By Virginia Drye
EAGLE TIMES CORRESPONDENT
At the Plainfield Select Board meeting on June 7, board members were updated on the status of assuming the operations of the Plainfield Village Water District (PVWD).
In early March, the PVWD, a private water district for the village of Plainfield, dissolved the district in order for the town to assume the responsibilities of the organization.
One of the main reasons the district dissolved was lack of public engagement in officer responsibilities.
According to the minutes on the town website, “Chairwoman Lappin pressed the commissioners to develop a report to the Select Board that will detail some of the capital improvements that are needed to the treatment facility and water distribution system. This will be important, as the town will be setting the water rate to cover those types of system changes.”
In other action, the Select Board heard updates from the police, health, and energy departments.
Police Chief Anthony Sweat told the Select Board about the uses of several grants that the department received, including special details that focus on speed enforcement, seatbelt usage, and DUI infractions. He also told board members about the upgrades to the police cruisers, which included the installation of in-car cameras.
Plainfield’s Health Officer Stephanie Schell informed the Select Board that it is not too early to start thinking about promoting flu shots for the fall. Dates for a fall Flu Shot Clinic are yet to be announced.
Co-chair of the Energy Committee and Representative of Plainfield Community Power, Evan Oxenham, gave a presentation on enrollment in Plainfield’s Community Power (PCP), which is a part of the Community Power Coalition of NH.
As of May 30, there were a total of 751 customers in PCP. Plainfield residents who are purchasing their electricity from Liberty and Eversource utilities were automatically enrolled in PCP this spring, with the option to opt out.
Oxenham explained to the Select Board that of those customers, only two opted out of the automatic enrollment, which, compared to other states using the same program, was highly unusual. The Plainfield Town Website noted that the mission of the Community Power Coalition of NH is to keep electricity prices low and provide greener energy.
Disclosure: Virginia Drye is the daughter of Plainfield Village Water District (PVWD) Commissioner Robert Drye and sister of PVWD Treasurer Benjamin Drye. Drye is also the PVWD clerk.
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