To the Editor:

Support Article 37 on the town meeting warrant.

Sometime in 2009-10, the former town manager (TM) attended a light board meeting and announced that he was going to charge HMLP $200,000 per year rent for three years for the siting of Hull Wind II at the landfill. This is in addition to $164,000 annual PILOT payment (payment in lieu of taxes). So, the three years of payments amounted to approximately $1.2 million.

The light board was astonished at such a proposal. They had long debates about this proposal and whether this was legal. TM wanted the light board to sign a document agreeing to this payment. Not one member would sign this document. You must understand that the light board currently has limited authority. They set electric rates and advise the strong town manager. They do not have the authority to hire an attorney. So, strong town manager took this money for three years.

This is a case where strong town manager acting as HMLP manager is not a good business plan. Who does she or he report to? Unfortunately, no one. This issue should have been addressed years ago. This is why Article 37 is on your warrant.

Does any other town department pay rent to the town for real estate they sit on – the sewer department, highway department, recreation department? I hope you can see what I am getting at, the answer is a resounding no!

If TM takes this year’s PILOT payment, which happens to be $200,000, the HMLP will be operating at a deficit. This is why this article is on the town meeting warrant. This is a stop-gap measure to prevent this from ever happening again on any future project that HMLP might build.

The opposition is saying that you would have to hire a business manager to run the light plant. This is not true. The current staff of four and two operating managers can handle this task. This is not a personal attack on current TM, this is for the survival of your HMLP in the years to come.

In closing, maybe if HMLP had that $600,000 the former strong town manager took for rent, the light board might not be looking at a rate hike.

Ratepayers, this is your public power electric company. Let’s keep it solvent for years to come. Don’t let the tail wag the dog. You, the ratepayer, are the dog. Please vote “yes” on Article 37.

Thank you for listening,

David Irwin

Former Light Board Member

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