School facilities staff reported that the municipal light department (MLD) will lead and own an EV-charging installation planned for the Brown School parking lot and that the school district will provide the land parcel. "They're going to own the project. The only thing we will own is the land," staff member Mike said during the facilities update.

MLD told staff it will run an RFP if the project exceeds the state's purchasing threshold; MLD committed to owning the charging stations and handling installation, maintenance, wiring and underground work. Staff said the district will not pay for the installation equipment and that charging at the stations will be a paid service for users. The presentation noted MLD currently manages about 10 charging stations in town and that MLD's current per-kilowatt charge (reported in the meeting as about $0.22–$0.26/kWh) is below the rate staff described as nearer the long-term expected price (around $1.20/kWh), a disparity the light department acknowledged.

Facilities staff described practical testing of an electric district van: on a recent charge they reported that adding a half charge required roughly 3.5 hours and cost about $4; staff said the vehicle’s range under optimal conditions is about 120 miles, dropping to about 80 miles in winter. Staff asked the light department to target a higher-amperage charger at the district site (not necessarily a Level 3 fast charger) so the van can receive a quicker charge.

The committee and staff also discussed whether district vehicles (for example, a school van) can use town chargers; staff said the district has already charged a vehicle using a town charger. Legal and contract details remain to be finalized with town counsel and MLD prior to installation.

This is a partnership where the town will own the equipment and the district will provide siting; final agreement language and pricing remain to be reviewed by town legal counsel before construction and operation.