By ARCHIE MOUNTAIN
NEWPORT — A charging station, maybe two, for electric-powered cars could be available sooner than later in Newport.
The project would be a joint venture between Sullivan County and the Town of Newport. It would be located in the parking lot on Sunapee Street opposite the Newport Fire Station.
Sullivan County owns the lot, which it purchased at auction and when it was updated, underground conduit lines were installed in anticipation of utilizing two parking spots as charging stations at some point in the future.
Cody Morrison, Economic Development Coordinator for the Town of Newport, was in attendance at Monday’s meeting of the Sullivan County Commissioners in Unity to update them on grant funds from the State of New Hampshire that have been earmarked for electric charging locations.
Morrison said the stations are expected to cost between $12,000 and $15,000 each to install. New Hampshire has $2 million earmarked for these grants, he told the commissioners and County Manager Derek Ferland.
“Hopefully we can partake in this program,” Morrison stated.
There is presently only one charging station in Sullivan County and that is located at Plainfield, he revealed.
The program is geared more to county government and municipalities, according to Morrison. “Some municipalities use them to attract business to their communities,” he revealed.
After a brief discussion, Morrison said the county and Newport could do a joint application for the grant money. “This would give us more recognition among potential users,” he emphasized.
“We’d probably be giving up one or two parking spaces,” Ferland suggested.
The three commissioners all supported the plan.
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