WENDELL — Voters at a Special Town Meeting on Wednesday opted to let their Selectboard negotiate and enter into a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement for a solar array and battery energy storage system proposed for Lockes Village Road.
The Selectboard cannot enter into PILOT agreements without Town Meeting approval, which was achieved through adoption of the third item on the Wednesday’s warrant. Nexamp, doing business as Wendell Solar LLC, has submitted an application for a 20-year project consisting of a 2.79-megawatt, ground-mounted solar array and a 2-megawatt battery energy storage system.
Resident Lisa Hoag said she believes solar arrays and battery energy storage systems last about 40 years and asked why Wendell Solar LLC’s application is for a 20-year project. Selectboard Chair Laurie DiDonato responded that the article’s adoption does not commit the Selectboard to any particular terms, only to negotiate and enter into a PILOT agreement. She also said both parties benefit from an agreement.
Stephen Gross, who chairs the Wendell Planning Board, said this proposed project is minuscule compared to New Leaf Energy’s since-rescinded proposal to construct a 105-megawatt lithium-ion battery storage facility at 68 Wendell Depot Road. The Lowell-based developer of renewable energy and energy storage projects decided to pull the plug in the summer of 2024, citing changes in the interconnection process and the state Legislature’s failure to pass a climate bill.
“This is not that,” Gross said.
He also mentioned that town officials must be cautious about any development and his board will review the application “with a fine-tooth comb.” DiDonato previously said that Wendell Solar LLC’s application is making its way through the various necessary town boards.
Voters on Wednesday also agreed to transfer $10,000 to the Town Building Repairs Account to pay for exterior painting at the Wendell Free Library. DiDonato previously said that “it’s not enough to cover the entire project,” adding that the $10,000 will likely cover the work’s first phases, which include fixing damaged siding and rot.
Residents took no action on Article 5, at the recommendation of the Selectboard and the Finance Committee. The article asked voters if they would agree to transfer $1,200 to cover the Planning Board clerk’s fiscal year 2026 salary. But DiDonato explained that the article was placed on the warrant before it was realized that the Planning Board has enough money in its budget to pay Tom Siefert through the end of the calendar year. The Planning Board will then need to have one of its members fulfill the clerk’s duties or find other funds to keep Siefert on board.
Meagan Sylvia said the Finance Committee, which she chairs, did not support the article because of the tight budget.
“We considered this discretionary funding and just did not want to move on with this at this time,” Sylvia said.
But Gross stood up to say the Wendell Solar LLC project won’t succeed without a Planning Board clerk, “particularly the clerk that we have.” He said, however, a clerk’s duties can be fulfilled “any number of ways” as long as there is commitment to them.
Voters also approved an article increasing the real estate and motor vehicle demand fees to $25 and the municipal lien certificate fee to $50; and one to raise and appropriate $13,924 for the Reserve Fund. Town Coordinator Kelly Tyler explained the real estate and motor vehicle demand fees are added to a resident’s bill when that person doesn’t pay their property or excise taxes, and the town’s tax collector has to track them down and complete a large amount of paperwork.
Fifty-one, or 6.4%, of the town’s 797 registered voters, showed up to Wednesday’s Special Town Meeting at Town Hall.