Residents Fight for Mayor to Re-Energize Framingham's Solar Effort
After the Saxonville community's successful defense of the Athenaeum renovation, the next battle is to get Farley's solar roof funded.
Community engagement is alive and well in Framingham, as shown at the City Council meeting on April 30, 2024. In a remarkable reversal, a 2-2 stalemate in the prior April 16 City Council Finance Subcommittee meeting, on allocation of $500,000 in Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to enable a vital exterior renovation of the Saxonville Athenaeum, turned into an 11-0 unanimous City Council approval of the project.
Councilors King and Cannon's April 16 negativity on the project was overwhelmed by a very strong community response, which reinforced the fact that the Athenaeum project is a prime example of the kind of historic preservation which the CPA was designed to encourage.
Framingham voters approved joining the CPA effort in November 2020. A wonderfully competent Community Preservation Committee was appointed, and has built an impressive record of carefully vetting proposed projects, and making sound recommendations for the City Council to approve.
It truly was a shock when Councilors King and Cannon tried to block the Athenaeum project.
For details see:
Framingham Councilors King/Cannon Aim a Wrecking Ball at the Athenaeum
But the Saxonville community rose up to successfully defend a project which aligned with community core values.
Now we have another case of city government trying to block a project which aligns with community core values. This time it is the Mayor doing the obstruction, and the project is the Farley solar roof, which he cut when he slashed the FY25 capital budget by a factor of 3.
A prior article laid out the obvious reasons why this project makes sense. It helps combat climate change and produces impressive utility savings of $3.7 million. For more details see:
Framingham Mayor Rejects Millions in Utility Savings in Fiscal Crisis
and,
Framingham Mayor Unexpectedly Slashes FY25 Capital Budget
Again, the community is fighting back, led by Energize Framingham, a local citywide community organization which describes itself as follows:
“Energize Framingham provides climate education, outreach and environmental advocacy to promote a healthy, equitable and resilient community.”
On Tuesday, May 7, 2024, Energize Framingham advocates are making a presentation at the City Council meeting, where they will explain that not only should the solar roof project at Farley be funded, but two other projects should be brought back as well. The 3 projects they will argue for are:
A $1.75 million rooftop solar installation on the Farley Building, requested in November by the School Committee in an off-cycle budget request.
A proposed $75,000 Citywide Solar Alternative Energy and Resiliency Plan, which if deferred would mean planning wouldn’t occur until at least FY26 and new municipal solar installations wouldn’t occur until at least 2027.
A $400,000 Vehicle Electrification Initiative to add electric vehicles and chargers to the city’s fleets.
More details can be found in the April Energize Framingham newsletter, but it is worth quoting one paragraph from that newsletter here:
"Consumers know the value that solar can bring: more than 1,000 households in Framingham have installed solar panels on their home to save money, and more and more are investing in electric vehicles that cost less to operate than gasoline vehicles."
This map of solar installations in Framingham shows community buy-in. Framingham government has just 2 operational solar roofs and 2 solar canopies, compared to more than a thousand solar installations across the city. Even a handful of local churches are doing a better job than the government! Here's the map:
The City Council meeting on Tuesday May 7, 2024, is a critical opportunity for everyone in the community to let the Mayor know they want action now on a Farley solar roof, acceleration of solar installation planning, and real progress on switching the city fleet to electric vehicles.
Here is the agenda.
May 7, 2024, City Council Meeting Agenda
You can attend by Zoom, using the link in the agenda, or attend in person at City Hall:
Blumer Room, Memorial Building
150 Concord Street,
Framingham, MA 01702
There is a City Council Executive Session at 6:30pm, but the public meeting should commence at 7pm.
Typically, there will be an opportunity for you to make public comments for up to 2 minutes after the Energize Framingham presentation.
Make your voice heard!
Turning up matters, as the Saxonville community showed when they saved the Athenaeum renovation project.