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Date: 2/22/2023
EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow Town Council took another step toward becoming a Green Community, a state initiative that provides grants to municipalities that have adopted environmentally progressive practices.
At the Feb. 14 meeting, the council approved a fuel-efficient vehicle policy required to become designated as a Green Community. The policy requires that when replacing town-owned vehicles under 8,500 pounds, a fuel-efficient vehicle is purchased, “whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable.”
The council had expressed concerns about the policy when it was last brought before them at the Jan. 10 Town Council meeting. The concerns largely centered on apprehension that the regulations on vehicles would become too restrictive in the future. Also, the list of affected vehicles was incorrect, listing all town-owned vehicles rather than only those that would need to be replaced with a fuel-efficient vehicle.
Director of Planning and Community Development Bailey Mitchell shared an updated vehicle list with the council. He said all police cruisers would remain exempt from the policy for another two years. Western Massachusetts Regional Coordinator for Green Communities Christopher Mason explained that the exemption for cruisers was the result of limited manufacturer availability. Supply chain issues regarding needed computer chips should be resolved in the next two years, he said.
At the Jan. 10 meeting, councilors had also shared concerns that the town’s adoption of the Stretch Energy Code, a Green Communities requirement that was adopted in 2022, would lead to a higher price tag for the new East Longmeadow High School. A consultant on the project had implied that the new code could increase the building’s cost by more than $125,000.
Mason said the residential Stretch Energy Code was updated on Jan. 1 and the commercial code would be on July 1. He explained that the old Stretch Energy Code sought to reduce the energy of everything running in the building, such as using energy-efficient appliances and equipment. While that was “all good stuff,” Mason said, “you’re left with a building you’re always fighting” to retain energy. The new code shifts the investment to the building itself. He said that buildings have a much longer life span than appliances and equipment, leading to a better return on investment.
He had performed a commercial case study and found that the use of the Stretch Energy Code would raise the price tag by slightly less than 1 percent, while the energy cost savings over the life of the building would equal about 2 percent. “You’re going to get a better high school and it’s not going to cost a lot,” Mason said.
Referring to the increased costs, council President Ralph Page contended, “But, 0.8 percent on a $175 million building is still $1.3 million.” That said, he acknowledged the savings outweighed the increase.
Councilor Kathleen Hill related that the School Building Committee was pursuing the Green Initiatives program through the Massachusetts School Building Authority, a statewide agency that works with districts to reimburse a portion of construction and repair costs. The program provides an extra 2 percent reimbursement for “exceeding base energy code standards by 20 percent.” Hill said this benchmark lines up with the energy savings expected from the Stretch Energy Code.
Finances
The council approved several transfers and appropriations. DPW Superintendent Bruce Feeney requested a $250,000 appropriation from the Water Retained Earnings account to cover the cost of an inventory of water lines to homes built before 1986 to ensure they are not made of lead or copper. The inventory is a part of a state initiative to address potentially problematic water infrastructure. Remediation of any lead or copper lines will be done later.
Meanwhile, $15,303 was removed from free cash to cover the difference in the price of a Ford E350. Page explained that, despite the purchase previously being approved by the council, Ford paused the ordering process due to supply chain disruptions and a shortage of computer chips needed for the vehicles.
Finally, the council approved $13,800 from ambulance revenue to be used to cover anticipated ambulance fuel expenses.
Fiber
The East Longmeadow Information Technology (IT) Department will meet with Westfield Gas and Electric IT Department members to further discuss expanding broadband fiber-optic connections throughout town. Whip City Fiber, which is operated by Westfield Gas and Electric, has run fiber connections to many “rural areas,” Town Manager Mary McNally said. The town is also reviewing South Hadley’s fiber network to see if a similar system would work in East Longmeadow. The council previously approved a $35,000 fiber optic feasibility study. McNally said the town is hoping to save money by potentially becoming a customer of another fiber-optic entity.
Other topics
The council referred a bylaw request to the Planning Board that was proposed by Mitchell. It would allow Mitchell to sign off on non-discretionary measures, rather than putting them before the Planning Board. Another measure would skip the public hearing for site plan reviews. Now that the town is using the Open Gov online platform for permitting, Mitchell said it would streamline the process.
“We’re not losing any approval steps or review steps,” Mitchell assured.
McNally reported the refurbishment of the leased space at 382. N. Main St. is nearly complete, and some town offices will be able to move there in early spring. She said there is “great anticipation” about the move among department heads.
A recurring “Coffee with Councilors” event was suggested by Council on Aging Director Erin Koebler. She said it was envisioned as an “informal conversation” with seniors. Page suggested it be a quarterly event. The details are not yet finalized.
A community outreach forum on the high school project will take place at East Longmeadow High School on March 16, at 6 p.m.