Council advances creation of grant‑funded Energy Advocate to boost Mass Save participation
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Summary
The Ordinance Committee voted to send ordinance 4‑84‑25 establishing a grant‑funded "Energy Advocate" to the full council, pending city‑attorney language. Presenters said a Mass Save grant of $256,500 will fund outreach to roughly 700–800 landlord properties and target renters and households heated by electric or oil systems.
The Lawrence Ordinance Committee voted Jan. 13 to send an ordinance creating an Energy Advocate position to the full council with a favorable recommendation, pending the city attorney’s drafting of formal ordinance language.
Daniel McCarthy, the city’s planning director, and Anil (Mass Save program representative) told the committee the position is funded by a Mass Save grant (presenters reported $256,500) and will be housed in the Office of Planning and Development (OPD). The Energy Advocate will be a city employee whose role is outreach, enrollment assistance and coordination — not technical assessments or installations. Authorized Mass Save vendors will perform assessments and installations.
Presenters described a city‑scale outreach plan that targets about 700–800 landlord‑owned properties that use electric or oil heat; they estimated outreach could reach roughly 1,600–1,700 households. The office will prioritize renters, small landlords and non‑English speaking households (presenters specifically noted Spanish language outreach) and measure success through quarterly enrollment targets and tracked enrollments.
Councilors asked whether city employees who own qualifying rental property may participate. Presenters said employees may be eligible but must submit required disclosures and follow state ethics rules; enrollment will be first‑come, first‑served rather than preferential for city employees. Councilors also confirmed the grant covers the role for a limited period (presenters described it as a little over two years) and said continuation would be evaluated based on program value and outcomes.
A motion carried to send ordinance 4‑84‑25 to the full council with a favorable recommendation pending the city attorney’s final ordinance language. The committee also discussed sending the draft language to the city attorney promptly so final language may be available for the next council meeting.
Next steps: City staff will work with the city attorney to draft formal ordinance language and return the ordinance to the full council for final consideration.