Holliston Democratic Town Committee members are hosting a follow-up forum on Holliston’s Green Communities status. The forum, entitled Going Green to Save Green: A Win-Win for All, will take place Saturday, May 6, 10:30 a.m.-noon in the Gilman Room at Holliston Public Library.
Holliston received its Green Communities designation from the Massachusetts Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs in December 2015 when the town was awarded $147,445 to complete energy efficiency projects aimed at reducing municipal energy consumption. During the forum, panelists will discuss the Green Communities program in Massachusetts, what the money was used for in Holliston, and the effects on the town’s bottom line and the environment.
Kelly Brown, Central Region Green Communities Coordinator since 2009, will discuss the Green Communities program as well as provide data from a case study detailing this program’s cost savings potential and environmental impact. Prior to joining the program, Kelly served as a lead administrator in Deval Patrick’s Commonwealth Solar Initiative, a program aimed at providing 250 megawatts of solar power in Massachusetts by 2017.
Jeff Ritter, Holliston Town Administrator, will provide an overview of the Holliston Green Communities plan, discuss the projects already completed with the initial grant money, and provide findings on how this program has saved money for the town of Holliston. Ritter has served as Holliston Town Administrator since July 2015 and participated in the final application process for the Holliston Green Communities program. Prior to coming to Holliston, he worked as Town Administrator for Rehoboth.
A quote from the Green Communities website explains the mission: “The Green Communities Division of the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Affairs was established to help all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns find clean energy solutions that reduce long-term energy costs and strengthen local economies. The division provides technical assistance and financial support for municipal initiatives to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy in public buildings, facilities and schools.”
Register for the event at http://bit.ly/HollistonGoGreen. For more information on the forum contact Utah Nickel at http://bit.ly/HGC_Contact. For more information on the Holliston Democratic Town Committee contact Megan O’Brien at
obrienmegn@aol.com
Issue Date:
April, 2017
Article Body: