Recording in progress. All right. I hereby call to order this regularly scheduled meeting of the Sunderland Select Board. The time is 6:30 p.m. All right. Our first order of business is to approve the minutes of our previous
meetings on 112 and 1:26. Uh oh, those will be reviewed in the next meeting. Never mind. All right. Uh our first new business today will be the energy committee is here to discuss the current um situation with the EV charger and the community
choice aggregation. Welcome. Thank you very much for joining us again. >> Thank you. Well, I can give you the 15 second summary, which is the energy committee is interested in getting EV chargers in town. >> Yeah, >> there's pros and cons with both and we're just kind of looking for some input from you folks. The long version
is this PowerPoint. So I put together this PowerPoint just to kind of spell it all out there for you so we can kind of make an informed decision. So we're looking at the feasibility and the need of EV chargers in Sunderland. And we think it's a worthy goal uh
philosophically to have some EV charging capabilities in town. Next slide. Okay. >> Quick question just to put myself up at the beginning. Yeah. Didn't we have somebody offer to give the town a bunch of EV chargers recently?
>> Yes, that is the we're getting we're okay. Sorry. >> You want to show the slideshow and then you >> slideshow. >> Click through it. >> Uh on the upper bar there's Well, it's underneath the >> banner there.
>> You want to do it >> here? Well, if you can click on that on the orange banner above it, you might get access. Sorry about that. >> On the share of mixer slideshow. >> Oh, okay. >> From the beginning.
>> From the beginning. There you go. >> And then Okay. >> So, >> I've been thrown into that. >> You have just joined 1980. >> My own before. So, so kind of the benchmark here is that that you look at
how long it takes a car to go from 20% up to 80%. >> You go beyond 80% it takes forever. I don't you know, even at home hardly ever. >> It's like filling your car with gas. >> Well, the analogy is over 80%. It's like going in Well, when you're 20%, it's like going into a movie theater and no
one's there and you can find a seat real easily. But as you get as it gets more full and more full, like 80% full, if you come in, you got to look all around to find the seat. I thought that was a pretty good analogy. All right, next. All right, so level one charger. And
there's my level one charger at home. Uh, it's on a runs on a regular 120 volt outlet. It's alternating current. It takes a long, long time. That's what I started off with before I got a a faster charger. All right, next is level two.
Um, and that's a 240 volt outlet like a stove or a dryer connection. It's also alternating uh current. This is generally what you see around here. Commercial charging stations except superchargers which are the next level three. It takes about 4 to 10 hours and
I had an electrician put a a Tesla level two charger in my garage and that you know four hours is probably a pretty good estimate for that. Three four hours. All right. Next is the level three, which at this point basically is just a supercharger.
It's a direct current. It takes 20, 25, 30 minutes to charge from 20 to 80%. Um, that's kind of the gold standard right there. Okay. Next around here, the should in addition to to the Tesla Supercharger, uh, we have a
whole variety of different companies that have set up these charging stations. Charge Point is probably the most popular one, but I looked around to see what was in our local vicinity and Electrify America, EVG Go, that's the one down at Stop and Shop, and you know,
so there are a bunch of them out there. I think they're all mostly compatible with the same kind of charging um cable, but I'm not real sure. All right, next. So, here's a map of our area showing in red, except for the heart red because
that's where I live. Um, and that's Sunderland. These are the number of charging stations and their locations around in our area. And you can see from Sunderland, the nearest ones are in Deerfield along the five and 10 corridor. If you want to go to
Supercharge, you got to go down to Hadley. There's a ton of stations down along Route 9 and Hadley. Again, you can see some are charge point, some are supercharged or EVgo, etc., etc. The next slide shows a blowup here. And there's a charge point at the
park and ride in and the Wheatly Deerfield line which is free. I Yeah, I sometimes go over there if I if I want to go out like a three or four hour bike ride, charge it up, go off, do my thing, and I'll >> Level two. Level two. >> Level two. Yeah, these are all level
two. >> Yeah. >> Uh and I'll get 30% maybe in that time period. Uh Yankee Candle has a commercial charging station as well that costs money, I think. Yep. Amp Amp up, it says. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. Uh the Deerfield Municipal Offices have two different charging stations right by the town hall there. And Treehouse has a free one too, but that's a destination charger. I'll get into that in a little bit, but >> there are actually additional ones now
in the Liry lot near the municipal offices. I think they have three additional ones. Maybe that's why there's two. >> Yeah, >> maybe two locations. Yeah, >> I found one of them. I have a few pictures of these >> in the new library is several. I'm not sure they're online yet, but they
they're installed. >> All right. Well, Deerfield has a lot. >> Okay. >> Yeah. All right. So, commercial chargers, um, the ones you pay for. There's just a list of what I just talked about basically with some pictures of them. The first one is the
the free EV charger at the park and ride in Wheatley. The middle one is the one at Yankee Candle and the right one is the supercharger down in heaven. All right. And so destination charger is a charger that a company puts in like
Treehouse thinking, okay, great. You're going to charge your car and go to our business and spend a lot of money or at least some money. So, uh, Treehouse has a couple of Tesla chargers and a couple of charge point chargers. >> Free. Free.
>> Free. Yep. Don't tell too many people about it. Sometimes, too. The Hampton N has one I noticed when I was out cruising around looking at them. And Yankee Candle. I call that a destination charger because it's kind of both, but it's a commercial charger really, too.
That's why it says both there. All right. Next. All right. All right. So, now we're getting to the to the good part. Massachusetts electric vehicle incentive program is offering level one and level two. I don't think there's
probably any level ones anybody wants, but they're offering level two uh EV charging stations for free if it's publicly accessible. If it's on town owned land or government owned land,
which is the middle point here, uh they will fund up to 100% of the hardware and installation costs to maximum of $50,000 per address. Um all other locations the agency funds up to 80%. I think that might be on private land, I would
assume. So anyway, this program exists as long as there's money and so far it's existed for at least a couple years and probably most of the chargers that you see on town own land around here is through this program. So
next slide. We um have been in contact many times with the folks from East Coast Renewable Energy. They're a private company that is offering basically to make this happen for a town. Um, I won't read through all of
this. Uh, you can see it if you want to. Um, but basically what they are willing to do is donate the station the installation costs based on the current mass EVIP um, incentives and we would not incur any out-ofpocket costs for the
first five years. This is important to note. All right. Next, please. All right. So, what they need for us to consider moving forward with this copy of the town's tax exempt form, our W2,
their application, an electric bill, uh says you should still be getting an electric bill, even the solar panels we have at the school. And if there's no electric bill, we need a letter from the town indicating the land is owned by the town. So, that all seems a W9, not W2.
Well, that's what he said was a W2. So, okay. >> Um, so we've talked to them on well, I don't know. I probably have 100 or 200 emails from the back and forth about this. Uh, we are we looked into a couple
of sites. Well, four sites actually. So, the one on the left is a park and ride right across from Blue Heron that has some limitations. It's only four four parking spots and one of them is a handicap spot. Um it's the most visible
site, probably the most centrally located. Um but a EV charger takes up two spaces and you're not supposed to to park there if you're not charging your EV. >> So yeah, my big concern is just not chewing up the variable of parking we
have there for the EV. I mean, I love the EVs, but >> we find a location that has more parking spaces. >> No, I hear you. How many people really use that as a parking ride? Like see a lot of cars there. >> I'm in Brooklyn and we've actually taken them out of service. >> Oh, really? For that reason? >> Well, yeah. People see them empty and
they get annoyed because it parkies. Yeah. >> Well, like there's two sides to >> No, I understand. I understand for sure. And the way we got back into it after initially deciding we didn't want to waste any effort getting level two chargers was um Ben Bareski, principal
of the elementary school, like they got some real interest from teachers to have a charger. So another site to consider is the elementary school parking lot which is pretty big. >> So my question about the elementary school parking lot before it even goes
too too far. I understand for the teachers that's great. Do we really want people sitting around in a grammar school parking lot for an hour? >> Well, >> I don't like that idea where kids are
involved. I really don't. I'm sorry. >> Well, >> I don't think it's safe. >> It kind of brings up an interesting question though about what who are you trying to help? Like are are >> right, but these have to be accessible to the public. The thing is who do we
think the >> right >> who do we think the market so like you know if there's a charger on the highway right we know it's for people who are you know traveling and they need to charge their cars but it seems to me these chargers that are in towns are
kind of convenience things that if you have an electric car you probably have a charger at home because it's impractical in our area for all the reasons that you said the length of time it takes to really count on these. So may you know
maybe the goal if you have them at the school was actually for for the teachers >> but they have to be publicly >> accepted but they're going to the teachers are going to pull in in the morning and plug in they're not going to be available. I don't know. I mean, same thing, >> right? And I don't mind somebody there
outside of school hours, but it's the during the school hours. I >> I just don't >> it just it seems to me it's an in unattractive place for someone who's not associated with the school. What are you going to do, you know? >> Yeah, I think that's that's a good
argument. >> But what East Coast Renewable says to us is you can restrict the hours that the public has access to. So, you could do it outside of school hours. So if yeah if it could be restricted I'm absolutely fine with that if that's part of their agreement. >> Are we talking about
>> dig pay stations? Okay. >> Yep. >> It's a money maker if it's being used a lot. >> Okay. So the the charge is nonarably higher than the cost of electricity. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. Next, please.
>> Oh, another question. Well, when when Ben Barsky approached us and talked about EV charging stations at the school, he didn't exactly say there was a huge demand among teachers, he more or less said this would be a good thing for the school to have in the future for
when more people are driving EVs. I imagine a lot of the teachers also charge their cars at home and wouldn't necessarily need a charging station at a school parking lot. >> Well, my memory of it is that he said, "Yeah, we have a few that have expressed some interest." There is also something
said for it being a barrier to getting one if your if your place of employment doesn't have charging at the at the location. >> People might be like, I don't want to count on being able to charge it at home enough to be able to make that work. And so having that might open the door for more teachers to decide they do want to
buy EVs because we have it available for them. So >> you're rent somewhere you can't get one at all when you need it. >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh I think everybody and this is a gross generalization perhaps. I think everybody who has an EV has home charging capabilities. So >> yeah,
>> these are valid arguments and we've we've discussed that amongst ourselves many times and you know like you said there's pros and cons here. Uh a couple other options are the library parking lot, the parking lot outside town hall right here. Um, I know Aaron has
expressed a lot of uh misgivings about the library because it is packed up sometimes for events that are there and to take two or four parking spaces for a charging uh station is >> it's not just me, it's the trustees and
library reservations. So, kind of like our transfer station debacle, um, we seem to be running out of feasible options here. And and there's one more the back of the town hall. So, okay. So, those are the ones
we've we have considered. Isn't that a pretty photograph? >> It is. >> Do you have any source of electricity? >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, we're going to get to that here. Okay. >> Next. >> Next. So, Bill Hilddrth, who's the building manager of the four towns,
uh, the school system, Frontier, >> regional school district, >> yeah, region school district. >> He got wind of this and has a whole list of concerns about it. >> Some are probably pretty valid, too. Is it a town project or a school project? Who takes the cost and oversight on the
charges? because after five years, like I mentioned earlier, it's on the host to maintain it and do all the work that's associated with that. He thought that it would cost about $1,200 per year per station after the first, you know, after
the 5year period. So, uh questions, can they pull charges from the light pole? If not, can do they cover the excavation if they have to rip up sidewalks or anything? Uh is the town going to take on those costs? four here. Number four is the town
thing. They will it'll be a staff benefit like we just discussed. Um yeah, same issues that we just discussed. All right, next slide please. Thank you. And this is the biggie I think for us is do we want to invest in level two
technology? The my opinion is it going to become obsolete before too long? And then we'd hope we could get um take advantage of this program for level three, but they're not available yet. So, he's not a real fan of this.
>> Question on that. >> Yeah. >> If we put level two chargers in now and three years, 5 years from now, a program came available to put in level three chargers. Does the infrastructure and work we do for this >> upgrade >> get us half the way there or is >> I don't I am not electrician. I don't
know the difference between alternating current and direct current in terms of the infrastructure, >> right? >> But yeah, that's a good question. >> Yeah, >> it's a good question. I don't know the answer to that. >> Let's say you put them in the library. >> Go ahead and let them in. >> Okay. >> Let's say you put them in whatever at
the Let's call it at the school. >> The electricity that's being drawn by the chargers, is that going on the school's electric bill or is that something separate? Well, and that's one of the questions I would have is that, you know, I asked a couple minutes ago, is this we're going to be charging for this? Is it cost going to be high in
electrical cost? So, >> in theory, these will pay for themselves and whether they're used a little or a lot, we'll be collecting at least the cost of electricity. So, >> however we set it up, whether it is on the schools or on the towns, I would want to make sure we set it up in a way
where neither is actually feeling that. Are we the channel collecting though or is the company that did it for us for free collecting? >> We are the town as I understand. >> We are collecting and we could make two different rates. For example, we could make a higher rate so as to actually earn money for the town or we could
conversely make a lower rate say for the teachers who um want to use it at the school parking lot and not spend a lot of money. >> Right? So if it's 15 cents per kilowatt hour, you charge 30 or something and you you make the difference. Okay. >> Okay. Next.
Um, yeah. Next one. Sorry. Yeah, we've already done this one. >> It was pretty quick on the on the Zoom. Just click back on the slide and it will >> there. >> Okay. >> All right. So, it's my last slide. Where does it leave us? So, are there any in
town locations where installing an EV charger for two veh two vehicles is feasible? We've kind of come to the conclusion that the park and ride, town hall, library probably aren't the best locations, but curious to hear your
opinions on that. Um, number two, is this something that Sunderland should pursue or are there enough charging stations in other towns to satisfy the demand? Three, since this will ultimately be a cost after 5 years, is Sunderland willing to take it on after that 5year period? Four, do any of these
locations benefit residents, schools, or local businesses? Five, should we wait till level three technology is available through the program? So, that's where we are. And uh we as an energy committee, like I said, we would love to see some chargers in town,
>> but right now, and I think Aaron will concur, it's not to us looking like the best thing to be pursuing. I don't want to put put words in your mouths, but I'm wondering if you agree or disagree, if you want us to move forward with this,
if you think you should sit and wait. So, to put them behind the town hall, I know they will install, they'll cover the cost of it. Will they actually cover the cost of
>> running the electricity to it? I'm not sure what that distinction is. >> So, you have your hardware, right? You have your piece of equipment, your charger that goes to >> So, >> they'll actually pay for that under, you know, because again, if you were going
to do them back here, >> you'd want it underground because >> you got ball fields and things like that. So, you'd want an underground service. Underground electricity is very expensive to run. >> Okay. So >> my understanding is the program covers
that cost. >> It does. As long as it's under $50,000, >> right? >> What happens if after 5 years you say I would then take them away? Will they take them away? >> to to pay for the removal of them at
that point. And I don't know whether it's as complicated as like gas stations are to remove, but once you start putting that kind of stuff in, a lot of times it ends up being >> Yeah. >> a pain to remove. >> Um, so I'm going to go ahead and answer all five of these questions real quickly. >> Okay.
>> Um, question number one, um, I don't think there's anywhere in town where it makes a lot of sense. What you want is you want some place like a movie theater where people are inherently going to go or a shopping mall or somewhere where people are going to want to be there for multiple hours. The library is the only place I can think of. And I agree with Erin, there's not enough room at the
library to be able to really make that work. Um, I don't think that there's enough of a demand currently where right across the road in Deerfield, right down in Ammerst and Hadley, there's plenty of if if we were
in an oasis of lack of charging stations, I would be like, "Yeah." >> When I when I made that map, I was kind of surprised how many there were, to tell you the truth. >> Yeah. Um, the flip side is that I also believe heavily in a electric vehicle future and want to do whatever we can at
a local level to try to support that. And if we were in a situation where you guys are coming to us saying, "Hey, we're seeing a lack of discharging stations in town. We'd like to do that." I would be all on board with that. So, please come back to me in a couple years when we got level three chargers and we'll talk again. Um, but no, I agree with you on the it's just it's like one
of those things where it's like, yeah, I guess I could take that that item like, you know, you're at some conference and you get a free tote bag and you're like, what did I really need that? It was free, but did I really need that? And then it just sits in your closet for six years and don't do anything. I don't think we're going to see a lot of usage in town on them to be honest. Well, we I
don't know if you remember this, but we were on your agenda I don't know how many months ago with the guy who's the head of the East Coast Renewal to answer all these kinds of questions that we aren't qualified to answer and he had some family emergency. So, he wasn't able to do it and we haven't since
rescheduled that with him too. But >> yeah, so in the meantime, the energy committee has kind of this may not be the right time for this. Now, if level three chargers come on into play, definitely please let us know. >> Okay? Because that I think would be that
for me that's one of the big points for me is why we're putting technology in that's going to be obsolete right at the same time we're now responsible for it. >> Yeah. Well, we see EV cars thinking as of course increasing in numbers. It's inevitable.
>> So, trying to stay ahead of the curve here a little bit. >> Yeah. Chances are the level three is quite costly to put at home. >> Yeah. Like probably not feasible. >> Yeah. I mean, I think what we're trying
to gauge as an energy committee and make sense of is this whole idea of demand versus usability and and technological obsolescence. The the demand isn't quite there yet. So why put in a piece of technology that's
going to be obsolete by the time the demand is there? >> Yeah, let's take advantage of what's readily available when the demand is is strong enough in Sunderland and then we'll use the the best tools that we have at that point. That was sort of our where we ended up.
>> It sounds like we're all on the same page here. >> I'm also of the opinion that if there's money for something like this, let it be used by towns and folks who need it and are going to do good work with it. like us be like, "Yes, let's take our little piece up high to have a couple chargers that sit unused for five years." I'd
much rather see a town that actually needs them like Boston or something like that be putting in more. So, >> all right. >> Okay. Fair enough. >> Any other questions from the board or anything? >> Sounds like we're all in agreement. Thank you very much for coming in. We appreciate all >> We have another >> Oh, there we go. Good.
>> Indeed, we do the community choice aggregation. >> Yes. >> All right. >> Also on electricity, but it's different matter. Yep. Um so um as we had discussed a couple months ago when we appeared before this committee
uh the new aggregation rates went into effect January 1st >> and the good news is that they are lower than what Sunderland residents have been paying in the past. the new rate for the default product which is 100% renewable energy which includes 31% mass class one
Rex above the clean energy standard that all utilities have to obey. Um so that new rate is.14068 per kilowatt hour or 14 cents and that's only 0.00385
higher than every source. That's a third of a penny per kilowatt hour. Basically, it's almost the same price. Um maybe it's on the average electricity bill, it might be a dollar two extra and most people's electricity
bills fluctuate by much more than that. So that's just noise essentially. >> Um we also offer two optional products. um one which has slightly less renewable energy and comes a bit under
Eversource's price. So, so it's cheaper than Eversource. Um and then we offered a product that we've been offering ever since we started, which was what we call the gold st standard, the 100% mass class one green labor certificates.
Um, I'm not going to get into the weeds right now and explain exactly how the aggregation program works, but uh, the energy committee recently put together a little skit um, explaining the whole aggregation program, how it works and trying to anticipate people's questions
about it. And that's now available on FCAT on their website or on their YouTube channel. It's called What's This Thing in the Mail? That's what it's called all about community choice news aggregation
starring Meg Fischer and yours truly. So yeah, if you have any questions about that, take a look at that skit. But if you still have questions, certainly feel free to contact anyone on the emerge committee. Now in addition to that,
I don't have a PowerPoint. I have a much more low tech We were recently contacted by y colonial power group who's our consultant for um irrigation in the 15 towns in addition to us that are part of our
program. And um so last year ISO New England, which is the organization that operates the electricity grid, um phased out what was called the forward reserve market and instituted something
called the day ahead ancillary services initiative. And so that the goal of this is to make the grid more responsive um to fluctuations. Uh for example, with a lot more renewable energy being part of the grid, more uncertainty. If the sun's
not shining and the wind's not blowing, they need to back up that missing energy somehow so as to even out the electricity and not have >> short holes. Mhm. >> I mean that's basically ISO New England's job is to keep the lights on to keep everything demand and supply
balanced. So this day ahead ancillary service initiative is um it simultaneously considers energy as an ancillary services replacing as I said the forward reserve market and this approach ensures that resources
providing essential services like operating reserve the extra energy we sometimes need are adequately compensated and they're obligated to perform when needed. So they're there when we need to tap into them and that this improves reliability.
So what that means day ahead this is how it actually works. So one day beforehand is New Orleman forecasts what the demand is going to be tomorrow and uh what the reliability needs are. So suppliers
like every source or first point or all these electric suppliers as well as generators the people who actually own the power plants. submit offers to provide these services such as extra reserves or fast response that they suddenly need to put more energy into
the grid. And then ISO in New England selects the most coste effective mix of resources to meet the projected need for that day. Providers are then paid for being ready and available even if this their services aren't actually called upon. So
this is again to to make the grid more reliable, resilient and forward-looking so as to accommodate more renewable energy. See the forward reserve market would operate six months at a time just like the energy contracts um that every
source and other companies put forward. They they go on a six-month cycle. This fluctuates all the time. That's what this graph that I just gave you shows. This is a weekly basis. And this is the the day ahead ancillary services total.
So ISO New England projected that if we just add on um 1.24 um mills per megawatt hour that would cover all these fluctuations. They were
wildly off. They were nowhere near. So when we negotiated our aggregation contract with first point um colonial power was more conservative. Let's put in 6 mil to be on the safe side. Even that is not enough. As you can see
towards the right hand side of the graph that numbers are going way above that. So two weeks ago we got a call from Colonial Power Group and said well looks like we might have to go above 6 mil maybe up to 9 mil. So three more mills
which is again like a third of a penny. And um the group decided well you know this is largely happening that right hand part of the graph there because of the coal snap that we've had. In fact the last couple weeks the energy
electricity on the grid it has been supplied but 40% of it has been supplied by burning oil and also jet fuel and that I have heard. So, but that's what happens when you need all this extra reserve. Where do you get it from? Um,
they burned oil because there's been a run on natural gas for heating and uh and also for electricity demand. There wasn't enough extra capacity in natural gas. So, they had to turn to the next available fuel. Um, oil is expensive.
So that's this is why those costs are way in excess of of what they had projected and uh so just this morning well let's let me back up. So we had met two weeks ago to talk about increasing it to 9 mil from 6 mil and we decided
well let's wait a couple more months maybe the rest of the winter will not be so bad and maybe things will compensate and then we still keep having this cold weather and just this morning I got an email from Colonia Power and said well we can't wait till March we have to make a decision pretty much. So, tomorrow
there's a Zoom meeting where you'll be asked to to weigh in on whether to add this extra amount onto the the rates that I just told you. And I guess the DPU lets um energy suppliers add on small amounts even in the middle of the
contract period. >> I'm not sure what the threshold is for small amounts, but it's pretty small. Um, so that's what we're we're going to have to figure out. So the number I just want to bring this to your attention because I want to let you know in advance that the numbers I just quoted
to you for our aggregation contract may have a little bit of fluctuation not much but I just want you to be aware of that. >> Got these are you know this is going to affect everyone not just the aggregation all electricity customers are going to
eventually have to pay these costs. Um, I suspect Ever Sourc's prices in August, which is what the next time they amend their contract are going to go way up because they'd have to recoup these costs as well. >> Yep. >> Okay.
>> Our costs are pretty much cemented in for a three-year period. with the potential of the small. >> Again, that's such a tiny. >> Do you have an idea of what that would be? Like for example, the default rate
is 14 cents per kilowatt hour. >> Are we talking about five decimal places to the right changing a little bit or like what what would that change be from 14.068 068 to 142, something like that or
>> um >> No, it's going to be 141. It's going to be about a penny. >> Okay. So, we're Okay, we're talking very Okay, gotcha. >> So, yeah, it could be $3 on your electricity bill. >> Okay. >> Per month.
And now that we have a choice, >> how much electricity you use? It's not going to be double my electricity bill, but they're figuring the average electricity bill is where people use about 600 kilowatt hours per month. >> Some people use more than that, some people use a lot less. So depending how
much electricity you use, it could be a smaller or larger addition to your monthly bill, but it's not going to be much more than a cup of coffee or two. I use a lot. >> Well, this Caldweller doesn't help much.
>> I've got twin 17y olds. They used I don't know how they get like five screens on at once and you two over here and come over there. Pretty. >> Um, and just reminding myself, we've already voted on accepting this the last time you guys came. You're just here to just
sort of let us know what's changing and give us the final, >> right? Just to let people know that the change has happened, that they will have received this Coast Guard in early December. They can opt out of it if they want. >> They can watch the skit if they have other questions about it. They can
contact us or contact Power Group. They're very nice folks. They'll answer any questions you have. And um and I also yeah wanted to mention that there might be this tiny adjustment y because of because of the weather we've been having and also because of the new policy changes at ISO New England the
company the organization that manages the electricity train. >> Wonderful. Any questions from the board? >> No. Thank you. >> Wonderful. Well, thank you very much. We appreciate you guys being ever vigilant and keeping our energy needs uh in in in
check. Um, thank you. >> Okay. Thanks a lot. >> Have a great one. You, >> too. >> All right. Next up, we have the review of the Graves Library Mason project management. Uh, we had discussed this uh at the end
of our last meeting. Um, when uh during public comment, uh, Lauren had brought that up to us, we discussed it. U, we wanted to make sure it was an agenda item so that public would be aware. Um, at this point I don't really have any additional discussion necessary from my perspective. I'm thankful that
>> you take it on. >> Yeah. Mechy actually recommends that the board designate Lawrence Star as the project manager. >> Yep. Um, so Lauren, do you have anything else you want to add or? >> Um, no. I mean, we've been having meetings with the architect. I think they're just about ready. um some com
we're working with the building inspector >> and um we you know I think we're just about ready to put it out to bid again >> um so I just want to keep it moving and um usually I mean assuming it goes into construction terms of people getting
paid usually that requisition gets approved by the architect and then goes to the town. >> Yeah. So, you know, I mean, I've been keeping Becky in the loop on everything >> and um I just wanna I just want to I just want to feel like when I'm meeting with the architects and I say, "Okay, go
put it out to bid." I have the authority to say that. >> Yeah. >> No, I appreciate that. Um and we we likewise think that that makes the most sense all around. >> Um at this time, I'd entertain a motion to approve making um Lauren Star the what do you want to call it?
A motion we appoint Lauren Star as the project manager for the Graves Memorial Library project. >> Second. All right. Motion made and seconded. All those in favor? >> I I >> I. Three nothing. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All righty. Uh last on our new business
is the town caucus warrant. Um it is that time of year again where we are getting ready to have a town caucus. Um, so I'm going to just quickly read the uh caucus um into the record and then we will vote to accept it and move on and whatnot. All right. Uh, caucus in
compliance with Massachusetts general law chapter 53 sections 117 and 118 to the inhabitants of the town of Sunderland. A citizens caucus will be held March 2nd, 2026 at 6 p.m. at the Sunderland town offices right where
we're standing right now. Wendy H, town clerk or alternate will call the caucus to order until a chairman is chosen. The purpose of the caucus is to nominate for the following town elective offices to be placed on the annual election ballot. Assessor one for 3 years. Select board
one for 3 years. Board of health one for 3 years. Library trustee three for 3 years. Moderator one for one year. Planning board one for 5 years. Riverside Cemetery Trustee one for three years. Sun Elementary School Committee two for three years. Frontier Regional
School Committee one for three years. Any questions on any of that. All righty. So that is our caucus at this time. I would entertain a motion to approve the 2026 caucus warrant and tell when you
sign up. >> Motion to approve the caucus. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion made and seconded. Any discussion? Not hearing any discussion. All those in favor? >> I I >> I three nothing merit. Thank you. We will get that signed. All righty. That
is all of our new business. Um on to old business, select board updates. I don't have anything this week. Um I went and met with the homeowner that is, you know, having the trouble with the noise from those green houses that
um went. They will be coming next week along with the building inspector to talk about, you know, their issues and their concerns. Um, it is
very understandable the noise when you're standing there. >> Mhm. Which again, I don't think any of us ever even thought that this would become a noise issue, but when the wind blows,
that poly plastic just >> flaps and makes hours of noise, not just an occasional noise. It's, you know, we all know, right? We live here and when
it's windy, it's windy for hours at a time, not just a minute or two here and there. So, um, you know, they're going to come and, you know, ask some questions and and see
if there is, you know, if we have any ideas, if the building inspector has any ideas, if anybody has any ideas how to approach this >> wonderful being an issue and a concern >> and will that be will that be part of
our business or do you want to do that comment? >> That's probably just public comment, right, Margaret? Well, I think if the board is going to discuss it, I think it should be an agenda item. You might want to just put it under old business. >> All right. So then >> we'll have we'll have that put that under. Okay, perfect.
>> You know, yeah. And again, maybe we want to just definitely verify. I think they picked next week because I believe Tom does his budget presentation next week. Okay. >> So, I think that's why next week was the week that, you know, they thought would
be good for them. >> Okay. But again, we probably want to verify all that with Tom and >> Tom >> Quinn the Yes. Okay. >> Okay. I'll let Becky know.
>> Wonderful. And thank you for meeting with him. I appreciate that. >> No problem. >> I'm all set up. South County Senior Center have their meetings open open meetings to talk about well 112 something old Ammeris
Road. Um there's a meeting tomorrow 1:00 at Deerfield Town Hall next Tuesday uh right here uh actually at the library at 1:30 Sun Library and then on the 18th in Wakeley. I guess this is at the Wakeley Town Hall on the 18th. That's a
Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. So, tomorrow 1:00 p.m. Dear Fil Town Hall, uh next Tuesday 1:30 at the library in the 18th in Wley at 1:00. So, you can go and you can learn all about uh you know the the project and >> what the what the points are. >> Wonderful.
>> Two Can we just grab the dates on those? 28 >> two uh February 3rd 1 p.m. at Deerfield. >> Yeah. >> 2:10 at the library. >> I got the 18th one. Yeah. just >> trying to look at the calendar, figure out what next Wednesday is versus next
Tuesday. >> That sense of being together. >> Uh, one one more thing before I I move on and that is just that Wendy wanted us to um announce that um normally we would send out a uh one of the robocally things for an account system for the
caucus. Um our call system is currently down. Um, we are expecting to be back up before the caucus and we will make a call residents at a time. Um, but we just want to make sure that everybody watching this is aware that that call is not currently going out because the system is currently down. Um, so we will
do our best to get that up before then and get it out to people um in a timely fashion. All right, that should be it for our um select board updates. Margaret, anything from us for town administrator updates? >> No, I don't have anything. >> Perfect. Wonderful. Um correspondents, public comment. Did you have anything
you wanted to say today already? >> Um so our last order of business today will be an executive session. Um the board will be entering executive session to discuss um reason number three which is discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental
effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares in this case the dollar general lawsuit development group LLC versus town of Sunderland. Um so at this time we will move take a vote to move into executive session. When we are done with executive session we will vote
to return to public session just to adjourn at what point we will be done. So at this time I would entertain a motion to enter executive session. >> I motion we enter executive session. >> Second. >> We have a motion made and second exe executive session. All those in favor?
>> I um it requires a roll call. >> I Crystal Drake. >> I Dan Murphy >> I Nathaniel Wearing. The time is 7:14.