Woolwich selectman agreed March 5 to finalize purchase of the solar array off Middle Road owned by Green Volt. The 24-watt system on the town’s former landfill was originally financed through a Power Purchase Agreement administered by Revision Energy in 2017.

Selectboard Chairman David King Sr. said although the array isn’t able to meet all of the municipal building and fire department’s electrical needs, the financial savings from it make its purchase a worthwhile investment for the town. “We’re using more electricity today than we did seven years ago when it went online, but it does generate about 70% of our electrical needs,” he told Wiscasset Newspaper prior to the meeting.

Research on the solar array’s output and potential cost savings was compiled by Selectman Tommy Davis. Davis said during the meeting the array had the potential to save the town thousand of dollars in electrical costs. After reviewing Davis's fact sheet, Selectman Jason Shaw moved to spend "up to $46,500 for the solar array’s purchase" and the motion passed 4-0. Selectman Dale Chadbourne was absent from the meeting. 

Voters had raised $7,000 each year at town meeting in anticipation of the solar farm’s purchase. With interest, the selectboard has $50,532 in its solar account, according to Town Administrator Kim Dalton. King noted, the balance remaining within the account will be used towards future maintenance of the solar panels and inverters. The system went online in January 2018, and has a life expectancy of 30 to 40 years. 

Road Commissioner Jack Shaw said he’d recently reached an agreement with Central Maine Power for the use of 3.6 miles of Mountain Road to accommodate construction upgrades on their power grid. After meeting with Shaw, CMP agreed to pay the town $300,000, the cost of repaving the road should it be damaged by heavy equipment needed for the work, which is scheduled for completion on July 1.

The road commissioner noted heavy load limits have been posted restricting trucks exceeding a gross registered weight of 23,000 pounds from: Bailey Bluff Road, Baker Drive, Barley Neck Road, Chopps Cross Road, D. Street and Dana Mills Road. The postings are typically in effect until mid-April.

Maine Department of Transportation will hold off replacing a culvert on Route 127 (Middle Road) until 2026, according to Selectman Shaw who said he’d been in recent touch with MaineDOT officials. “They will be repaving both Route 127 and Route 128 this summer and doing some shimming along the road shoulders,” added Shaw. MaineDOT will also be repaving Route One from Cumberland Farms to Montsweag Flea Market.

Danny Evarts, EMS director, reported Woolwich ambulance responded to 26 calls in February; 20 patients were transported and MC1 was called for assistance three times. Evarts said he’d recently placed a $1,347 order for an AED unit for the town office, and will provide training for its use after the unit is installed.

Jonathan Williams and several of his neighbors asked whether Woodbridge Road could be made one-way for traffic. King responded the selectboard would first need more information before acting. “You might consider going door-to-door canvasing the neighborhood on your road and the adjacent roads, and also involving the fire and ambulance departments,” he suggested. A public hearing would be required before the change could be put in an article to be considered at town meeting.

In other business, the selectboard waived a public hearing and approved a liquor license to Peter Millett, dba PJM Cider, to manufacture hard cider at his home and bed and breakfast on Thwings Point Road.

Selectman Davis said the Climate Resilience Committee plans to celebrate Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22. Details will be posted on the town’s website.