Receives $16,000 grant from Stephen and Tabitha King

Tue, 10/11/2016 - 8:30am

ROCKPORT — The Select Board will convene this evening in Rockport at 7 p.m. and tackle an agenda that includes a proposal to install solar panels on the town office roof, and a list of ordinance amendments that may be assigned to the Ordinance Review Committee. That list follows a memo from the town planner, who referenced 913 Hotel use in the Downtown District as worth reviewing: “Permitted Uses for the Central Street lots are now distinguished from permitted Uses for Main Street lots. Good opportunity to expand the list of Uses for Central Street.”

The board will also discuss extending the sewer line along Route 90. The latter has come at the request of a business owner who wants to expand an existing office space, and include a laundry facility.

The entire Select Board packet is available for review with the attached PDF

A memo to the board from Town Manager Rick Bates said that ReVision Energy LLC of Liberty, has proposed placing solar panels on the town office. Bates is recommending the solar array be built.

“ After researching the Town’s use of energy distributed by Central Maine Power, Revision has indicated that 80 percent of the Town Office energy demand could be met by a properly designed solar array on the south-facing (front) side,” said Bates, in his memo. “Revision proposes a Power Purchase Agreement to finance the project. A PPA allows municipalities and other non-profit organizations to participate in important financial advantages of transitioning to solar, beyond simply offsetting a portion of the CMP bill. These include federal tax credits and deductions for depreciation that the Town would not be eligible for on its own.

“I recommend requesting authorization from the Select Board for you to negotiate and enter into a PPA for this purpose. One question along the way will be whether or not this project is appropriate for a competitive bid process. Technically a PPA is not a capital expenditure. In a nutshell, Revision would own a power plant on Town property, namely the Town Office roof, leased to them at a nominal cost. The Town would agree to purchase the energy produced. After six years (typically) the solar array would be offered to the Town at a pre-established payoff cost.

“My own recommendation would be to proceed without a competitive process. As a member of the selection committee for MCEDD’s ongoing Solarize Midcoast Maine project, I learned that Revision is far and away the leader in PPA’s in our region. In my opinion, the responses to a recent RFP by the Town of Lincolnville provide ample confirmation of this, so that Revision might be considered a “sole source” provider at this point. Several communities have reached the same conclusion and have provided positive references for Revision.”

The full agenda is as follows:

PUBLIC MEETING - Rockport Select Board Tuesday, October 11, 2016

7 p.m. Rockport Opera House Meeting Room

Streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine

Acknowledgment of Gifts to the Town:

 Donation from the Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation to the Fire Department in the amount of $16,000

Fire Chief Jason Peasley waited the three-year period to once again apply for this grant and was successful. This grant will be used for five (5) new masks with built in cameras and a rapid intervention team (RIT) bag for going into a building to save a trapped fire fighter or civilian. This bag contains a spare mask, extra bottle and long hose to use on a fire victim or fire fighter in need. Also included in the grant is a new piece of extraction equipment for cutting vehicles when people are trapped. This tool is much more self-contained and lighter, therefore easier to use.

In addition, our Pacific Engine company bought two thermal imagining cameras and donated them to the Town to be used by the Fire Department. These cameras are valued at $2000 each.

Suggested Motion: Motion to accept the donation from Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation to the Fire Department in the amount of $16,000 with great appreciation.

VI. New Business

b. Committee Resignation(s):

Planning Board – Thomas Murphy

VI. New Business

c. Committee Application(s) Harbor Committee – Parker Hackett

To be appointed as an alternate to the Harbor Committee

Harbor Committee – Jeff Hamilton To be appointed as an alternate to the Harbor Committee

VI. New Business

d. Review and approval of Ordinance Review Committee’s FY16-17 Work Agenda

PUBLIC MEETING - Rockport Select Board Tuesday, October 11, 2016 7:00 p.m. Rockport Opera House Meeting Room Streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine

AGENDA
I. Call Meeting to Order Please either turn off your cell phones and other electronic devices or set them to mute while in this meeting room or the hallways. If you need to take or make a phone call, please step outdoors. II. Public Hearing a. None this meeting III. Minutes, Meetings and Announcements a. Approval of the minutes of previous meetings:

Monday, November 9, 2015, meeting of the Select Board Tuesday, November 17, 2015, meeting of the Select Board

Monday, May 9, 2016, meeting of the Select Board

Wednesday, June 15, 2016, organizational meeting of the Select Board

Monday, June 27, 2016, special meeting of the Select Board

Monday, July 11, 2016, meeting of the Select Board

Monday, August 22, 2016, meeting of the Select Board

Thursday, September 8, 2016, meeting of the Select Board

Monday, September 12, 2016, meeting of the Select Board b. Announcements of upcoming regular Select Board meeting(s): Regular Select Board meeting on Monday, October 24, 2016, 7:00 p.m., Rockport Opera House Meeting Room, to be streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine Regular Select Board meeting on Monday, November 14, 2016, 7:00 p.m., Rockport Opera House Meeting Room, to be streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine

c. Announcements of upcoming Select Board workshop(s):

Water Quality Workshop, Monday, October 17, 2016, 6:00 p.m., Rockport Opera House Meeting Room, to be streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine

Pre-Budget Workshop, Wednesday, October 19, 2016, 6:00 p.m., Rockport Opera House Meeting Room, to be streamed at http://livestream.com/Rockportmaine d. Announcements: Note: All meetings and workshops of the Select Board and town committees can be found on the town website: www.town.rockport.me.us Election Day is Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Polling will take place in the Richardson Room of the Rockport Town Office. Please enter through the front door and follow the signs. The Polls will open at 8:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. Town offices will be closed Friday, November 11, 2016, in celebration of Veteran’s Day. e. Committee Openings: All committees have openings for alternates who will be called to serve on those occasions that the regular members are not present for a particular meeting

Camden-Rockport Pathways Committee – 1 regular vacancy, 3 alternate vacancies

Conservation Commission – 1 regular vacancy, 3 alternate vacancies

Library Committee – 1 vacancy (to be filled by special election on June 13, 2017

Ordinance Review Committee – 2 regular vacancies, 3 alternate vacancies

Planning Board – 1 regular vacancy, 3 alternate vacancies 

Zoning Board of Appeals – 1 regular vacancy, 3 alternate vacancies f. Agenda Changes g. Public Comment – public comment should be directed at issues not under discussion on this evening’s agenda. Comment from the public will be welcome prior to each agenda item. Further comment will be granted only by permission from the Board. All public comment should be brief and to the point.

IV. Town Manager’s Report V. Unfinished Business a. Review and Approval of the Reserve Accounts Policy

3 Select Board Agenda October 11, 2016
VI. New Business a. Acknowledgment of Gifts to the Town: 

Donation from the Stephen & Tabitha King Foundation to the Fire Department in the amount of $16,000

b. Committee Resignation(s): 

Planning Board – Thomas Murphy

c. Committee Application(s) 

Harbor Committee – Parker Hackett  Harbor Committee – Jeff Hamilton

d.Review and approval of Ordinance Review Committee’s FY16-17 Work Agenda

e. Appointment of Alternate Code Enforcement Officer Phil Brown

f. Discussion regarding solar panels on the Town Office building

g. Public Information regarding ecomaine contract compromise approval up for vote on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 – James Guerra, Manager, MCSWC

h. Appointment of a Fair Hearing Authority for General Assistance

i. Vote to approve a joint letter in support of the Library Bond Article

j. Consider contracting for some number of the Camden area recreation trails map