Scarborough adopts energy plan

SCARBOROUGH — In politics, consensus is everything. That’s true whether the deliberative body in question is the U. S. Senate or a small-town selectboard. And, sometimes, all it takes is a single word to bring everybody happily into line.

Scarborough Town Councilors found that out recently when they turned to consider an energy plan that, among other things, calls on the creation of a local energy office and the establishment of an intergovernmental cooperative to buy and sell electricity on the market.

Although the plan, which was ultimately adopted unanimously, represents “nearly a year of work” by the town’s standing energy committee – formed to act on goals first identified by an earlier ad hoc task force in 2005 – many of its “action items” are vaguely defined.

According to Town Manager Tom Hall, that was done on purpose.

“This is just the start of a longer process,” he told the council. “I assure you, many of these issues will come back to you when they are more defined.”

Among the general recommendations:

• Task a new energy office with monitoring energy use in all town departments, create an outreach program on energy issues and pursue conservation grants;

• Upgrade energy efficiency at all town-owned buildings;

• Establish “park and rides,” build sidewalks and paths for non-motorized traffic and contract with local transit systems to created alternate transportation plans;

• Install energy-monitoring systems in all town-owned buildings;

• Buy power in bulk at favorable rates to resell to residents and businesses in the community; and

• Establish a power-generation facility sized to meet the needs of all public buildings in the Oak Hill area.

However, at least one councilor was hesitant to get on board the power train.

“Overall, I think this is a great idea,” said Councilor Karen D’Andrea. “But I have some concerns. There are no costs associated in here at all with doing any of these things. I would be very interested in knowing those costs before I could agree to a plan.”

Of particular concern to D’Andrea was the proposed energy office, envisioned in the plan as a “clearinghouse for all seeking information on energy efficiency.”

Council Chairwoman Judith Roy likened the possible new municipal department to the work currently done by Ann Archino-Howe, who works in both Scarborough and South Portland as a part-time Energy and Sustainability Coordinator. Paid in Scarborough with money from a federal stimulus grant, Archino-Howe has worked there since April, 2010, to promote sound energy use.

“That’s where we’re at, at this point,” said Roy. “There is not a space, or a desk, nor a budget.”

However, that news did not mollify D’Andrea.

“Again, there are some very specific things that the [energy] committee is asking the town to do,” she said. “I don’t feel comfortable saying, ‘Okay, go ahead and do those,’ without knowing costs, timelines, or any of that.”

“If you’re looking for a document with all the T’s crossed and the I’s dotted, maybe we’ll never get a document,” said Councilor Ron Ahlquist.

“If we wait until we have all the costs associated with action items in this plan, we could be 10 years,” said Hall, adding that no money can be spent on any of the plan’s recommendations without council approval.

“I’m fine with adopting this,” said Councilor Michael Wood. “I don’t see that in that adoption I’m spending money.”

Still, D’Andrea balked. And while Hall could have pressed on, allowing the energy plant to go under the gavel with a 6-1 vote, he seemed to sense the power of unanimity.

Playing off Roy’s referral to the plan as a strategy guide, Hall suggest changing the word “Action,” to “Strategy” wherever it appeared in the plan (and it appears 24 times).

“I offer that as a possible way of getting some comfort around this document,” said Hall.

“It kind of does,” said D’Andrea. “I think that does many me feel more comfortable.

And with that, Scarborough’s six-page energy plan was adopted by unanimous vote.