The proposed, solar-array project atop Marion’s capped landfill at Benson Brook, originally estimated to cost $880,000 to connect to Eversource, is now estimated to cost over $1,000,000. Other towns are reportedly in the same boat.

            The Marion Energy Management Committee heard from Maria Marasco, executive director of the Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative, Incorporated, via Zoom during its January 22 meeting, and part of her message was that the interconnection costs for a solar array atop the Benson Brook landfill do not make the project worthwhile, at least as its business model is proposed.

            Nonetheless, the CVEC recommends moving forward rather than starting over.

            Marion is a member of CVEC, a government entity that makes no profit as such and acts on behalf of its members to ensure “sound, competitive renewable energy procurements.” The CVEC oversees projects from construction to operation and into management. The Town of Marion paid a one-time procurement fee for this project to cover the CVEC’s expenses.

            Eversource, meanwhile, is said by municipal boards in the Tri-Towns to be taking stock of its entire capacity in light of the many municipalities applying for connections for proposed solar projects.

            What has come out of CVEC’s review of the Benson Brook Landfill solar proposal is a recommendation that under a power-purchase agreement (PPA) in which the CVEC would collect power and resell it to Marion, the project becomes viable.

            For every kilowatt hour of electricity generated, it was calculated that Eversource will pay out 24 cents, adding up to $260,000 per year out of which the town would have to pay the project developer. It was speculated that the developer might charge 18 cents, considered a conservative baseline.

            If CVEC can convert the project to a PPA, the belief is that $60,000 can be earned in net cash from Eversource.

            EMC member Alanna Nelson, as Marion’s representative to CVEC, planned to work on the matter over the next couple of weeks.

            A “cash-out” project means Marion can put the money toward anything, including its General Fund but not in a potential solar project atop the Police Station. Marasco said it’s better for the town to enter a PPA.

            The CVEC has yet to become owner of such a project. “It’s a whole, new wheelhouse of activity,” explained Marasco, noting that the CVEC is deliberating whether to get into solar ownership.

            Elsewhere in town, a group study indicates that Marion needs upgrades to build new projects, but smaller projects (under 15kw) are doable.

            Business projects, not residential, are in the CVEC’s wheelhouse. The CVEC is soliciting projects to put into their Round 7 cycle. The cooperative operates under a statute that allows it to bundle towns’ projects together, which eliminates some redundancies. The CVEC plans to issue another RFP (bid process) in the spring.

            Marasco said the town should only have as many net-metering credits as its usage. Having them sitting on the books is not advantageous. The town had asked to pay one price over four installments that get project oversight. The CVEC will do an overview at no charge. Towns help each other by pooling their resources and have a broader range of competitive bidders.

            In answer to a question from EMC member Bill Saltonstall, Marasco said, while she believes Marion is not in danger of exceeding the usage limits in its contract with Future Generation Wind, she will review the matter and confirm.

            In response to EMC member Jennifer Francis’ question as to why not generate as big a project as possible, Marasco explained that the interconnection is only approved for 1,800,000 kwh per year. Individual projects are approved for a certain amount of capacity.

            The “nameplate capacity” of the photo-voltaic project as originally proposed for the Benson Brook Landfill is 1,493kw. The approximate annual energy production is 1,807,451 kwh; the guaranteed annual energy production is 1,536,333 kwh.

            This project will affect Marion’s capacity; the CVEC’s recommendation (and approval from town leadership) would send cash to the General Fund.

            Town Administrator Geoff Gorman also participated in the meeting, and the CVEC planned to meet with Gorman and Nelson during the next couple of weeks following the meeting.

            The next meeting of the Marion Energy Committee is scheduled for Monday, February 26, at 6:00 pm at the Police Station on Route 6.

Marion Energy Committee

By Mick Colageo

            The Old Rochester Regional Joint School Committee/Superintendents Union #55 met on Monday night and approved the calendar for the 2024-25 school year, but not without substantial discussion regarding the Christmas break.

            Because New Year’s Day 2025 falls on a Wednesday, the calendar is set up to bring back students for two days of school before the weekend.

            According to feedback received by committee members, some parents find that to be problematic when planning family vacations and wish there were two weeks of vacation and a slightly longer school year.

            As planned, students will get early release on Friday, December 20 and come back on Thursday, January 2.

            ORR committee member Margaret McSweeny said she received a lot of feedback preferring two full weeks at Christmas and wanted to make sure, in keeping with those residents’ wishes, the committee that requested community feedback follow up with discussion of the matter.

            Cristin Cowles (union side) cited feedback from working parents, noting their preference to add two days to the end of the school year to get two full weeks of holiday vacation.

            The academic calendar will reach the 180-day mark on June 11 and as usual, build in five days for potential cancellations, so that Day 185 is June 18. If school needed to extend further, it cannot be held on June 19, the Juneteenth holiday.

            If, however, school extended into a new week, Matt Monteiro (ORR) cautioned that the “last day of school being a Monday is not a recipe for success.”

            Monteiro mused at the idea of tweaking the calendar so that students would return on Friday, January 3, lessening the risk of them missing two days and then only adding one day to the back end of school. He suggested, in such a case, that the administration could maybe encourage curriculum to be more enrichment based.

            “I think of our teachers,” said Michelle Smith, the ORR School Committee chairperson, not in favor of asking them to come back on Friday, January 3.

            Another subject of debate was early release for professional development on Wednesday, May 28, due to the competing interests of MCAS in the elementary schools and final exams at the high school.

            Both sides voted to approve the calendar as proposed without voting on Kindergarten dates pending further information from the administration.

            Nelson said the administration shared the draft of the calendar earlier in this cycle than in years past.

            Opening Day will be Wednesday, August 28. New teachers will enter the program on August 22, and August 26-27 will see teachers meetings in advance of the students’ arrival.

            September 25 is the first early release for professional development.

            Member Carly Lavin (union), the chair of the Mattapoisett School Committee, explained that the election community had asked the school committees to consider November 5 (presidential election) as a day without students in the buildings, so that will be a full professional-development day.

            Wednesday, November 27, the day before Thanksgiving, is early release.

            February vacation will be held February 17-21, and April vacation on April 21-25.

            The committees had their most substantial policy discussion on fundraising.

            Nelson had introduced a lengthy list of policies that the JSC would discuss and vote upon, along with new policies that they would digest and then vote upon when the committee next convenes.

            While discussing “JJE Student Fund-Raising Activities,” there was confusion between fundraising for school-sponsored activities, groups and events and fundraising for the sports boosters, which are supported by the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO.)

            April Nye (ORR) was concerned with the policy as written, especially as it may affect the Fun Run held annually, but McSweeny argued that the policy does not address the boosters because they file under a different tax number and the Fun Run should be treated as an outside activity.

            Nye then sought clarification as to whether the PTO organizations in the ORR district are exempt to the JSC’s policies.

            “I think we need to clarify with our principals,” said McSweeny, reiterating her contention that PTO’s report their own taxes.

            Monteiro suggested an addendum “by the school itself” or “school-sponsored fundraising” in order to clarify the language, but Nye reiterated her confusion and said, “Reading this verbatim, we’d be violating our policy doing any fundraising.”

            Union #55 Chairperson Sharon Hartley suggested the policy be sent back for further study before a vote is taken. Both sides of the JSC voted to do so.

            The rest of the policies were voted for approval without dissent on either side of the committee.

            New policies that will not be voted on until the next JSC meeting included the following: Community Use of Digital Resources (an umbrella policy for security when visitors are in ORR buildings); District Website and Social Media VIII; District Security Relating to Technology; Data and Records Retention; Personnel Use of Technology and Student Use of Technology in School (code of conduct.)

            Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations Howie Barber joined the meeting to update the JSC on the bus contract with Amaral that is sunsetting after this school year.

            Barber said the district has three separate contracts with Amaral. ORR attempted to do a joint, consolidated contract, but it did not work out very well, according to Barber, who cited “significant increases” and said the district sought a rebate.

            At present, contract proposals for the 2024-25 school year are being collected, and Barber explained that ORR has “created scenarios and results of what we would do” in various hypothetical negotiations scenarios. The goal, he said, is to “have the least amount of (financial) impact, especially when you look at academic costs these days.”

            In their chairpersons’ reports, both Smith and Hartley made brief remarks, Hartley encouraging attendees to build on unity by asking questions and Smith thanking the community for its dedication and collaborative effort, noting her confidence in positive change and the commitment to foster an environment of mutual respect with respectful dialogue.

            In his opening remarks, Nelson said that since coming together with school-improvement plans, all schools in the ORR District are now on a one-year plan and that strategic planning is in a good place as the schools take on a new-year perspective. The four districts have received grants from the Department of Education that he says will reinforce ORR’s acceleration road map from February to April.

            Dr. Shari Fedorowicz, ORR’s assistant superintendent of Teaching & Learning, said that included in that funding is the ability to enact the “SOA” (Student Opportunity Act), which mandates that schools create plans to bridge achievement gaps with a review process required. ORR’s SOA will include “actionable strategies” to address low academic performance related but not limited to English Language Learning.

            ORR’s SOA plan is due on April 1 and will need committee approval. Nelson said the approval process goes through the district. He assured the committee that its aspirations will find achievement despite the limitations of the budget.

            Nelson also discussed the weekly newsletter and ORR’s Facebook page, which has 400 likes. He says the page, part of the ORR Connect theme, has helped the district communicate with the parents of Kindergarten children.

            The JSC voted to enter an executive session for purposes of exceptions #3 (strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation) and #7 (compliance with the law or federal grant-in-aid requirements) and planned to return to open session only to adjourn.

            The next meeting of the Joint School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, March 28, at 6:30 pm at the ORR Junior High School media room and via Zoom.

ORR Joint School Committee/Superintendents Union #55

By Mick Colageo