Selectboard approves 92 kW, $330,000 solar array; vendor to complete environmental review

The Selectboard approved a $330,000 turnkey contract to install a 92,040‑watt (about 92 kW) ground‑mounted solar array at the town recreation site after the energy committee presented multiple proposals.

Ted Vanzant of Barington Solar attended the meeting to answer questions. Vanzant said the company plans to complete a site survey and produce a professional site plan, perform required tree clearing and fencing, trench to the building’s electrical room, and include the USDA environmental review required for grant submission. "We plan on getting a survey done, having a professional site plan done so we make sure we're as far back from the property lines as needed," Vanzant told the board.

Board members had reviewed three proposals (roughly $269,000, $330,000 and $348,000 total) and noted the larger proposal would have encroached on setback requirements. The chosen $330,000 proposal was reconfigured to meet a 37.5‑foot setback and fits within the USDA grant parameters the board is pursuing. The contract price was described as fixed; the vendor said that if crews encounter ledge in a short trench to the building the contractor will work within the fixed price but significant unforeseen ledge could require further analysis.

Operational details: the accepted proposal includes five years of maintenance in the price; after that the company estimated annual maintenance at about $1,500. The board discussed establishing a revolving fund to deposit proceeds from renewable energy credits to cover ongoing maintenance and to cover unexpected costs.

Next steps: staff will finalize contract paperwork, submit the package to the USDA for the grant, and direct the vendor to perform the site survey and environmental review. The board authorized the $330,000 contract and asked staff to track project site plans and any permitting or variance needs.