03/02/2021 EC Minutes

                                            Bethlehem Energy Commission                                                      

                                                 Tuesday March 2, 6:00pm

Meeting Minutes

Mission: The Bethlehem Energy Commission was established for the study and planning of energy resources for the town. The commission will evaluate existing energy usage in the town and suggest possible improvements in energy efficiency and conservation, as well as potential clean renewable energy solutions in order to reduce expenses and increase self-reliance.

Attending:  David Van Houten, Josiah Chamberlain, Mark Koprowski, Mary Lou Krambeer; Public:  Barry Zeitzer, Melissa Elander; Bruce Caplain,

Introductions  –  Welcome Josiah.

Review minutes from last meeting – Josiah motion to accept, Mark second.  Passed.

Town Hall – Margaret Dillon, energy assessor at Town Hall last Tuesday. She and engineer will have a report to us by mid-April.

Village District   3/9/21  5:30pm – Bruce spoke to Dick Robie about some of us joining their meeting to hear the report out on energy saving opportunities.  Meeting will be at Elks Club and on Zoom.  Bruce, Dan and Melissa will plan on attending.  TO DO: Bruce will check in with presenter to make sure there is a Zoom connection.

Profile – Jack Bingham is not sure if he can get the additional points.  Sen. Shaheen’s office is looking into the REAP application.  TO DO:  Melissa and Bruce will coordinate.  Mark – last week they did a walk around the site.

Town solar project:

> review project description.  David has written up a new concise description of the project. We should finalize it in the next month. Let’s price out the one project with two components (highway garage and school).

David, let’s divide into pods – TO DO:  PR – Melissa, Josiah, Bruce, Dan, Mary Lou.  Finance — Josiah, Mark, David will work on project description.

 

 

>preview funding options –

> warrant article – NH DRA says our warrant article needs to be rewritten (can’t ask for 3 years of funding without creating a Capital Project Fund warrant article).  We’ll work on the wording which will contain USDA funding, reserve funds, possible BES dollars, and a tax request in year one.  In year two perhaps a loan request.  That would mean we could start construction in summer of 2022.

New wording on warrant will be figured out in next 4-6 weeks.  David will talk to BES about their potential savings and a contribution to the project.

> timeline:  TO DO:  Josiah to work on this.

BTS Project Timeline

March  Refine project description, outreach plan & materials

April  Begin public outreach, work on warrant article wording and funding options

May  More of the same

June  Deliberative session 6/4

July  Vote 7/13, write and issue RFP if vote passes, schedule tours for bidders

August–September  Finish bidding process, evaluate bids, discuss recommendations with Boards

> administrative structure – we will need a contract between the school and the Town for the PUC.  Any excess will be credited and a check will be processed once a month to an entity. Melissa – that may be a good time for the developer to come in to present to the selectboard and the school board.

Town electric use update:  Melissa met with Nicole at Town Hall about the highway garage and visitor center electric use. Nicole has offered to keep the records going forward.

Next meeting date:  Tues, March 16 at 6pm.  Zoom.

Public input – Barry Zizter wants to encourage looking into a high speed charging station in Bethlehem.  Charge Point provided Littleton charging station.  Barry will send information to David.

Adjourn at 7:20 Mary Lou made a motion, Mark seconded. All in favor.

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Bethlehem Energy Commission (BEC) is appointed by the Select Board. All meetings are open to the public.

 

Clerical Assistant Nicole McGrath ensures that BEC meeting notices, agendas, and minutes are posted as necessary.

 

To find BEC info go to: www.bethlehemnh.org

-go to government tab

-our committee is listed under: boards and committees tab

-our meetings are posted through Nicole on: agendas and minutes tab

(Nicole also posts a hard copy of meeting notices in the Town Hall and at the post office.)