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Select Board approves amendment to Ameresco solar lease at transfer station; memorandum and signatures discussed
Summary
The Select Board approved an amendment to the town's lease with Ameresco at the transfer station, following required state and town approvals and adjustments to fencing to protect the landfill cap.
The Select Board approved an amendment to the lease with Ameresco governing the solar installation at the town transfer station, closing out a multi-year project that the board said will return revenue to the town.
Town officials said the solar arrays are producing and that the lease amendment—already approved by town meeting and reviewed by the Conservation Commission and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)—reflects a revised fence location required to protect the landfill cap. "They moved the fence. ComCom approved it. DEP approved it. The town meeting approved it," the Town Administrator said.
Officials reported the town paid roughly $1 million to cap the landfill in 1999 and that the solar project repurposes otherwise unused land. Board members said proceeds from the lease will be available for town projects. The administrator also described an annual payment increase tied to an assessor valuation effective Jan. 1, 2026: "the next increase in our payment will be as of what's in place in 01/01/2026, which will bring us up to the full $14,545,000," the Town Administrator said at the meeting (amount quoted as stated during the meeting).
The board moved, voted and recorded approval for the amendment during the meeting. Members discussed who should sign the document and whether all three board members should sign as the landlord; the board agreed that all members should sign and arrange notarization as needed. The administrator said final lawyer and signature logistics would be worked out after the vote.
The board recorded a motion to approve the lease change and indicated the motion carried after members voted, with no additional amendments recorded at the meeting.
