Plymouth School Committee Moves Forward With Solar Project to Save Millions on Energy Costs

The Plymouth School Committee meeting on October 21st highlighted a significant solar project proposal aimed at promoting sustainability and reducing energy costs in the district. The plan, introduced by Dr. Blaz and presented by Mike Kahill and Adam Teft, involves the installation of solar carports at Plymouth North and Plymouth South High Schools. The project aligns with a climate action adaptation plan and is expected to deliver substantial savings, estimated at $200,000 annually, with total projected savings between $5.3 million and $10.2 million over 20 years.

The proposed solar initiative is structured as a power purchase agreement, where the systems would be third-party owned, allowing the district to purchase power at a fixed rate for 20 years. This arrangement is designed to provide immediate cost savings and long-term budget predictability. The urgency of securing funding from Massachusetts Electric utilities was underscored, with a timeline set to have contracts executed by the end of the year to qualify for available incentives.

During the meeting, discussions also touched on past challenges with solar projects, specifically the previous blockage of solar covers for Plymouth South High School’s parking lot by NSTAR. The current proposal aims to address interconnection costs more effectively, with budget allocations set aside to cover such expenses. The committee expressed confidence that the project could overcome previous hurdles and ensure a feasible path to approval.

In addition to the solar project, the meeting included updates on several educational initiatives. The Cooperative Education program was highlighted, with approximately 75 students gaining hands-on experience through partnerships with local businesses. Miss Marine Kellerer, the Cooperative Education Coordinator, was acknowledged for her role in expanding these opportunities across the South Shore region.

Further updates were provided on grant applications, including the successful acquisition of the Massachusetts Skills Capital Grant to upgrade the television production studio at Plymouth South High School.

The committee also addressed resolutions proposed by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC). A notable resolution discussed was the potential development of an alternative to high-stakes MCAS testing. While there was recognition of the need for alternatives, concerns about eliminating the current system without a suitable replacement led the committee to vote against the resolution.

Additionally, the committee deliberated on increasing the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18, ultimately supporting the resolution to improve dropout and graduation rates. Discussions on the safe storage of firearms and the implementation of surveillance systems on school buses were also conducted, with unanimous support for promoting student safety.

The meeting concluded with updates on various school improvement and community engagement initiatives. Superintendent Christopher S. Campbell emphasized ongoing efforts to enhance transparency in budget development and address chronic absenteeism. The launch of a program to replicate the “Volunteers in Public Schools” initiative was also announced, aimed at involving community members in supporting students.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.
Superintendent:
Christopher S. Campbell
School Board Officials:
Michelle Badger, James Sorensen, Luis Pizano, Kim Savery, Katherine Jackson, Robert Morgan, Vedna Lacombe-Heywood

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