Bourne voters to decide on $5.2M plan to cut energy costs at town buildings

BOURNE – Voters will be asked Mondayto approve a 20-year energy services contract with Trane Technologies that would provide equipment, contractors, installation, accounting and oversight to revamp energy systems in all schools and municipal buildings over two decades.

The $5.2 million Phase 1 request is Article 11 on Monday’s special town meeting warrant. It received the Finance Committee’s unanimous recommendation Wednesday.

More: Town Hall boiler, library AC trimmed from Bourne energy-saving project

The project remained in flux in recent weeks as Town Administrator Marlene McCollem and Finance Director Erica Flemming wrangled financing details, funding options, rising operational costs and anticipated supply chain snarls and an increased interest rate. In response to the project rising to $5.6 million a new boiler for Town Hall and an air-conditioning chiller for the Bourne Public Library were cut.

The proposed arrangement with Trane, based in Wilmington, has been recommended by school district administrators and endorsed by the Board of Selectmen.

The town would appropriate $5 million to pay costs of energy improvements. The additional $200,000 would be made up through moneypreviously authorized. To meet the $5 million appropriation, selectmen would be authorized to raise money through a 15-year lease-purchase agreement with Banc of America Public Capital Corp. Bank of America is the banker/accountant and Trane is the contractor in this proposal.

More: Coast Cannabis Co. in Wareham puts gourmet in marijuana-infused edibles

Flemming said Bourne would assume a balance sheet liability and face $396,084 annual payments; which would not be counted as a part of the town’s normal debt service.

McCollem said rebates, grants and unused money could be applied to offset the $5 million.

What buildings will be part of project

Finance Committee Chairman Renee Gratis referred the public to the Voter Handbook on the town’s website for more information on the summary of work to be undertaken and the buildings involved.

“I know this is a heavy-hitting article,” Gratis said. “There is more than this that needs to be done. The $5 million is not going to fix everything.”

Trane, meanwhile, figures $3.6 million will saved in utility costs over two decades with 62% of project costs paid by energy savings. Gas and electric rebates are estimated at more than $390,000 to Bourne. And first-year energy savings should total $198,188.

More: As future tenants wait, 126 unfinished Bourne apartments may move forward. What we know

Bourne High School D-Wing roof will be repaired, but Bourne Middle School roof repairs are not in the first scope. The Community Center will get a new chiller and boiler. New lighting and insulation of piping will be done at the 1897 Keene Street archives.

Trane said it would proceed immediately upon favorable town meeting action. Major improvements to schools would be done over the summer break.

The article requires a two-thirds majority vote.

Several articles expected will not be on Monday’s warrant.

Selectmen removed a $1.3 million request to upgrade the Four Corners intersection in Pocasset. That may become a town meeting article next May.

There is no article for new south side fire station funding, either for a land purchase or construction south of the Bourne Bridge. Voters, however, will receive a progress report in Article 1.

A proposal to remove a fuel depot from the old police station lot at Main Street to landfill operations off Route 28 will not proceed. The project cost is $275,000.

“I think that’s realistic, but it’s not something we really need right now; so, we’re waiting for the prices to come down. Too costly right now,” Landfill General Manager Dan Barrett said.

More: Bourne bus ridership, electric vehicles and what else is new at Cape transit authority

Selectmen also yanked a zoning bylaw amendment, known as the “blight bylaw” that would afford Building Inspector Kenneth Murphy more authority when dealing with neighbor complaints about abandoned vehicles, trailers and equipment in residential yards.

The request is out because it lacks Bylaw Committee review. Select Board member Mary Jane Mastrangelo says the amendment needs more discussion.

“I’m a little bit concerned with so much discretion at the hands of the building inspector,” she said.

Other business before the voters

Town meetings are viewed through a financial lens of keeping everything in order. So, budget increases come in Article 2. They total $458,784; with $200,000 tapped from the ambulance account and $258,784 raised and appropriated from this year’s tax levy.

Breakdowns involve $65,300 for general government, $352,994 for public safety, $10,490 for public works, and $30,000 for shared costs in government departments.

Voters are also asked to fund some of the “other post-employment benefits” (OPEB) liability by transferring $582,584 from the so-called free cash account.

More money, meanwhile, is requested to cover electricity bills for the new waste plant in Buzzards Bay.

Voters also will consider:

• Buying an unmarked police vehicle ($35,000) and a $40,000 pickup for the conservation/engineering offices via the free cash account;

• Adding $50,000 from landfill retained earnings to the price of a container truck;

• Installing lighting at Queen Sewell Pond/Playground ($215,000 from free cash);

• Repairing the Joe Jefferson Windmill ($20,000 in Community Preservation Act funds);

• Approving a sign machine ($35,000) and a flail arm ($98,000 from the Chapter 90 account) for roadside mowing by the Highway Department;

• Funding $225,000 (from landfill profits) for a landfill leachate removal process that includes development, installation and operational costs;

• Tapping free cash for $165,000 and $50,000 from the Climate Resiliency and Infrastructure Fund, to help fund stormwater design and ramp upgrades at Sagamore Beach;

• Transferring $306,304 from free cash to the Capital Stabilization Fund via landfill profits.

There are also three zoning amendment requests. They include licensing and control of dogs; expediting the annual licensing process but cutting it off at March 1 instead of June 30.

Also a zoning bylaw amendment from the Design Review Board would strengthen its authority with sign-bylaw infractions downtown in the business development district only.

There is also a provision to afford downtown business owners the ability to take advantage of public parking spaces when needed on a codified shared-use basis.

If you go:

Special town meeting starts at 7 p.m. in Beth Bourne Auditorium at Bourne High School with parking off Trowbridge and Waterhouse Roads. Attorney Amy Kuilar is the moderator. Digital voting will be available.

Gain access to premium Cape Cod Times content by subscribing.  

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Bourne voters to decide on energy savings plan for town buildings