Tracy Valletti Picked As New Peabody Municipal Light Commissioner

PEABODY, MA — Tracy Valletti — whose bid for an elected spot on the Peabody Municipal Light Commission came up short this past fall as she ran for office in opposition to the fossil fuel-powered generator currently in construction known widely as the "Peabody Peaker Plant" — was selected to fill a vacancy on the Commission over six other candidates in a vote of the City Council Tuesday night.

Valletti told the City Council that while she was "very disturbed" with Project 2015A when she first learned of it, partially prompting her 2021 run for office, she now recognizes that it has been state-approved, will go online within months and said that she is "not going to try to stop the Peaker" while on the Commission.

"Like many of my neighbors, I was concerned about the peaker plant," said Valletti, a 30-year city resident who is also a former president of the Peabody Library Board of Trustees. "However, I recognize that the peaker plant is being built and will be up and running in a few short months."

She said, instead, she will work to help Peabody achieve "designated Green community" status as the city and state moves toward the state's Climate Roadmap goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

"This city, just by applying (as a Green community) should get about a quarter-of-a-million dollars in grant money," she said. "That's the first step. After that, it opens us up to be able to apply for future dollars.

"Our neighbors have gotten hundreds of thousands of dollars every year and were able to retrofit buildings, (install electric vehicle) charging stations, (developed) programs to teach about how we can consume energy less, and educational programs — there's a lot that's offered through that program."

Valletti received majority support from 10 of 15 Councilors with Peabody Library Trustee and Cable Television Commissioner Thomas Pappas receiving five votes in the first roll call. She replaces Charles Bonfanti, who resigned his seat in January, citing the public rancor over the 55-kilowatt peak energy generator as one of his reasons for stepping down after 10 years on the Commission.

Each of the candidates who referenced the generator during the public interview process expressed their support for it — at least at this time.

Valletti was one of four candidates to advance to the general election for PMLP commissioner this past fall and received 2,673 votes in November's election - finishing third in the race for two openings on the Commission. Thomas Paras was the top vote-getter in the general election with 4,106 votes, with Commissioner Raymond Melvin second at 3,072 and Robert Wheatley, a former commissioner who also applied for the recent vacancy, fourth with 2,338 votes.

While most candidates, including Valletti, were praised for their contributions to the city and desire to serve on the Commission, Valletti's bid did garner the most back-and-forth between Councilors and PMLP commissioners surrounding her former opposition to the peaker plant and her ongoing commitment to the green energy initiatives.

Paras asked Valletti about the "disadvantages" of becoming a Green community because of the "commitments we'd have to make and the disadvantages that we'd have to go through."

"The disadvantages?" she answered. "To me, there are no disadvantages."

Melvin asked her to clarify her decision to no longer oppose the peaker plant given that several climate advocacy and public health groups have continued their campaign to derail it.

"As a health care professional I was very disturbed when I heard about the peaker plant being built," she said. "But it is being built. And, as I've told many other people, we're not in a position to stop it. So I refocused my energies right after the campaign and learned more about becoming a designated Green community, so we can help mitigate anything that's going on that could hurt the climate and our health — and the health of the residents living here.

"I want to try to help bring solutions to Peabody. I am not going try to stop the peaker — if that's what you are asking."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)