The West Tisbury selectmen are taking a second look at an agreement with the Cape and Vineyard Energy Cooperative for a town solar project amid questions about a draft contract for the project.
At their meeting last Wednesday, the selectmen directed town administrator Jennifer Rand to consult with town counsel about certain details in the contract.
Selectman and board chairman Cynthia Mitchell said the board has “a couple of things to check out, like the opt-out language, with our counsel.”
At the annual town meeting last April, West Tisbury voters gave the selectmen a green light to enter into a contract with CVEC for an 800,000-kilowatt solar array at the capped landfill of Old Stagecoach Road. The array is intended to meet the energy needs of town buildings and the elementary school and save the town about $40,000 in electricity costs.
Selectmen voted 2-1 to sign the contract at their Dec. 5 meeting, with Richard Knabel dissenting. An outspoken critic of the CVEC agreement, Mr. Knabel questioned, among other things, the 20-year commitment in the contract. There also have been concerns about delays in other CVEC solar array projects, including those in Edgartown and Tisbury.
The town finance committee has asked to review the contract as well. The selectmen said they will continue to discuss the issue at an upcoming meeting.
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