Energy Commission Minutes

Minutes of 8/13/2025

August 13th, 2025

Carroll Energy Commission Minutes
Meeting of August 13, 2025 @ 5:00 p.m.
Carroll Town Hall Community 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 John Greer, Member and Select Board Representative Brian Mycko, Vice Chair and Secretary Imre Szauter, and Chair Bill Vecchio. Members Vern Amirault and Karen Moran were absent.

Members of the public in attendance: Dr. Dale Knapp, Walden Renewables (joined the meeting in person at 5:12 p.m.) and Melissa Elander, Clean Energy New Hampshire (CENH) North Country Energy Circuit Rider (via Zoom).

The meeting was called to order at 5:04 p.m. by Chair Vecchio.

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

Chair Vecchio welcomed Melissa Elander of CENH to the meeting and thanked her for her participation.

Chair Vecchio stated he would entertain a motion on the Jul. 9, 2025 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 and 0 NAYS.

Chair Vecchio stated he would entertain a motion on the Jul. 22, 2025 meeting minutes. Member Mycko motioned to accept the minutes as written. Chair Vecchio seconded the motion. With no discussion, the motion passed with 3 AYES, 0 NAYS, and one abstention. Member Greer abstained because he wasn’t present at the meeting.

Chair Vecchio announced that Dr. Dale Knapp of Walden Renewables was expected at the meeting but had not yet arrived, so in the interest of time he would move ahead with item number 2 under New Business, the CENH LES (Local Energy Solutions) conference on Sep. 25 in Manchester. Members indicated their interest in attending, given the town qualifies for four free event registrations as a Clean Energy New Hampshire Gold Sponsor.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the Aug. 2 pancake breakfast residential energy savings information handout/demonstration display at the Public Safety building. He remarked that attendance was light, but a few guests stopped by to ask about the solar project. Chair Vecchio hoped the solar PV array installation would be complete in time for the next pancake breakfast on Aug. 30.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the St. Margaret Cemetery flag lighting system. He reported a nonfunctioning mechanical timer on the pole with the Eversource Energy meter, resulting in the floodlight not illuminating the flag that flies above Kenneth Jordan’s headstone. At some point in the past, a solar-rechargeable LED floodlight was installed on top of the flagpole, illuminating it from dusk to dawn, as required by the U.S. Flag Code. Therefore, the floodlight on the pole with the Eversource Energy meter is redundant. In the interest of having a backup lighting system in case the pole-mounted LED light system fails, Chair Vecchio proposed replacing the defective mechanical timer with a photocell and recommended that the Eversource Energy meter be pulled from service and the account closed. There is no fee to remove the meter, and should the pole-mounted floodlight need to be reactivated, the meter could be reinstalled by Eversource Energy for a fee.

Member Mycko made a motion to recommend to the Select Board that the Eversource Energy meter on the pole in St. Margaret Cemetery be pulled, that the defective mechanical timer be replaced with a photocell, and the rest of the components remain in place if ever needed to be activated again. Member Greer seconded the motion. With no further discussion, the motion passed with 4 AYES and 0 NAYS. The recommendation will be presented to the Select Board at their Aug. 26 meeting.

At 5:12 p.m., Dr. Dale Knapp of Walden Renewables arrived and introduced himself to members and Melissa Elander.

Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on item 1 under New Business, Review of brownfield/transfer station property solar PV array visits & proposals, and invited Dr. Knapp to begin.

Dr. Knapp provided background on himself and Walden Renewables, and highlighted brownfield and alternative energy projects throughout New England. He addressed interconnection capacity issues, site considerations, and the length of time to project completion. Members asked questions related to costs, permitting, construction, and maintenance of large projects. Dr. Knapp discussed a proposal for an installation at the town property and entertained questions.

Melissa Elander left the meeting at 6:00 p.m.

Chair Vecchio asked if Walden Renewables had prepared FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) available that addressed many of the issues discussed. Dr. Knapp responded that he would forward what they have to help educate commission members and the community.

Commission members thanked Dr. Knapp for participating in the meeting and sharing information that will help members make an informed recommendation to the Select Board. Dr. Knapp departed the meeting at 6:55 p.m.

Under New Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the NH DOE Commercial and Industrial Solar Project grant status. Vice Chair Szauter shared the Aug. 4 email from Jack Bingham of Barrington Solar LLC regarding the status of the fund and the possibility there will be no money available for our project.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the NH DOE Municipal Solar Grant Program. Chair Vecchio mentioned the issues with the Davis-Bacon & Related Acts (DBRA) compliance online reporting system and mentioned that the construction calendar was submitted as required.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on the CENH blog post opportunity. No updates were available.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on new projects and priorities. No updates were offered.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on Affinity LED Lighting streetlight conversion updates. Vice Chair Szauter reported that one LED streetlight on US-3S had been replaced by an Eversource Energy crew, using a 50W LED streetlight from the town safety stock. The defective streetlight has been returned to Affinity LED Lighting for repair under warranty. The two defective streetlights on US-302W will be replaced under an open service order, again using Eversource Energy as the replacement contractor and paid for under warranty by Affinity LED Lighting.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on Eversource invoice issues (including unconverted lights). Vice Chair Szauter reported no progress in resolving errors in the Eversource Energy ledger and monthly streetlight invoices, despite repeated emails and phone calls to Eversource Energy BusinessCenterNH. He distributed a draft letter addressed to NH DOE (Dept. of Energy) Consumer Services requesting assistance in resolving open issues. Member Mycko made a motion to send the letter as written to NH DOE Consumer Services. Chair Vecchio seconded the motion. With no further discussion, the motion passed with 4 AYES and 0 NAYS. The letter and supporting attachments will be sent via email.

Under Old Business, Chair Vecchio opened a discussion on Rosebrook Lane streetlights on the town Eversource Energy invoice. Vice Chair Szauter reported that the various parties involved haven’t yet met to share documents and research to date.

Under Tabled, Chair Vecchio stated that the Energy Evaluation of Town of Carroll Wells/Water Treatment Buildings & Tanks Report of Dec. 18, 2024 is on hold until either the Public Works Director, Scott Sonia or the Carroll Select Board requests assistance from the Energy Commission.

Under Tabled, Chair Vecchio stated that both town-provided email addresses for Energy Commission members and potential funding sources for future projects will remain tabled.

Under Other, Chair Vecchio asked if there were any items from members. A brief discussion took place on the status of the Public Safety building solar PV array installation, noting the project could be complete by week’s end, but the interconnection to the Eversource Energy grid was still weeks away.

Chair Vecchio announced the next regularly-scheduled Energy Commission meeting is Wednesday, Sep. 10 at 5:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Community Room.

With no additional items for discussion, Chair Vecchio entertained a motion for adjournment. Member Mycko motioned to adjourn. Member Greer seconded the motion. With no additional discussion, the motion passed unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 7:28 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary

Carroll Energy Commission
Vern Amirault, Member, 2023-2025
John Greer, Member, 2023-2025
Karen Moran, Member, 2025-2027
Brian Mycko, Member and Select Board representative, 2023-2026
Imre Szauter, Vice Chair and Secretary, 2025-2027
Bill Vecchio, Chair, 2023-2026
Note: terms end in October of the listed year