Sep 16, 2007
Wilton Energy Commission formed: Second meeting is Tuesday
|
With eight members appointed and a chairman, the Energy Commission has gotten off to a quick start, holding its first meeting Wednesday night after The Bulletin had gone to press, and planning a second meeting for next Tuesday at town hall.
The Board of Selectmen appointed eight members to the commission at its meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 5. The commission will “promote resource conservation, energy efficiency and explore means to reduce the carbon footprint of the community through the use of renewable energy and other initiatives in public buildings, homes and local businesses,” according to its mission statement.
The commission, led by Michael Lindberg, will be “somewhat of a long-range type commission,” according to First Selectman William Brennan. Mr. Lindberg was appointed chair of the commission in August and said he had interviewed 36 individuals to be members.
“I was pleasantly overwhelmed by the response from the community,” said Mr. Lindberg.
The nine commissioners together have skill sets in energy expertise, analytical capability and communication, he said. In addition to the nine commissioners, Mr. Lindberg said Malcolm Whyte, who has worked on a number of building projects in town, and Adam Markham, the executive director of Clean Air-Cool Planet, will serve as special advisers to the commission.
Mr. Lindberg said those who had not been selected for the commission were encouraged to “work with us, attend the meetings, become a member of a subcommittee.” He also set an ambitious goal for the town.
“I would personally like to see Wilton as the model for other communities,” said Mr. Lindberg, saying he wanted Wilton to be “the sustainable energy capital of the Northeast.”
The eight commissioners, besides Mr. Lindberg, are Dr. Ron Cagenello, Selectman Richard Creeth, Ron French, Board of Education member James Furnivall, Bruce Hampson, Rust Muirhead, Mitchell Reichgut, and Jim Snedeker.
“It’s a spectacular board,” said Second Selectman Hal Clark.
Mr. Brennan said the town needs “a comprehensive plan” on its energy concerns and said technology such as solar panels and hybrids was starting to become cost effective. He asked Mr. Lindberg if there were any communities that had similar energy commissions, and Mr. Lindberg said Cheshire, Conn., and New Hampshire were examples of places looking at these issues.
But Mr. Lindberg also said “the state of Connecticut is very forward thinking in their energy policy.” He said he wanted to give a report on high priority projects to the Board of Selectmen in the near future.
One of the ways Wilton residents can help to make their own energy clean is through the CTCleanEnergyOptions program, which allows residents to have the energy they use come from wind energy rather than fossil fuels. Residents pay extra for the service, and customers of Connecticut Light and Power and United Illuminating may sign up for the program.
“For our home this was the cost of a cup of Starbucks coffee,” said Mr. Lindberg.
Mr. Creeth said the energy issue is not a political problem and said he looked forward to working on the commission.
“In this country we have two major political parties but we only have one planet,” said Mr. Creeth.
Complete coverage of the commission's first two meetings will appear in next week's edition of The Bulletin.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
|
