Selectmen approve pursuing three-year regional energy manager assistance with MRPC and National Grid

The Board of Selectmen on Jan. 28 authorized staff to pursue a three-year energy manager assistance arrangement offered through the regional planning commission and National Grid that would provide no-cost technical support to identify energy-efficiency projects and incentives.

Ryan Brooks, a member of the town finance committee and the regional energy team, described a proposal that would let the town "piggyback" on Montachusett/CMRPC work. The program would supply an energy manager to help identify projects such as lighting upgrades and other incentive-eligible measures, and a National Grid representative would provide potential incentives.

There is no direct cost for the town to participate, but Ryan and others noted that any individual retrofit project that required town matching funds or change orders would need separate Selectmen approval. "There is no payment out of pocket for the town" for the assistance itself, one speaker said; Selectmen agreed to pursue the program and to review any proposed projects case-by-case.

Selectmen noted the town has already done large lighting upgrades and that any suggested projects that require matched funds would be evaluated against bond or reserve restrictions. The board authorized staff to apply and to follow up on the potential for matching specific projects—one example discussed was using bond proceeds for energy measures at the highway/fire facility if those items qualify.

Next steps: staff to complete the application and coordinate with Montachusett/CMRPC and National Grid; project recommendations will come back to the board for approval before any town funds are committed.