Commission discusses EV charger reliability and rising building-code complexity; staff reports higher licensing test failure rates

Commissioners discussed maintenance and coverage of local electric-vehicle chargers and heard a building-department update about testing and code complexity.

On chargers: members reported several public chargers—particularly at Smith Vocational—were offline and that private property hosts and administrators had differing levels of engagement. Commissioners said existing ChargePoint equipment is expensive to procure and operate because of high equipment and cloud-service fees. Staff reported opportunities to replace aging chargers with lower-cost equipment that offers faster charging and lower cloud fees, and cited Mass EVIP and other programs as potential funding sources. Commissioners asked staff to explore replacement options, maintenance arrangements with property owners and the possibility of adding more chargers at strategic locations such as Sheldon Field and the Armory.

On building code: Louie Hasbrooke, speaking for the building department, said the new codes have increased technical complexity. He reported that the failure rate for the construction supervisor licensing exam has climbed from about 50% previously to roughly 75% currently, attributing the change to more technical content that requires engineering-level knowledge. Commissioners discussed implications for permit processing, project costs and vocational training; suggestions included outreach to Smith Vocational’s trades programs and monitoring how permit workloads shift toward architects and engineers.

No formal votes were taken on chargers or building-code items; commissioners directed staff to gather options for charger replacement and to continue monitoring licensing and permitting trends.