The Seekonk
Reporter
OCTOBER 2010 VOLUME 22, NO. 10
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Serving the Residents of Seekonk, Rehoboth and Surrounding Communities Since 1989
HOME IMPROVEMENT page 60
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Tuesday November 2nd
Seekonk Goes Solar
By Laura Calverley Seekonk wrote a page for its history books last month when town officials powered up the town’s first solar photovoltaic system. Seekonk is one of the first towns in Massachusetts to complete such a solar photovoltaic (PV) municipal project. The project involved the installation of a 31-kilowatt system on the roof of the Department of Public Works garage on Taunton Avenue. In a ceremony on September 23, local and state officials, residents and the media watched as the 150-panel solar array was officially “powered-up” by Public Works Superintendent Bob Lamoureux, Vice Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Dave Parker and resident Carol Bragg, Coordinator of Sustainable Seekonk. Superintendent Lamoureux officiated at the ceremony. “This is a historic day for the town of Seekonk. We’ve talked a lot about renewable energy, alternative energy and sustainability. With the completion of this project, finally our discussions have come to fruition. This is a great first step for the town of Seekonk, and another small step toward a green planet,” said Lamoureux, Superintendent of Public Works. The project, which cost about $150,000, was funded through two grants: a Clean Energy Choice grant made possible by Seekonk residents “greening up” on their electric bills and a competitive statewide Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant. There was no cost to the town. It began 2 ½ years ago, when the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Library Board of Trustees, Recycling Committee and Sustainable Seekonk conducted the campaign to get residents to reduce their electricity usage so that Seekonk could win a free solar PV array for one of its buildings. The effort fell short of its goal, but the resulting Clean Energy Choice matching funds helped fund the DPW solar project. continued on page 4...
Halloween In Seekonk at the yMCa oct. 22nd Fri, Oct 22 from 7:00-8:30 P.M. (ages 3-11) and their families to enjoy
Newman YMCA, 472 taunton Ave Seekonk MA
Costume Parades • Games haunted room • Giant Obstacle Course Ghost Stories • horse Drawn hay-rides the event is Free to Y members and $5/child (parents free) for nonmembers, tickets must be picked up in advance.