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Reading Energy Board reviews progress on Robinson Hall, library, firehouse and town garage energy projects
Summary
At its August meeting, the Reading Energy Board heard MERP updates: Robinson Hall insulation work is complete and a $15,000 rewiring was approved by the Robinson Hall Trust, library structural reviews are under way, the firehouse faces blueprint access issues, the town solar array is performing well, and the town garage is being evaluated for on-site solar.
The Reading Energy Board met at 7:08 p.m. in August 2025 and reviewed multiple Municipal Energy Resilience Project (MERP) updates affecting town-owned buildings and infrastructure. Board members moved to approve minutes from the July meeting and heard progress reports on Robinson Hall, the library, the firehouse, the municipal solar array and an assessment of the Town Garage's electricity use.
Board members heard from Bill, who reported that at Robinson Hall "all old insulation in the attic is out" and that the vertical wall has been foamed. He said the Robinson Hall Trust has approved payment of about $15,000 for rewiring and for an upgraded 100–200 amp service. Bill said the board is seeking a second bid to comply with the town procurement policy and noted that "all solar vendors are extremely busy due to impending cessation of tax credits on solar technology." He asked whether procurement policy would allow pursuing a single bid to meet budget constraints.
At the library, Bill reported that on July 31 John Van Zandt and structural engineer Chris Temple reviewed snow-load calculations. The board's stated goal is to obtain drawings for the building and to pay invoices for the engineering work needed to move toward repairs or upgrades.
Regarding the firehouse, the board was told that John Turner Consulting (JTC) is collecting site data but that obtaining the Morton Buildings blueprint has been difficult because the plans are proprietary. Fire Chief Gary Vittum is involved in approving the process. The board discussed options including air-to-air heat pumps and noted that $3,000 had been invoiced for engineering to date; the next step is to solicit proposals and check vendor availability.
The board noted August 24 as the town solar array's anniversary and described system performance as good. Brian said he will continue to post updates to Front Porch Forum and provide quarterly reports to the select board.
Discussion of the Town Garage flagged that its electricity consumption represents approximately 20% of the town's municipal building use. Board members discussed on-site solar as a promising option, the need for multiple design alternatives, and potential grant support. Martha (MARC) was cited as the contact tracking grant opportunities; discussions with Bob Hartnet and Glen on design options were ongoing. Action item: Brian will analyze energy use and the project's financials and draft memo language on goals and cost effectiveness.
The board also agreed to staff a REB table at the Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4 as a weatherization recruiting and outreach opportunity. The next REB meeting was set for Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. The meeting was adjourned after Bill moved to adjourn and Kevin seconded; the time was recorded as 8:05 p.m.
Notes: the transcript lists attendance as "Bill, Bryan, Paul, Martha Harris (Marc)" but the minutes and several updates are attributed to "Brian." The transcript also refers to "Martha Harrison of MARC." That inconsistency in the transcript has been flagged; this article attributes spoken items only to speakers who are explicitly named in the transcript.
