meeting on Monday, Dec. 30 at 4:00 p.m. to finalize the municipal solar PV array project warrant article, review the Affinity LED Lighting streetlight conversion project, and review the printed handout and banner.

With no additional items for discussion, Chair Vecchio entertained a motion for adjournment. Chair Vecchio motioned to adjourn. Member Mycko seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 6:29 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary