Energy Commission Minutes

Minutes of 1/8/2025

January 8th, 2025

Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of January 8, 2025 @ 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 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: Melissa Elander, CENH (Clean Energy New Hampshire; via Zoom), and Anita Greer (via Zoom).

The meeting was called to order at 5:00 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 Dec. 30, 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 – ABSTAIN; Member Mycko – AYE; Vice Chair Szauter – AYE; Chair Vecchio – AYE. Motion passed 4 AYES, 0 NAYS, and 1 ABSTAIN, as Member Greer was not present at the Dec. 30, 2024 meeting.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the first session (deliberative session) scheduled for Feb. 3 (snow date Feb. 4) in the Town Hall Community Room at 6:30 p.m. Members discussed materials for display during the deliberative session, including a solar panel, solar rechargeable generator, and handouts with information related to the warrant article for a solar PV (photovoltaic) energy system on the Public Safety building roof. Member Amirault offered to provide the wooden stand he built to display the solar panel at the transfer station. Melissa Elander offered to send an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) handout she prepared for other municipalities; members welcomed her offer and will make hardcopies for distribution.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Public Safety building roof analysis, required by the NH DOE (Dept. of Energy) as part of the Municipal Solar Grant Program process. Vice Chair Szauter provided an email update from Jack Young, PE at Horizons Engineering, indicating that based on his preliminary assessment, the Public Safety building roof system will support the proposed solar PV array and racking.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Informational Session scheduled for Friday, Jan. 24 (snow date Jan. 31) in the Town Hall Community Room at 6:00 p.m. Chair Vecchio stated that the draft PowerPoint presentation is ready for review, and that the handouts are ready to go. There were several suggested changes to the PowerPoint presentation, which Chair Vecchio will incorporate in the final version.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Affinity LED Lighting streetlight conversion program. Vice Chair Szauter provided an email update from Johnny Muy regarding the five remaining high pressure sodium streetlights still to be replaced and options for reducing the glare from an LED streetlight in front of a residence. Member Mycko stated that the Affinity LED Lighting contract was signed as completed (excepting for the five unreachable high pressure sodium lights) at the Dec. 30, 2024 Select Board meeting and final payment was issued for the contract.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the NH DOE Municipal Solar Grant Program application. Vice Chair Szauter provided a Dec. 16, 2024 email update from Paige Relf at NH DOE regarding technical staff required to oversee municipal projects. The email stated that a Davis-Bacon specialist and a Technical Monitoring firm are being secured to ensure compliance with all regulations. Once these resources have been secured and approved by the Governor and Executive Council, kick-off meetings will begin for all municipalities that were approved for grant awards.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the warrant article for the solar PV energy system on the Public Safety building. Final language for the warrant article was received from town counsel, and the town is awaiting review by the NH DRA (Dept. of Revenue Administration) and assignment of the article number.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the promotional materials for the Informational Session, the transfer station display, and for distribution around town. A 2’ x 4’ vinyl banner was created and is ready for display. The promotional handout includes the Information Session meeting announcement, along with basic information about the project. Chair Vecchio asked for volunteers to staff the display at the transfer station on Jan. 18 and Jan. 25. Chair Vecchio, Member Amirault, and Vice Chair Szauter are available on the 18th, and Chair Vecchio and Member Amirault are available on the 25th. Member Mycko will join either date if he’s available. As a reminder, Feb. 1 will be the bad-weather date if the 18th and/or 25th are cancelled.

Under Other, Chair Vecchio asked if there were any other items for consideration. Chair Vecchio reported that in the monthly news update from Senator Shaheen’s office, there was a request for municipalities that have completed projects to share their information along with their funding sources. He suggested using a modified version of the Carroll Energy Commission submission for the town’s annual report, as it contains most of the information that was requested. Members agreed to his suggestion; Chair Vecchio will prepare a draft version and route it to members for review and approval.

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. Chair Vecchio 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 5 AYES and 0 NAYS, and the meeting adjourned at 5:54 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary