Freetown Board Approves Solar Letter of Intent, ARPA Fiber Funds, New Town Administrator

FREETOWN — June 12, 2023 — Freetown Select Board approves solar letter of intent for elementary school and $200,000 in ARPA funds for municipal fiber. The board voted unanimously Monday to sign a letter of intent with Select Energy of Hopkinton for a 564-kilowatt rooftop power purchase agreement at Freetown Elementary School at a fixed rate of 9.6 cents per kilowatt hour over 20 years, a project contingent on the school receiving a state roof replacement grant estimated at roughly $3 million under the proposed Green School Works program. Select Energy representative Dave Bisson said the letter enables the town to apply for the state SMART solar incentive and begin interconnection with Eversource, at no financial risk to the town if the grant fails. The board also approved $200,000 in Bristol County ARPA funds toward a roughly $550,000 municipal fiber network that would consolidate the town's approximately $2,600-per-month internet spend across all buildings. In personnel actions, Deborah L. Petty was named permanent Town Administrator — dropping her interim title — under a three-year contract through June 30, 2026, and the board confirmed promotions of Benjamin Levesque to Lieutenant and Thomas Delongis, Nicholas Drinkwine, and Kalyn Agos to Sergeant in the Freetown Police Department.