The board emphasized that the panel is no guarantee the town would agree to the "green community" idea.
WARE – The town plans to take another stab at whether state designation as a “green community” is right for this community of nearly 10,000.
Selectmen on Tuesday unanimously voted to direct Town Manager Stuart Beckley to empanel a Green Community Commission.
The board emphasized that the panel is no guarantee the town would agree to the idea.
An effort begun in 2010 under then-community development director Paul Hills to earn the state designation as a green community failed.
At the time, Hills said a stumbling block is a requirement that municipalities seeking the designation adopt a “stretch code” that involves building and design guidelines mandating energy efficient benchmarks.
Opponents of green community status in Ware attended the Dec. 10 meeting, saying the costs associated with stretch code requirements make that designation a bad idea.
The opponents who spoke on Tuesday included conservation commission chairman David Kopacz and school board member Bill Gunn, who is also a building contractor.
They said the cost would place an unfair financial burden on residents.
Jim Barry, the Western Massachusetts green community regional coordinator attended the meeting, making a brief pitch in support of the idea.
Barry said he is willing to make a comprehensive presentation to the town once the commission is in place. And that his role is to provide assistance to lower energy bills via policies and targeted investments that encourage efficiency and renewable energy.
The 17 communities awarded the green status last year, which brought the state total to 103, became eligible for $2.75 million in grants. Among the towns was Amherst, which became eligible for $302,000, according to the state department of energy resources.
In other business, selectmen listened to town attorney William August explain a proposed 10-year contract extension with Comcast, the community’s high speed Internet and cable television provider. The current pact expires on Feb. 1.
A memorandum provided by Beckley shows that Ware’s public access TV station would receive $76,500 up front and $5,500 annually for the duration of the contract.
A stipulation in the contract would allow the town to receive about $140,000 per year in revenue. The amount represents 0.5 percent of the approximately $28 million in total yearly sales paid by Ware Comcast customers to the company.
Board members said they would make a decision on the matter in January.