Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Green Communities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Templeton extends Green Communities grant; town weighs using $58,000 for phased school lighting upgrades
Summary
The select board secured an extension on its Green Communities designation grant, preserving about $58,000 through Sept. 30, 2027. The administrator flagged failing 'smart' classroom lighting at the elementary school and proposed using grant funds toward a phased replacement; the board asked staff to research prior grant uses and return with options.
The Town of Templeton has won an extension that preserves roughly $58,000 from its Green Communities designation grant, the town administrator told the Select Board, and officials discussed using that remaining money to begin replacing obsolete school lighting that is wasting energy.
The administrator said the town’s original Green Communities award was about $153,180 and that prior projects have reduced the remaining balance to roughly $58,000. “I signed an extension contract which is good now through September 30th, 2027,” the administrator said, noting the extension prevents the state from closing out the grant and losing the remaining funds.
Why it matters: the school district (NRSD) contacted the town after finding that the elementary school’s installed “smart” lighting vendor has gone out of business and replacement parts are becoming unavailable. The administrator described classrooms where malfunctioning panels leave lights on overnight, creating avoidable energy and cost impacts. He said vendors told staff the work can be completed in pieces, which matches the grant’s eligibility for incremental projects.
Board members asked staff to check how prior Green Communities funds were used and whether any of the remaining $58,000 had been previously committed to projects such as windows, insulation or accessibility-related items. “We don’t want to spend $58,000 if it was intended for our windows,” one board member said, asking staff to report back at the next meeting.
The administrator cautioned that $58,000 would cover only part of a lighting replacement and that any multi-party costs (for example, costs shared with the regional school district for a jointly owned building) would need clarification. He also noted that using the grant for these projects could make the town eligible for additional competitive Green Communities grants in the future, though nothing is guaranteed.
Next steps: staff will research the town’s prior Green Communities expenditures, obtain cost estimates for phased replacement of the elementary school lighting, and return with options so the board can decide whether to submit a project application before the extension deadline.
