Town Administrator Wowed By St. Patrick's Day Parade

I was just minding my own business and planning to spend the weekend working on our FY 2013 budget. I had a regular meeting with Town Councilor Keith Hamilton, who has been extraordinarily helpful in getting me oriented in Portsmouth, and he said,  "Hey John, are you marching tomorrow?"

Of course, I had no idea what he was talking about. But he explained that Newport has a terrific and he invited me to join the contingent of Portsmouth officials marching in the parade (not sure if Keith knows that I am Irish?).

Now, it's not like Councilor Hamilton had to twist my arm or anything to convince me that a St. Patrick's Day celebration is more enjoyable than crunching numbers and staring at an Excel spreadsheet all day. So I happily accepted Keith's invitation and on Saturday morning found myself marching in the parade along with Keith and Councilors Liz Pedro, Judi Staven and Jim Seveney.

I must admit, while I have marched in many a parade, this was a tad bit odd for me since there's usually an assumption that the people marching in a parade are people well known to the community. I suspect that more than a few where asking, hey, who is that guy with the councilors?

Now, being a lifelong resident of Massachusetts, I have long believed that the best St. Patty's Day Parade is, has been, and always will be, in Southie! But Saturday's Parade was terrific. So please don't tell any of my fellow Bay Staters that I said that Newport is right up there with the best of them!

Many thanks go to the many who volunteered and organized an amazing event. And it was nice to see so much participation from Portsmouth (the was great!!).  

EAST BAY ENERGY CONSORTIUM

I also had an opportunity this week to join Council President Joe Robicheau in attending a meeting of the East Bay Energy Consortium (EBEC), which was formed in 2009 to serve as a forum for communication, exploration, coordination, and consensus on matters relating to the reduction of municipal energy expenses.

EBEC is busy collaboratively exploring all means to reduce energy expenses and is trying to increase renewable energy production; offset public utility costs, reduce municipal budgets and save taxpayer money. They have also been busy determining the feasibility of a regional wind turbine system based on the potential for net metering through existing state legislation. Member communities of EBEC are the nine cities and towns along the East Bay of Rhode Island: Barrington, Bristol, East Providence, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth, Tiverton and Warren. Each municipality joined the Consortium through a resolution from its town or city council.   

EBEC has been busy studying the feasibility of a energy project in Tiverton.  The partnering communities are being asked to support enabling state legislation which has been submitted within the current legislative session. The legislation will provide the platform for EBEC to become a public agency, a key step in moving from feasibility into the development and construction process. If, for any reason, the current wind energy project in Tiverton does not proceed at this time, the enabling legislation would establish a long-term platform to serve the East Bay. 

EBEC's goals are to: 1. Offset public utility costs in our communities; save taxpayers’ dollars, reducing our carbon footprint, and realize an economic and environmental benefit for generations to come. 2. Implement efficient, viable renewable energy solutions on behalf of the residents of the East Bay. 3. Leverage local resources; while retaining the economic proceeds locally. 4. Leverage the combined strength of the communities to procure external capital and funding resources. 5. Define and implement a regional/national model. 6. Create a platform which allows cities and towns to respond to opportunities for saving taxpayer dollars, through collaborative efforts in renewable energy and efficiency. 

From 2009 through 2010, EBEC completed a comprehensive, two-stage feasibility study to identify and evaluate land-based wind energy facilities within the East Bay, including a detailed economic, engineering and interconnection study on a specific location in Tiverton. The study was funded by municipalities, the Renewable Energy Fund/RIEDC, the Rhode Island Foundation, and through private donation. Based on the comprehensive studies, in 2011, the Consortium secured an additional round of funding to transition from feasibility and the proving of a concept - into implementation - on the initial proposed site in Tiverton.

To date, EBEC has influenced and helped to shape state legislation and renewable energy policy.  A meteorological tower (MET) and Sodar system has been funded and erected on the proposed Tiverton site to measure on-site winds through the seasons. You wil be hearing more about EBEC soon as there is a request for our Town Council to support a resolution endorsing the pending State legislation.  

What do you think about EBAC and the Tiverton Project?