Bedford Energy Commission readies outreach for Article 15 on community power; CPCNH launch delayed

The Town of Bedford Energy Commission agreed on a short outreach message and a multi-pronged campaign to support Article 15, the warrant article on community power, after being told Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire (CPCNH) will delay new town launches until the second half of 2025.

The commission settled on the slogan, “Vote yes on Article 15 — lower rates, more choices,” and discussed flyers, social‑media outreach and staffed tabling at transfer station and weekend coffee hours to answer questions before the March 11 vote. The group discussed using Facebook groups (including Concerned Parents and Bedford community pages) and neighborhood associations to reach voters.

Why it matters: The commission said a CPCNH launch gives residents automatic access to the program’s supply offering and the ability to opt up to greener power once CPCNH is active in Bedford. Commissioners emphasized that CPCNH will not start a launch in Bedford in March or June and that the first realistic launch window is “in the second half of this year,” with a likely effective date around Aug. 1 when new supply rates would be posted.

Commission members discussed the program’s price record and the legislative context. The commission noted CPCNH historically supplied power at prices materially below Eversource’s default supply rate over at least a 12‑month window, and that pending state legislation (identified in the meeting as HB 760) aims to change how under‑collections and cost shifting across customer classes are handled.

Outreach plan and logistics: Commissioners agreed to a simple three‑point message for handouts and signs, then discussed specific outreach tactics: a staffed table at transfer station, people sitting at Flight Coffee with a sign “Ask me about community power,” targeted posts on local Facebook groups, and distribution to neighborhood developments (Greenfield Farms and others). They planned one more commission meeting before the March 11 vote (scheduled Feb. 18) and noted the town deliberative session is Monday, Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. for the town side; the school deliberative session starts later the same night.

Meeting guidance and open‑meetings compliance: The commission discussed whether small, informal outreach gatherings (three to four members) constitute a quorum or meeting under right‑to‑know rules. Staff advised that gatherings that do not reach a quorum and do not deliberate on commission business are not considered formal meetings and do not require posting; subcommittee meetings or gatherings that would deliberate should be publicly noticed.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to invite CPCNH staff (an “Andrew” was discussed) back for another presentation in February if feasible, and to gather outreach materials that CPCNH may provide as a PDF for local printing.