WINDHAM, Vt. – A solar array was recently installed on the town office roof in Windham that will generate enough electricity to pay for the power in the town’s three buildings. With an annual production of 20.76 megawatt hours, the array will cover the electrical usage of the town office, the town garage, and the meeting house, including anticipated future heating changes from fossil fuels to green energy.
Installed by Southern Vermont Solar, the solar array will be paid for with federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and a federal energy tax incentive credit. The ARPA funds, which are provided to promote recovery from Covid, allow for a variety of expenditures to benefit communities. The tax incentive specifically supports clean, renewable energy.
Like all Vermont towns, Windham received ARPA funds that were passed through the state government to the towns based on their population. With a little more than 400 residents, Windham received $118,380. As required by the state, recommendations for the use of the funds were made to the Windham Selectboard by a committee created for that purpose.
“The amount we received seemed like a lot until our committee began thinking about all we would like to do with it,” said Mary McCoy, chair of Windham’s ARPA Committee. “Part of our mission was to maximize the funds through grants and other means.” The solar array is expected to cover the town’s GMP bills for 25 years, saving the town an estimated $120,000.
McCoy said the committee of 10 people was formed in early 2022, and each member had a different project in mind. Over that summer, they agreed on a list of projects, and in that autumn, they conducted an online survey asking Windham residents and part-time homeowners to prioritize the projects. During 2023, they began making recommendations to the selectboard, and all recommendations were approved by this September.
In addition to funding the solar array, Windham’s ARPA funds are being used to buy protective gear for members of the Windham Volunteer Fire Company, and to ensure that all homes in Windham will be able to connect to DVFiber, a nonprofit provider of high-speed internet now installing fiber optic lines in 24 southern Vermont towns. The DVFiber designation was matched by another state grant, doubling the ARPA allotment.
The survey showed widespread support for improvements to Windham’s meetinghouse. Yet, the 221-year-old building needed far more work than could be paid for, even with the entire amount of Windham’s ARPA funds. Cathy Fales, a committee member with a background in municipal facilities, found various grant opportunities related to improving the energy usage of the meetinghouse, its historic preservation, and its use for public events. Some of the ARPA funds were then designated to pursue these opportunities. Fales has already submitted five grant applications, with three accepted so far.
The largest portion of the town’s ARAP funds, about 37%, was set aside for any needed improvements to the meetinghouse that cannot be funded by grants. Two meetings were conducted, one for town leaders and one for all of the town’s people, to consider the future of the meetinghouse. More than 150 suggestions were received, and Fales has consolidated this information for planning and grant application purposes.
Smaller amounts of the ARPA funds were recommended and approved to pay an administrator to manage ongoing grants related to road repairs and improvements, to buy an Owl audio-visual system for town meetings, to support the digitalization of town records, and to cover the ARPA committee’s administrative costs.
“Right now, the most visible result of the funds is the solar array,” said McCoy. “Although the town was divided in the past about locating a wind farm here, there was little opposition to the array or anything else ARPA is funding. This money can help pull us together.” She said work on the meetinghouse is expected to continue until its 225th anniversary in 2027. “We all value that building. It is the center of our community and a source of unity.”