Green Community grants spending

The Energy Advisory Committee is working to get the town's $141,200 Green Community grants spent by a June 2012 deadline. Finding a need for the funds was not a problem, but keeping the projects moving along is turning out to require a lot of project management, according to committee members' reports at their last meeting.

Harvard received the funds last January from the state's Green Communities' twice-yearly distribution, which can be used only for pre-approved projects that reduce fossil fuel energy use. Towns are not eligible for future rounds of funding until they have spent existing grants.

The approved projects include:

• Installation of demand controlled ventilation and a new building automation system at Hildreth Elementary, $100,000;
• A new boiler at the Center Fire Station, $15,000;
• HVAC equipment and system upgrades at the Public Safety Building, $22,000; and
• An energy modeling study as part of the Town Hall renovation planning, $12,500. The town agreed to fund the additional $8,300 over what the Green Community grant provides.

Facilities manager job description

The committee reviewed a circulating draft job description for a part-time town facilities manager. Committee member David Fay suggested adding energy systems and energy efficiency knowledge to the list of desired experience.

Solar bylaw

Planning Board member Michelle Catalina sought the Energy Committee's feedback on a solar bylaw she is drafting. Massachusetts General Law 40A allows developers of large-scale solar arrays to bypass local zoning, similar to the way 40B allows zoning restriction bypasses for affordable housing developments.

Catalina said the Planning Board's goal is a bylaw that protects abutting property owners and town character, but does not overly restrict projects welcomed by the community.

—Sydney Blackwell