The Marion Select Board passed on a chance to procure solar panels right now for the newly constructed Department of Public Works building but gave the green to a new tradition – a holiday buoy tree to raise money for a local food pantry.
These were two items discussed at length at the November 4 Select Board meeting at the police station conference room.
Members of the Energy Management Committee told the Select Board that if the town were to place solar panels on a portion of the roof, it would power the entire DPW’s electricity costs and could generate revenue for other town electric costs. They said if they were to do it before a June deadline, the town would be eligible for a 30-percent federal tax credit, decreasing the upfront costs from $90,000 to $67,000.
EMC member Jennifer Francis said the federal tax credit is expected to end in June. She said even without the tax credit, it would only take the town a little over six years to pay off the initial costs. Without the credit, it would take around five years, Francis said.
Select Board Chair Randy Parker said that it is not a possibility to pay for that in the middle of the budget cycle and without Town Meeting approval.
Though Parker said he is not against the idea, he said there were risks involved, including maintenance such as snow removal.
EMC members and other officials said that there is little to no maintenance and snow removal is not necessary. Citing her own home, she said that the panels produce energy with snow on them and there is no leakage or other issues on many of the arrays on residential homes.
Select Board members John Hoagland and Norman Hills spoke in favor of it, saying it would help the town financially.
“We all know the cost of electricity is going up and it is not going to change. We know the sun is going to be there and it’s not going to change,” Hoagland said, adding it would be a legacy for town officials to approve this project, saving money for future generations.
Hoagland agreed with Parker that paying for the upfront costs in the middle of a budget season is not a possibility. Town Administrator Geoffrey Gorman also agreed that the timing was not right.
The Select Board recommended that the EMC go before the Capital Improvement Planning Committee and get it approved to be on the May Town Meeting warrant.
Francis also told the Select Board that the town has made over $1.1 million through its ownership in wind turbines. She asked the town to start a revolving fund and use that money to improve energy efficiency in town buildings, as well as other energy saving initiatives.
Parker said because that request was not on the agenda the board could not entertain any vote on it.
Francis said she and the EMC will report to the next Select Board meeting on November 18 for that request.
Tabor Academy students Morgan Karvonen, Taylor Karvonen, and Deming Dwyer received approval for a new tradition – a wooden tree with 300 buoy ornaments on them. The three high school juniors said they have started a non-profit and have raised $5,000, which will go to a food pantry in Wareham.
The tree, which will be lit, will be near the town Music Hall and to the left of its civil war monument.
Taylor Karvonen told the Select Board that the location is in the center of town and is close to an electric supply outlet.
Chris Karvonen, the father of Morgan and Taylor, said it will be approximately 10 feet high with a five-foot base. He said it will be built so it can be easily taken apart and put up. Morgan and Taylor Karvonen, as well as Dwyer, said they have been selling pre-painted buoys and plain ones so townsfolk can decorate the tree. The non-profit group has sold $400 worth of painted ornament buoys and $275 in plain ones. The group has also relied on local businesses for support and hope to have the tree up by Thanksgiving.
The Select Board approved the project.
The Select Board also met with the Board of Assessors and agreed to keep the town at a single tax rate because 94 percent of tax revenue is residential.
Assessors said that the Department of Revenue has approved that rate.
The Select Board members also met at length with members of the Old Rochester Cable Television representatives.
ORCTV representatives said that with cable revenue cut in half in recent years, ORCTV has had to work with fewer staff and work harder to maintain community programming, which include government meetings for Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester, as well as school-based programming. So far, there is no plan to cut programming, but ORCTV representatives said they are hoping a legislative bill on the table will help generate revenue for local access cable across the state.
In other news, Gorman reported that the new DPW building is almost complete and will be move-in ready by the end of the month.
The next meeting of the Marion Select Board will be Tuesday, November 18 at 6:00 pm in the Marion Police Department.
Marion Select Board
By Jeffrey D. Wagner