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Board hears MERP energy recommendations for town hall and library; historic review may delay work
Summary
Select Board received MERP contractor recommendations to replace town-hall furnaces and add heat-pump support for the library, but historic-preservation paperwork and reimbursement rules could delay or limit what the town can change.
Town staff and board members reviewed recommendations from MERP (the municipal energy retrofit process) for the town hall and the Bakersfield Town Library. The board was told the town-hall forced hot-air oil furnaces should be replaced with more efficient units and that the library could be augmented with a heat pump while keeping the existing boiler to maintain heat during very cold weather.
A staff member warned that changes affecting the exterior or ground disturbance require a historic-preservation form and approval from the historic-preservation trust, a process that can take up to a month. "Without that form, they can't proceed," the presenter said, noting that some recommended items are contingent on the trust's approval. Board members raised funding concerns and discussed using town crews (door sweeps, minor installations) to reduce contractor costs and maximize available grant reimbursement. The MERP timeline and the need to upload receipts for reimbursement mean projects must be staged and budgeted carefully.
