Renewable Energy Working Group Meeting Minutes 5/4/22
Renewable Energy Working Group Meeting Minutes 5/4/22
Meeting date: Wednesday, May 4, 2022
MREWG meeting May 4, 2022, 5:00 pm at Monterey Community Center, 468 Main Rd, Monterey.
Members attending in person: Peter Murkett, chair; Rob Hoogs, member
Members attending remotely: Peter Grealish, member
A quorum of three members was present.
Non-members attending in person or via zoom: Shawn Tryon joined the meeting via zoom at 5:25.
Agenda:
• Report on meeting with Town Counsel
• Funding options for hiring a consultant
• Options for promoting residential solar
• Approve/amend draft minutes of meeting on Wed, April 27, 2022
Meeting was called to order at 5:09 pm.
Brief discussion about the meeting (approved by the Select Board) held on April 27, 2022 between Town Counsel represented by Brian Riley and Chris Pollart and MREWG represented by Chris Aidun and Rob Hoogs. The agenda for the meeting was:
1. Canvassing private landowners regarding their interest in leasing land for a large-scale PV site. Site criteria include proximity to existing 3-phase power lines; open, south facing slope; array readily screened from casual view.
2. Steps leading to a contract for a PV array. Estimates, RFPs, bid specs, procurement, etc.
3. REWG undertaking solar installations for the firehouse and pavilion on behalf of the Monterey Fire Company, the non-profit entity which owns these buildings.
4. Private donations to fund various REWG efforts, including a step-by-step feasibility study by a consultant such as Beacon Integrated Systems.
Town counsel advised that the REWG should have a consultant to assist with the technical issues of evaluating and designing solar PV systems and for preparing the specifications and procurement documents for obtaining bids or quotes as required. Town Counsel offered to send REWG the names of several consultants that other municipal clients have used for similar projects. Arranging to install PV panels on municipally owned buildings or land would be the simplest process for the town. Installing panels on the Monterey Fire Company roof would be slightly more complicated, but since the town already has an agreement for use of the Fire Company Building, Town Counsel expected that could be done with much difficulty. As to the town installing a PV installation on private property, REWG could go through a procurement process to solicit proposals from private property owners for a municipally-owned PV installation. The Zoning Bylaws should be reviewed and probably will need to be updated to facilitate the approval of a large scale PV installation on private land. Right now, only the one 10 acre town-owned property behind the firehouse pavilion is zoned to allow a large scale PV installation by right. Town counsel said that fund raising for the purpose of paying for some portion of the fee for a PV consultant for the REWG was very feasible; a dedicated fund would be established by the Town Treasurer for the purpose and the funds could be expended for the stated purposes with the approval of the Select Board. No Town Meeting approval would be required for acceptance of the donated funds or for the expenditures.
Fire Company: Fire Chief Shawn Tryon joined the meeting via zoom. Chief Tryon reported that the Fire Company would be meeting in the near future to consider REWG’s written proposal to solicit proposals for a PV installation on the Fire Company roof. Peter Murkett confirmed that the intent is that REWG would do the “heavy lifting” and would not ask the Fire Company to do any of the work.
Consultant: REWG members agreed that we need a consultant as soon as practical and to begin looking into potential grants and/or fund raising opportunities to pay for these services. We agreed to propose to the Select Board about using a portion of the ARPA funds to pay for the consultant. Peter Murkett agreed to discuss this with Town Administrator Melissa Noe.
In order to budget for a consultant’s fees, REWG discussed a potential Scope of Services:
- Prioritize installation of Solar PV panels on municipal buildings – preliminary design and specification of PV system for procurement
- Feasibility study of existing town properties to assess the feasibility and costs/benefits of a large scale PV installation.
- Initial cursory review of private properties for a Town-sponsored large-scale PV installation; determine what would it cost to do a detailed study.
Committee discussed other public outreach to encourage and educate about Renewable Energy opportunities, including possibly having booths by solar PV vendors at the Steak Roast, Lake Fest, and other events this summer; we could also arrange for speakers at the next community Pot Luck Supper. We could have fliers at the Transfer Station.
Chris Aidun joined the meeting via zoom at 6:00 p.m. Peter Murkett summarized our discussions.
Meeting adjourned at 6:05 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Peter Murkett, Chairperson
Monterey Renewable Energy Working Group