Clarksburg Mulls Going Green
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"We can reduce our carbon footprint of the town and generate energy," McKinney said at Wednesday's meeting at Town Hall. "This building gets an incredible amount of sunshine. It seems to be wasted at this point."
He asked the two other members of the board, Chairwoman Debra Lafave and Lily Kuzia, to join him in creating a panel that could research alternative energy possibilities and offer recommendations.
The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative is offering grants for communities that invest in green energy, McKinney said. Right now, that is limited to photovoltaic (solar) and or wind systems.
"They want the building to consume 50 percent of the power generated," he said, and if the energy source produced more than needed, "that would go into the [electric] grid and reverse or reduce that used from the electric company."
Town Administrator Michael Canales said the Highway Department has been successful in cutting the heating bill of the town garage through use of a wood furnace and that the school building committee is considering renewable energy options should a new school be constructed.
If there is a decision to go with alternative energy sources, he suggested the work be done on one of the new buildings.
Lafave said the idea was interesting but wanted time to read through the paperwork McKinney had provided. Kuzia wondered if having a second energy source would mean the town did not have to have an emergency generator.
Canales said no, because the state requires a generator as a backup. And, for example, too many cloudy days would mean little or no power from a photovoltaic system, he added.
McKinney said a volunteer panel could research and answer questions about which systems might be appropriate and offered to work on it. He suggested getting the school involved as well since the project could be a learning experience for the children who will have to work with these energy sources in the future.
"We're starting a new year and it was something I wanted to bring to the board's attention for the benefit of the town and the planet," said McKinney.
In other business:
• There will be a public hearing on Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall on the amended special permit for a gravel removal operation off Wheeler Avenue for D&M Industries.
• Canales reported that construction bids for the new police space in Town Hall will go out to bid next week. The bid is expected to be awarded by the end of February and the renovation to be completed by June.
• Budget work should begin at the board's regular meeting on Feb. 13. Canales said the governor had released his budget but it was unsure what the Legislature would do it. There was discussion over a ballot question this year that would repeal the income tax.
Canales and McKinney said a repeal would devastate towns and put more pressure on homeowners through property taxes.
The town now receives about $1.69 million from the state toward its $2.3 million school budget, said Canales. The loss of that funding would mean another $20 on every $1,000 of property valuation.
Kuzia said such an increase would force the town's elderly who are on fixed incomes to make tough choices.
"Our legislators need to find the intestinal fortitude to raise the income tax [back to the 2000 level]," said McKinney. "For a cup of coffee a day, we could fix our budget problems."
