Shall the Town of Hampton vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $16,060 to contract for a detailed process level energy audit of the Wastewater Treatment Facility and Pump Stations. Said appropriation to be offset by $16,060 in principal loan forgiveness under the NH Department of Environmental Services Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF); and
To authorize the Board of Selectmen to apply for, accept and expend any Federal, State, or other available funds towards the project in accordance with the terms and conditions under which they are received and to borrow in anticipation of the receipt of such aid and or the issuance of such bonds or notes as provide in the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33); and
To authorize participation in the State Revolving Fund (SRF) (RSA 486:14) established for the purpose, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to apply for, accept and expend such monies as they become available from the Federal and State Governments.
This shall be a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7, VI and shall not lapse until the project is completed or by March 31, 2019, whichever occurs sooner? (3/5ths vote required)
Fiscal Impact Note (Finance Dept.) If the loan forgiveness occurs by the time the tax rate is set then the estimated 2017 tax impact would be $0.000 per $1,000 valuation.
What it means: An energy audit is a method to evaluate the wastewater treatment facility’s or collection system’s energy use and to identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy usage and thereby reduce operating costs. The NH Department of Environmental Services selected Hampton to participate in this program.
Those in favor say: Hampton has been recognized in the past for its cost-reduction efforts, and this will expand those capabilities.
Those opposed say: It is not clear what we will learn beyond what we already know, but if the State is going to pay for this, it is OK.
Fiscal Impact: The average Hampton home valued at $404,000 would bear a one-time tax cost of $2.02 in 2017, but likely there will be no tax impact after the loan forgiveness.