Selectmen vote against going Pure Green

SHARON — At their regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 14, the selectmen voted against switching to an environmentally friendly energy plan for all  town-owned buildings.

The town’s energy supplier, Viridian Energy, offers two environmentally friendly energy plans to its customers: The Everyday Green plan supplies customers with energy from 20-percent renewable energy sources; the Pure Green plan supplies customers with energy from 100-percent renewable  sources.

The town is currently signed up for the Everyday Green plan.

At the meeting, Selectman Meg Szalewicz said she is in favor of switching to Pure Green. A representative from the company estimated that the Pure Green plan would cost the town an additional $400 a month, with potentially higher costs in winter.

“This would be a demonstration of our concern for the environment,� Szalewicz said. “It would be a minimal cost increase in cost to the town.�

Selectman John Mathews argued against the switch.

“I would just like to wait until budget season to consider it,� Mathews said. “Right now I’m getting a lot of phone calls from residents who are worried about taxes. I think we’re spending a lot of money and people are seeing that. A lot of older of people are worried. I got jumped at a grocery store recently by two people who said, ‘You’re just spending us dry.’�

Mathews said he was not against the idea of changing over to the Pure plan, but he said it would be more prudent to consider doing so next spring, when the selectmen begin to plan the budget for the next fiscal year (which will begin July 1).

Szalewicz said she strongly disagreed with Mathews.

“It would be a huge statement for the town that we care about the environment,� Szalewicz said.

“But we already are making a statement by being on the [Everyday Green] plan,� Mathews said.

After some debate,  Szalewicz made a motion for the town to switch over to the Pure Green plan.

She voted in favor of it; Mathews and First Selectman Bob Loucks voted against the motion, defeating it.