11/24/2020 EC Minutes

Bethlehem Energy Commission

Virtual Meeting

Tuesday November 24, 2020  6:00pm

Minutes

Attending: David Van Houten, Bruce Caplain, Melissa Elander, Mary Lou Krambeer

Absent:  Mark Koprowski and Dan Crosby

Profile solar

In the event that the board has taken a vote to go forward, we should do a press release with the school (SAU, board, principal).

TO DO:  Mary Lou will ask Mark. Next David will talk to school board member about a press release. Fitz and Kim Koprowski

Town solar project

Melissa – we were applying for USDA Rural Development’s new pot of money.  There was a USDA meeting today and an announcement that the disaster money was pulled out of their budget on October 1.  They expected a return of the funds back into their account hopefully soon and specifically by Dec 31 (if not the grant opportunity is not available).  Grant amounts are usually $30-$50k unlike this special $165k opportunity.  We will wait and see…

Town hall boilers

David called many people on Friday and requested proposals to look at our options.  David received a proposal from both Margaret Dillon and is waiting on a proposal from Resilient Building Group.  Proposal from Margaret will do an assessment of options and a cost/benefit analysis without installation costs. CDFA will pay for ¾ of fee.  Fee expected at about $4000, cost to Town would be $1000.  Bruce said Selectmen would like clear recommendations.  We may have to take the consultant reports and go to a second step to get estimates from engineers to spec out various options.  Melissa – suggested we apply for the full amount of $6000 to: 1)look at our options and 2)receive a system design from engineers.  Expenses in excess of the grant would be picked up by Town with the possibility of a loan.

Next steps:

David — circulate both proposals; all—review proposals and make a recommendation to the Town; Bruce – deliver the recommendation to the Selectboard; apply for the CDFA reimbursement grant (we do draft, then hand it off to Town of Bethlehem to submit through CDFA web portal)

Next meeting date:  Mary Lou will circulate possible meeting dates in January.

Meeting adjourned at 6:28pm.  Minutes by Mary Lou.