Brian Messenger writes about the regional energy manager in the Eagle Tribune story “Green team: Valley communities working with energy consultant“. The story mentions a group I had not previously heard of, the Merrimack Valley Mayors and Managers Coalition. This project is important, so I hope to see more information and viewpoints in the future.

Haverhill’s cost in the project is $15,000, and the funding was made possible by all the Haverhill citizens who opted to buy clean electric power. Eventually we will see if this one-time project leads to a more permanent energy manager for Haverhill, a position the Energy Task Force recommends. The Eagle Tribune story mentions helping “the six participating communities monitor energy use”, and someone will have to do that on an ongoing basis.

Hopefully great things will come from this. Congratulations and thanks to the mayors and organizations who made it happen.

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The latest newsletter from Mayor Fiorentini has very good news on the energy front. The Energy Task Force is pleased to see another of it’s recommendations, in particular recommendation #1 “Have a city energy manager”, become reality. And energy audits are the first step toward recommendation #4, which is about building energy efficiency.

City Works To Conserve Energy, Save Money

ABOVE: Principal Larry Marino, Mayor, State Rep. Brian Dempsey who assisted in obtaining the audit grant, Superintendent Buchanan, facilities manager Jeffrey Dill with energy auditors [center and far left]

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The agenda document for the June 11, 2009 7:00 pm Haverhill Energy Task Force meeting in the Haverhill Public Library Milhendler room has been updated. In addition to Steve Weisman of Peregrine Group, we will have Gabe Shapiro of Next Step Living, to tell us about a novel residential energy efficiency program that could be made available to Haverhill citizens.

Paul Tennant writes in the Eagle Tribune about efforts by Mayor Fiorentini to close the Merrimack Street public parking garage overnight so that the lights can be turned off. It’s all in the name of saving energy, but the proposal has stirred controversy. The story, “Flipping the switch? Mayor wants to turn off late-night lights at parking deck” does not state how much energy or money might be saved.

The mayor said he would be willing to have the council table his request until a better solution can be worked out.

“All I care about is being able to turn off the lights,” said Fiorentini, who mentioned driving by the deck late one night and seeing the place “lit up like a Christmas tree.”

The Haverhill Gazette ran a story by Joni Quinn last fall about the new, energy-efficient lighting installed in the garage. The new garage lights cost about $12,000 per year to run. Depending on the on and off times, shutting them off overnight might save at least half of that.

The agenda document for the June 11, 2009 7:00 pm Haverhill Energy Task Force meeting in the Haverhill Public Library Milhendler room is posted here. Agenda summary below:

• Welcome and introductions
• Regional energy manager: Steve Weisman, Peregrine Group
• Discuss ways to pursue ETF recommendations
• New ideas

Note that this is in the Milhendler room this time, right next to the PMA room where we usually meet.

The next Haverhill Energy Task Force meeting will be held Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 7:00 pm in the Milhendler Room at the Haverhill Public Library. An agenda will be posted ahead of the meeting, and your agenda ideas are welcome.