NORWICH — Voters will again be asked to decide whether Norwich should spend $2 million to eliminate Tracy Hall’s dependence on fossil fuels during a Special Town Meeting held alongside Vermont’s primary next month. Residents voted, 849-801, in March to approve energy improvements at the town hall, including the installation of a geothermal heating and cooling system.
The project would eliminate Tracy Hall’s annual reliance on 5,000 gallons of fuel oil, according to supporters.
They’ve calculated that the building’s energy needs make up about 15% of the municipality’s fossil fuel usage. But because of the facility’s aging infrastructure, roughly 21%, or $18,100, of Norwich’s annual $84,700 energy bill goes toward Tracy Hall.
The building upgrades will help eliminate a large portion of the town’s carbon emissions without reducing services, according to Linda Gray, chairwoman of the Norwich Energy Committee.
Other big fossil fuel consuming items, such as replacement of highway and large rescue vehicles with greener options, aren’t yet viable, she said.
“It’s what we can do now, and we need to do it now,” she said of the Tracy Hall improvements.
Meanwhile, opponents say the project is too costly and they urge the town to seek other ways to reduce carbon emissions. They mounted a petition drive soon after Town Meeting that called for the upcoming revote.
“Economically, individuals are hurting, households are hurting, towns are hurting and the state is,” said Doug Wilberding, a critic of the energy project who mounted an unsuccessful bid for Selectboard earlier this year. “People are very concerned about spending and Norwich is taking on more debt.”
A 20-year bond for the project would cost an additional $60 in taxes annually for a property valued at $400,000, the Norwich Energy Committee estimates.
Wilberding wants the town to begin a long-term planning process where other options, such as increased solar, can be fully explored.
He also takes issue with the process used to craft the project. It was planned by one firm, Merrimack, N.H.-based Energy Efficiency Investments, the only company to fully answer a request for qualifications.
“Generally 100% of the town is supportive about fighting climate change whether you’re for or against this article,” he said. “It just how do we go about doing that?”
The town is requesting just over $2 million for the energy upgrades, which also includes about $133,400 for light and control upgrades at Norwich’s other town buildings.
Overall, the Energy Committee predicts the project would cost $2.5 million throughout its 30-year life cycle, including maintenance. The status quo, or leaving existing boilers in place, could cost just over $1 million for the same time frame.
Other options, including a pellet boiler or a new propane system, could cost more than $3 million, the committee predicts.
About half of the project cost will go toward installing active ventilation systems in Tracy Hall, Aaron Lamperti, the committee’s vice chairman, said during a public forum last month.
“We really don’t have any choice. Eventually, this is going to have to happen because it’s a public building and this is a health and safety code of the state,” he said.
The geothermal system, which uses constant underground temperatures to heat or cool a building, would be built under Tracy Hall’s parking lot, Lamperti added.
Another public forum on the vote is scheduled for Monday, Aug 10. A link to the meeting, which will be held via teleconferencing software Zoom, will be posted ahead of time on the town’s website, norwich.vt.us.
The vote itself will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Polling will be held at the town transfer station at 24 New Boston Road to allow for drive-through voting.
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.
Correction
Tracy Hall in Norwich currently uses about 5,000 gallons of fuel oil. An earlier version of this story, relying on a town document, incorrectly reported that propane was also a significant fuel source at the town hall.