Town of Princeton, MA
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
November 20, 2013
PMLD
168 Worcester Road
Stan called the meeting to order at 6 PM. Present were Stan Moss, Edith Morgan, Neil Sulmasy (at 6:24 PM) and Town Administrator John Lebeaux.
The Board attended the Princeton Light Commission meeting. Light Commission Chairman Scott Bigelow welcomed the Board. Chairman Bigelow, Commissioners Chris Conway and Jim Whitman, and Princeton Municipal Light Department General Manager Brian Allen briefed the Board on the status of major issues.
The wind turbines are operating but are subject to automatic shutdowns triggered by the monitoring software. In some cases the affected turbine restarts automatically; in others a manual restart (sometimes done by remote methods, other times it must be done at the site). Most maintenance is handled by PMLD staff allowing for quicker and less costly responses.
PMLD has entered into energy contracts with NextEra Energy to purchase electricity. The first five years are at a single fixed rate; the remaining five years are five individual annual fixed rate agreements. This process allows PMLD to know its costs and avoid spot market fluctuations and the rate adjustments that they have caused in the past.
PMLD is in the exploratory phase to see if it wishes to refinance its debt through municipal financing. PMLD previously refinanced from 5.5% to 4.25% through its cooperative. A municipal borrowing would require a two-thirds vote of a Town Meeting. The savings would likely be shared in some proportion by a lowering of electric rates and increasing PMLD’s reserves. The debt service in such a scenario would be paid through PMLD revenue, not taxes.
Stan briefed PMLD on the Broadband Committee’s work. The Committee continues to explore a town funded build, but is considering at its 7 PM November 20, 2013 meeting whether to recommend to the Board of Selectmen that it initiate the formal licensing process to see if any private businesses wish to seek a license to operate a cable TV system (with related internet access products) in Princeton.
Don Steadman, Wheeler Road spoke in opposition to a town funded system. Broadband Committee Chairman Steve Cullen responded that the committee would investigate all options. Borrowing to fund a town system would require Town Meeting approval by two-thirds vote and a likely ballot question for a Debt Exclusion.
Stan also discussed the pole survey the Committee has undertaken in which every utility pole on public ways has been located by GPS equipment and had its power space area photographed. The Committee will share this survey with PMLD. Brian commented that PMLD would greatly benefit from having the survey on hand.
Neil left the meeting at 6:57 PM. The Board voted 2-0 to adjourn at 7:02 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
John Lebeaux
Town Administrator
Marie Auger
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
978-464-2100
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