It may be a while before electric vehicles can pull off the road in Newtown for a free “top-off” at a public charging station. But the Newtown High School Marching Band & Guard will be shuttling its equipment much more easily and economically thanks to a decision by the Board of Selectmen July 6 to help purchase and maintain a custom cargo van on behalf of the award-winning ensemble.

During the meeting selectmen heard from Public Works Director Fred Hurley and Town Sustainable Energy Commission Chair Kathleen Quinn following up on a proposal that was launched about a month earlier, regarding the town applying for a grant to create one or more of the public charging stations with an eye on Fairfield Hills as the site for the first installation.

But Mr Hurley said the Fairfield Hills Authority voted against the idea, despite plans to use the station to also charge electric or hybrid vehicles the town might acquire for its fleet in the future. Mr Hurley said, however, that the Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers was very receptive to the idea of installing such a station on site in its parking lot off Main Street.

At this point, the public works chief said, it is too late to apply for the current round of installation grants. But he and Ms Quinn would work with the town hall trustees to determine a location for the station, and whether to attempt installing the charging facility before or after planned renovations to that parking area in the coming months.

There would be some consideration related to the underground electrical cable being installed to power the station, which Mr Hurley estimated would cost the town about $75 to $80 per month. The pre-grant cost for the equipment and installation would be about $9,000, but depending on how the town’s potential grant award is ranked, the state allocation could offset as much as the full cost of that installation.

On June 1, Mr Hurley appeared with Economic Development Coordinator Betsy Paynter, Ms Quinn, and resident Jeff Jorgenson, an electric vehicle owner who works installing such charging stations.

Ms Paynter told selectmen that electric cars represent a growing segment of state vehicles, and that DEEP “would love to have” Newtown install at least one charging station since western Connecticut apparently has very few of the facilities to serve the growing number of vehicle owners in town and across the region.

She said that top grant qualifiers would have a location on or near one or more major commuting routes, as well as in an area where drivers could park and do other things like shop, eat, or enjoy recreational activities while charging.

When asked by First Selectman Pat Llodra why the Fairfield Hills Authority rejected the idea of having that station on the local campus, Ms Quinn said she attended the meeting when that decision was made, but said there appeared to be no actual reasoning behind why the authority members voted against the proposal.

Mr Hurley said he would have more information for selectmen to consider after further meetings with the town hall managers on the alternate location. He said the key is to determine if the grant will come first, or the lot renovation because each grant must be spent within a few months of being awarded, or it is forfeited.

Band Van Arrangement

Selectmen then turned their attention to a proposal that will help the high school band and guard obtain access to an equipment truck that will hold and transport all the necessary equipment and instruments for travel events, parades, and competitions. The vehicle would be purchased and stored by the town, and would provide select, qualified drivers from the Newtown High School Band Parents Corps access to it exclusively for out-of-town use by the high school ensemble.

Selectman Will Rodgers moved the $25,000 resolution on the condition that the plan receive endorsement from the Board of Education.

Outgoing Band Parent Corporation leader Scott Reiss and incoming leader Andrew Buzzi were on hand to explain the group’s challenges. Mr Reiss said that the group has been spending in excess of $10,000 annually to rent three commercial trucks to get the necessary gear to band and guard events, while a single, specially configured commercial grade van could hold everything required for the gigs.

He said a preferred used van he located for that purpose has only 20,000 miles on it with a life expectancy of 400,000 miles or more, so by the town obtaining it on behalf of the band parents, the purchase would pay for itself in just two seasons of use.

Mr Buzzi said that the ensemble is a quintessential community organization which represents the town locally in the Labor Day Parade, as well as at events at Giant’s Stadium in New Jersey and in Annapolis, Md., and is deserving of the consideration.

“This is a necessary piece of equipment to help permit the band to continue representing Newtown,” Mr Buzzi said.

Mr Rodgers then asked about liability and who would be operating the vehicle. Mr Reiss replied that any band drivers are thoroughly vetted by veteran band parents. Finance Director Robert Tait added that the town would maintain a list of the few authorized operators to provide to Newtown’s insurance carrier.

When not in use, the vehicle will be securely stored on town property.

Mrs Llodra said that by the town helping with the purchase, and maintaining ownership of the truck, it will reduce operating costs for the support association, and she hoped that would be reflected in participatory fees collected by the group.

Mr Reiss said that the association works to keep all the so-called pay-to-play fees as low as possible, and sees the acquisition as a means of at least keeping current fees in check, versus increasing them in the coming years.

“I see this as a rate increase avoidance measure,” Mr Reiss said.

Band programs using the vehicle run year-round, he added.

Mr Tait said the expenditure, which was unanimously approved, would be offset by about $17,500 in donations to the townside Sandy Hook Special Revenue Fund, with another $7,400 coming from lines in that fund requiring approval by the school board. If the school board concurs with the plan and approves the expenditure, the full $25,000 appropriation request would then go to the Board of Finance and Legislative Council for final approvals.