Selectmen looking for power broker
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Westminster Selectmen are considering how to lower their electricity costs when just shutting off the lights isn't an option.

The Board of Selectmen met with Tom Aldrich, of Northeast Energy Partners, at their meeting on Wednesday, May 21, to discuss getting the town's electricity through a broker instead of simply from the power company, NationalGrid.

"We specialize in longer term, fixedprice opportunities," said Aldrich, of the Connecticut-based company.

He would like Westminster to join in a buying group of about 1,200 accounts to lock in electricity prices for the next five years. Aldrich said the goal is to get a locked in rate of 10.5 cents per kilowatt hour.

"If we can't get the 10.5 cents, we come back to you," Aldrich said.

Aldrich said because of deregulation NationalGrid would continue to own the poles, the wires and the other delivery equipment but another provider would generate the electricity. Aldrich said the town would still pay the bills through NationalGrid.

Selectman Thomas O'Toole asked if the town would see any increases in delivery charges from NationalGrid because of the change in provider.

Aldrich said no because "their revenue is already in delivery."

The cost of electricity in Massachusetts has increased from just over 6 cents per kilowatt hour in 2002 to 11 cents in 2007. This is an approximately 15 percent increase per year.

Selectman John Fairbanks asked what happens if the prices of electricity goes down during the five years. Aldrich said while that was unlikely the buying group could agree to go out and seek new bids.

The town uses about 875,500 kilowatt hours of electricity a year.

Westminster resident Tom Rutherford warned Selectmen that Northeast Energy Partners was not the only company out there acting as brokers in New England.

Town Coordinator Karen Murphy said she wants a broker that works with the Massachusetts Municipal Association to come in, as well as a third broker, before the Selectmen make a final decision.

In other business:

• O'Toole assumed the role of chairman, Nick Hay will take over as vice-chairman and Fairbanks will become clerk.

• Selectmen voted to extend health insurance benefits to two Building Department employees that have been temporarily appointed as full-time employees. The two employees are filling in for Building Inspector Robert Thorell, who is out on medical leave.

The benefits will be retracted once the employees return to part-time status.

"We're setting a precedent and a policy so we want to set it down in writing," said O'Toole.

• The Selectmen also met with the Senior Center Building Committee and asked them to determine a few pieces of information as they continue their process. The Selectmen said they want to think about serving the senior population now and in 10 to 15 years.

"Maybe it should be designed so it can expand," Fairbanks said.

The committee said they were putting out feelers to see if any of the local schools can help with some of the design.

Advisory Board member William "Bud" Taylor said that the committee should not overlook the importance of having an architect formally involved with the layout of the building.