School committee backs town application to join state’s Climate Leader grant program

The Winchester School Committee on June 12 voted unanimously to support the Town of Winchester’s application to the state’s Climate Leader program, agreeing to two documents the town must submit to qualify for enhanced Green Communities funding.

The committee approved support for a municipal decarbonization roadmap and a ZEV (zero-emissions vehicle) first procurement policy. The motion asked the superintendent to prepare letters indicating the school committee’s support of the roadmap and the ZEV-first policy for the town’s Climate Leader application. The committee’s action followed a staff presentation from Ken Prue, the town sustainability director, and comments from Rick Eno, chair of the Climate Action Advisory Committee (CAC).

What the measures would do: Prue told the committee the ZEV-first policy sets an acquisition hierarchy: electric vehicles where feasible; plug-in hybrids if all‑electric options do not meet needs; then hybrid; and lastly the most fuel-efficient gasoline vehicles only if other choices are infeasible. The policy would exempt heavy-duty vehicles and emergency vehicles. The municipal decarbonization roadmap is a planning document that identifies how town- and school-operated buildings and vehicles would move to net‑zero carbon by midcentury, emphasizing replacements and major-renovation moments as cost-effective conversion points.

Funding implications: Prue said Climate Leader qualification would make Winchester eligible for an enhanced Green Communities grant cycle, including up to $150,000 in engineering studies and up to $1 million for fully engineered projects every three years. "Within one year we could bring in more than half of what we've brought in in the prior 10-plus years with a single grant," Prue said. Committee members noted such grants could fund projects that reduce operating costs over time, such as building electrification and solar installations.

Committee discussion and vote: Members from the policy subcommittee reported unanimous favorable recommendation. Several members said the schools have already started aligning with the town’s goals — the district’s Lynch Elementary project will be net zero and the nutrition services van is already electric — and supported prompt action to position Winchester for available funding. After a motion by committee member Tom Hopcroft, the vote to approve the committee’s support and to authorize the superintendent to send letters was unanimous.

Next steps: Town staff indicated they may apply by the June 30 deadline or opt to submit at the end of the year to better align the roadmap with capital-planning processes; the CAC advocated applying by June 30 to secure a priority position for grants. The school committee’s letters will be included in the town’s application materials.