2016-11-14 Subsequent Town Meeting Minutes

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SUBSEQUENT TOWN MEETING Reading Memorial High School November 14, 2016 Preforming Arts Center The Precincts listed below met at 7:00 PM to conduct the following business: Precinct 2 - Met with no business conducted, lack of quorum The meeting was called to order by the Moderator, Alan E. Foulds, at 7:31 PM, there being a quorum present. The Invocation was given by Philip Pacino, Precinct 5 followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was said by all in attendance. Motion made by John Halsey, Board of Selectmen to dispense of the reading of all motions in their entirety. ARTICLE 1: To hear and act on the reports of Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, and any other Town Official, Board or Committee. Reports given: Municipal Light Board Coleen O'Brien, General Manager the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Library Bylaw Committee, Town Manager, Town Accountant Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) made significant progress over the last year in meeting its goals to reorganize, increase efficiency measures, reduce peak demand, improve employee skill sets, address reliability in short -and -long term maintenance and system capacity issues. The electric industry remains volatile while the New England area rates continue to rise due to capacity and transmission costs. The region has also made a major move towards embracing renewables, including solar. While RMLD has positioned itself to capture the benefits of the renewables for its customers, e.g. RMLD's new Community Solar Choice Program, RMLD must at the same time focus on mitigating revenue impacts that the renewables may pose as a competition to electric sales. Solar, for example, can be a challenge for the enterprise side of RMLD, as well as how it impacts the physical balancing and safety of the electrical system itself. To re-emphasize our continued efforts over the past year, RMLD remains in a transition phase from reactive to proactive. A quality electric utility must have the ability to be proactive in all disciplines of planning, including system function and operation, staffing, succession and skill training. It must have the ability to be reactive through planned reaction procedures to unforeseen events, such as weather and power market volatility. It must be diligent in ensuring that its plans and strategies are reviewed at such a frequency so as to ensure that the utility stays aligned with the path of success. RMLD staff has continued its hard work to review, develop and implement all of the necessary actions to ensure a high level of quality. The focus of peak reduction remains one of the key factors in rate cost savings. Shaving our peak usage during peak periods, typically during hot summer months, has intensified. The savings associated with the shaving of just one megawatt during peak hours is now worth more than double it was last year. Communication efforts, Twitter, and a whole host of RMLD programs, now target peak reductions. In fact, our school educational piece will focus on the benefits of shaving the peak with a new and more hip motto of "SHRED THE PEAK." 11 Pc