Energy Commission Minutes

Minutes of 2/12/2025

February 12th, 2025

Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of February 12, 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 and Select Board Representative Brian Mycko, Vice Chair and Secretary Imre Szauter, and Chair Bill Vecchio. Member John Greer was absent.

Members of the public in attendance in person or via Zoom: Karen Moran (in person).

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 recognized guest Karen Moran and thanked her for her interest in the Energy Commission meeting.

Chair Vecchio stated he would entertain a motion on the Feb. 3, 2024 meeting minutes. Member Mycko motioned to accept the minutes as written. Member Amirault seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed with 4 AYES and 0 NAYS.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Feb. 3 First Session (Deliberative Session). Member Amirault thanked Karen Moran for her supportive comment on the Energy Commission’s work and stated he thought Chair Vecchio did a great job presenting information and answering questions on Warrant Article 3 - To purchase and install a Solar PV array on the Town Public Safety Building. Chair Vecchio reviewed the amended version, which changed the original wording “This will be a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and will not lapse until the Solar PV array installation is completed or by December 2027, whichever is sooner.” by substituting “project” for “installation” and “2028” for “2027”.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Jan. 24 Informational Session on the solar PV array project in the Town Hall Community Room. Chair Vecchio was disappointed in the turnout, but thankful for those who attended and asked good questions. Karen Moran suggested future Informational Sessions not be held on a Friday evening, as folks getting home from a long workweek are less likely to attend than if the session was held on a different evening. Discussion took place on when to hold these Informational Sessions, whether before or after First Session (Deliberative Session), with agreement they should be held before so residents have good information for First Session. Vice Chair Szauter reminded everyone the Informational Session was Zoomed and recorded, in case anyone wants to view it at a later date.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Jan. 18 transfer station display. There was consensus that there weren’t that many people visiting the transfer station that day, but people still got the information from Bobbi Amirault standing at the post office. Because the second date chosen for the display was cancelled, members agreed to set up the display again on Mar. 8, weather permitting.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Feb. 18 public hearing at 4:30 p.m. on the Public Safety building roof analysis expenditure. Vice Chair Szauter provided background on efforts to secure the NHDOE (NH Dept. of Energy) required letter from a structural engineer, certifying the Public Safety building roof is capable of supporting the extra weight of the racking and solar panels. The invoice just received from Horizons Engineering is for one-half the cost of the analysis and letter. The public hearing is required by NH RSA because it involves an expenditure from the Energy Commission’s budget in excess of $500.00. The goal is to conduct the public hearing and present a recommendation on the expenditure to the Select Board, which meets at 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 18.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Public Safety building roof analysis. Chair Vecchio asked if the preliminary analysis from Jack Young, PE at Horizons Engineering would meet the requirement of the NHDOE to schedule the Town of Carroll kickoff meeting in March. Vice Chair Szauter indicated that two January emails from Paige Relf at NHDOE indicated the kickoff meetings would likely be delayed, as approval of the Davis-Bacon Compliance Consultant and the Technical Monitor for projects have yet to be secured at a Governor and Executive Council meeting. For that reason, it would be better to wait for the final letter and provide that to the NHDOE.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Affinity LED Lighting streetlight conversion project. Vice Chair Szauter provided a copy of a Feb. 11 email from Johnny Muy regarding a quote from Eversource Energy to install the remaining five LED streetlights. Eversource was contacted for assistance, as the bucket truck used by Affinity’s contract installer could not reach five high pressure sodium streetlights due to height and/or setback from the roadway. Attendees discussed whether this additional charge should have been covered by the two paid invoices for the project. Vice Chair Szauter will send a copy of the contract and the two paid invoices to attendees for review. Chair Vecchio will reach out to town treasurer, Annette Marquis about the amount paid to date to Affinity LED Lighting and the remaining balance of the amount authorized by passage of the warrant article. Vice Chair Szauter will reach out to Johnny Muy at Affinity LED Lighting to obtain a copy of the Eversource proposal and discuss details of its implementation.

On an unrelated item, Chair Vecchio asked about the status of the New Hampshire House bill (HB219) that would do away with the REC (Renewable Energy Certificate) program. Vice Chair Szauter reported the NH General Court website shows input from the public at 8 in support and 244 opposed to the bill.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the solar PV array promotional materials for distribution around town. Chair Vecchio created this document, based on questions from residents that Bobbi Amirault reported while at the post office on Jan. 18, and FAQs provided by Clean Energy NH (CENH) North Country Circuit Rider, Melissa Elander.

Under Other, Chair Vecchio asked if there were any other items for consideration. Chair Vecchio indicated he has been in contact with the town resident that reported a concern about the brightness of a newly-install LED streetlight in front of his house on US-3N.

Under Other, Chair Vecchio stated that the non-working streetlight at the intersection of US-302 and Base Station Road, which is invoiced to the state, has been reported and logged by Eversource. He feels this is a dangerous intersection due to heavy and fast vehicle traffic and the streetlight should be restored to working status promptly.

Under Other, Vice Chair Szauter reported the town received their first Eversource Energy streetlight invoice since the LED streetlights replaced the old high pressure sodium lights in December. The December 2024 invoice total was $1,794.04; the January 2025 invoice total was $549.63.

Under Other, attendees discussed possible other projects beyond the completed LED streetlight conversion project and the proposed solar PV array on the Public Safety building project.

Chair Vecchio reminded members that the next scheduled Energy Commission meeting is a public hearing on Tuesday, Feb 18, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. in the Town Hall conference room.

With no additional items for discussion, Chair Vecchio entertained a motion for adjournment. Member Mycko motioned to adjourn. Member Amirault seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, the motion passed unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 6:32 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary