Committee Plans Push To Meet Grant Deadlines

Climate Change Committee · Meeting of July 9, 2026

Hadley's Climate Change Committee pushed to spend down a state grant before a looming deadline. Members said they plan to meet directly with town energy contact Chris Desjardins next week to finalize insulation proposals at Hopkins Academy before the designation grant's Feb. 12, 2027 completion deadline and an Oct. 9, 2026 deadline to apply for the next funding round. A $32,000 proposal from contractor AEG was set aside for lacking state incentives, in favor of further work from Energy Source.

Members also reviewed a Hadley Elementary School composting plan, estimating weekly food-waste pickup would cost about $3,000 a year, with Principal Jennifer Dowd described as "gung-ho" on the idea. One member said "I haven't been convinced that shredding has anything to do with our mission," as the panel weighed dropping its annual paper-shredding event in favor of funding the composting program. The committee approved June minutes and voted unanimously to adjourn, with its next meeting set for September 10.

In the full story:

• Minutes Approval and Correction
• Climate Science Discussion and Member Travel Observations
• School Energy Efficiency Projects and the Green Communities Grant
• Regional Power Supply Contract
• Library Speaker Series on Plastics
• Food Waste Composting Program at Hadley Elementary
• Hazardous Waste Day and the Shredding Event Debate
• Planning Ahead: September Meeting, State Senator Outreach and Legislative Session
• Public Comment
• Adjournment
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,596 words

Source: the Climate Change Committee meeting of July 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.