It is a race for solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) for solar energy production businesses, and now a second solar farm applicant has asked the Rochester Planning Board for an immediate approval without fully meeting all of the board’s expectations before rendering a decision.

Request denied.

SRECs are tradable credits that are issued upon every 1,000 kilowatts of green energy produced and can be sold or traded; in essence, SRECs are essential to the economic viability of a solar farm.

Although the Melink Corporation had been before the Planning Board on a number of occasions with continuances ensuing from requests by the board, none of the members on February 23 were ready to grant the approval for the Snipatuit Pond Road solar energy facility, even with the board’s ability to issue a set of special conditions for the plans and construction.

For Chairman Arnold Johnson, with the bad taste still left from a previous project’s approval before issues had been put to rest, it was about avoiding setting a precedent.

“We’ve been burned two times before and we said this about any project, not just solar…” said Johnson. The board does not approve applications for special permits until the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) finished its approval of the project, he reiterated.

Also still pending for this project is appropriate language pertaining to the acquisition of 100 acres of land Melink is donating to the Town of Rochester. The town wants assurance that it will be accessible for passive recreational use and that logging roads in the woods would be accessible and maintainable by the Town.

“They (NHESP) are obviously concerned with preserving habitat, and we’re (the town) concerned with the passive recreational use,” said Town Counsel Blair Bailey. “There’s a big issue still hanging out there as far as the town is concerned. I just want to see it in black and white.”

Bailey added, “We’ve said right from the start with any project … that if it’s in the habitat area that we would hold our decision open until [completion].”

Melink’s engineering representative Evan Watson told the board that, without approval that night, the company could miss out in the application process because it must submit a package as complete as possible, including approvals from appropriate town boards.

According to Watson, the financial viability of Melink’s solar farm hinged on a speedy completion of the application package.

Johnson disagreed. He said he learned through personal research that not having a complete application does not preclude the company from filing their package tomorrow.

“It’s just not a hundred percent complete,” Johnson pointed out. “That’s not the town’s concern.”

Bailey explained how having a more complete package would bump Melink up higher on the State’s queue of projects under review, which would be of benefit to Melink.

So what is the urgency, several board members asked?

“Because [Melink doesn’t] know where they are in the queue and the impression they have from the state … is the sooner you have approval … the higher we’ll put you in this ‘under review queue’ that’s sitting out there. That’s where the sense of urgency comes from.”

The current dollar amount value for one SREC is $285, but the value is volatile and trends toward dropping annually, Bailey explained.

Johnson also noticed a couple of things that still needed to be addressed in the draft decision he held in his hand – details that had changed since it was written.

“Here we are now, at what you would like to call the finish line,” said board member Gary Florindo, “and we’re looking at what we really want … and need and it’s really not our fault.”

Watson replied, saying it was his impression that the board looked favorably on the project, after hammering through the details for weeks.

“I think that we’ve come to a place in the permitting process where we didn’t have to move mountains,” said Watson to the board.

But, why change a precedent, asked board member Michael Murphy.

“Like you said,” Murphy motioned to Johnson, “we’ve been burned twice. Get everything done, come see us, and we’ll take care of it.”

Bailey said he thought the project could be wrapped up at the next meeting.

“I think you can get your ducks in a row and get everything accomplished,” Florindo said to Watson.

One resident, John Hall, seated in the audience, asked the board why Town Meeting didn’t have the chance to approve the land acquisition from Melink. What about precedent in that regard?

“Are we going to change that because all three selectmen are [on board]?” asked Hall. “The town should probably vote in accepting that…”

Bailey agreed with Hall, saying, “That’s always been the town’s procedure, but it doesn’t have to be.”

“But we’re talking about precedent here.”

The matter was continued for the next meeting.

Just before adjourning, Planning Board member Ben Bailey spoke to Johnson’s comment that the board’s agenda will be light without any further solar farms in the near future.

“It has been suggested that we can no longer call ourselves the Planning Board,” Ben Bailey said. “We have to call ourselves the ‘Solar Panel.’”

In other matters, for Renewable Generation Energy, LLC, applicant for the solar farm slated for New Bedford Road in the center of town, was continued until March 8 at the applicant’s request.

The next meeting of the Rochester Planning Board is scheduled for March 8 at 7:00 pm, back over at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry

While the Marion Board of Selectmen was interviewing Elizabeth Howe, one of three candidates for the Council on Aging Director position to come before the board during the special meeting on February 23, she made mention of an imminent situation with the VFW building.

About a month ago, the selectmen learned that the Veterans of Foreign Wars building on Mill Street would be vacant effective June 30, and they are now considering using the building as a senior center for the Town of Marion.

Selectman Stephen Cushing said dwindling membership had forced the organization’s hand. Acting Town Administrator Judith Mooney said the VFW is currently working with their legal team to review options, one of which would be to donate the land and building to the town.

Selectman Jody Dickerson said everything was very premature, but the fire chief and the town’s facility manager had both taken a “walk-through” of the VFW building and found it to be structurally sound.

“There would need to be moderate updates and improvements,” Dickerson cautioned. Not wanting to be overly optimistic, and being mindful that the voters will have the final say, Mooney reiterated that it was too early to say much more than what had been shared.

Both selectmen noted that if all goes well, the donation will be put before the voters as soon as the spring town meeting.

Regarding Howe’s interview, she explained through a series of questions alternately put to her by the selectmen that she possesses a deep background in community involvement, social services, and program development, although it has been primarily in museum operations. Her personal experience with her elderly mother, however, had heightened her awareness of the growing needs of an aging population, one that she felt she was ready to serve.

Howe also shared through questioning that every job requires a certain amount of marketing and selling capabilities and to that end, she felt fully qualified to help the town secure expanded programs, resident involvement, and funding. Howe resides in Mattapoisett.

Cynthia Byers, another candidate for the position, is currently relocating from Connecticut to Onset. She said that when she read the job posting, she thought, “The things you are looking for I possess … compassion and the right background.”

Byers is currently working for the State of Connecticut in human services. She had been a CNA, has a degree in mental health, has worked with disabled and cognitively-impaired persons, and set-up an Alzheimer’s program.

Heather Sylvia, the third candidate, is a lifelong New Bedford resident and the past outreach coordinator for the Acushnet COA. She is currently completing her bachelor’s degree at UMD and has promised her teenage son that she will graduate in the spring “before he starts there in the fall.” She is presently working for the New Bedford Council on Aging as a coordinator. Sylvia has eight years experience working for local councils on aging.

All three candidates were asked how they would handle personnel issues, what their communication style and strengths are, and how they would deal with public scrutiny, operations and budgets, and short- and long-term planning. Each offered examples highlighting their abilities.

Each candidate also believed that with a growing aging population of seniors, services would become increasingly important. Each said that the word “senior” should be replaced with “community” when discussing a center to house COA services.

Dickerson said the selectmen would announce their choice for the position at the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors.

By Marilou Newell

An annual gift to the Town of Rochester for $10,000 recently offered by Covanta Energy, owners of SEMASS, will benefit the Rochester Country Fair this year after the Board of Selectmen approved the allocation of $5,000 of the sum to help cover costs of this year’s event.

Waste Manager at Covanta met with selectmen on February 22 to formally present the funds, which are in addition to a previous $10,000 the company donated to the Town to help cover the cost of the town’s new fire truck.

“We consider it a privilege,” said O’Connor of the funding contribution. “You people have always been very supportive of our project and we appreciate that.”

SEMASS, off Cranberry Highway, is located on 95 acres in the northeast part of Rochester. It is the largest of seven waste-to-energy combustion facilities in Massachusetts, processing about 1.2 million tons of waste annually and generating, in turn, about 650,000 megawatt hours of electricity every year. Covanta owns four of the state’s waste-to-energy combustion facilities.

“It’s all working out quite well, and we enjoy a great working relationship with you,” Town Administrator Michael McCue told O’ Connor. “We look forward to working with you for many … years to come.”

The board also awarded the Rochester Lions Club with $700, or the total cost of the police detail, for its upcoming Leprechaun Race on March 12.

Also during the meeting, Selectman and Town Clerk Naida Parker said voter registration has increased significantly, and she anticipates a high turnout for the March 1 presidential primary.

Parker said another roughly 200 residents have registered to vote since the last annual election, calling that “unheard of” here in Rochester. There are now 4,250 registered voters in Rochester.

Parker said she has also processed a surprisingly high number of absentee ballots for this primary election, which she said, will likely show a high voter turnout.

“This one I think is going to be a surprise,” Parker said.

In other matters, McCue told the board it may likely be a moot point holding a Special Town Meeting, given that it likely would not be held until the end of April, as long as the special legislation the Town is seeking to ratify the last Annual Town Meeting is approved. The Annual was held without a quorum.

McCue said he expects the 2016 Annual Town Meeting to be held in either May or June, and holding off the special until the annual could save money.

The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for February 29 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Jean Perry