Southbridge Subcommittee Approves $250,000 Green Communities Grant Application for Schools, Library

SOUTHBRIDGE -- March 26, 2026, Southbridge planning subcommittee unanimously backs $250,000 Green Communities Grant bid for school and library energy upgrades. The Joint Planning and Development Subcommittee voted Thursday to authorize a state Green Communities Grant application targeting LED lighting at the middle-high school, building envelope work and heat pump installation at Eastford Road School, and two replacement rooftop HVAC units at Jacob Edwards Library. Municipal Energy Manager Kate Johnson, whose position was created in part to pursue this program, told the subcommittee that National Grid incentives for the LED conversion expire in October 2026, calling this "probably our best opportunity to pay for it." The school projects are structured to be cost-neutral through on-bill repayment, while the library work carries an estimated town contribution of between $55,000 and $80,000, to be drawn from capital previously earmarked for copper gutter replacement. The subcommittee also approved two non-binding National Grid agreements, a Community Solutions MOU increasing energy incentive payments and a no-cost fleet advisory service to inventory and plan electrification of the town's full vehicle fleet, forwarding all three items to the full Town Council for its Monday, March 30 meeting.