Warwick seeks public comment on community choice aggregation program

The Warwick Village Board of Trustees entertained public feedback on its proposed local law that would enable the village to explore the opportunity to join a community choice aggregation program during its January 16 meeting.

As reported earlier in The Warwick Advertiser, entering a community choice aggregation (CCA) program would enable the village of Warwick to partner with other municipalities to be better positioned to obtain competitive rates for more efficient and sustainable energy sources.

Those who spoke during the public hearing held during Tuesday’s board meeting were mostly positive and optimistic about the village joining a CCA program.

Michael Helme, a village resident, praised the initiative as a means of making it easier for Village residents to participate in more sustainable initiatives. He shared how many people he has spoken with want to be more proactive in supporting green energy, but don’t have the wherewithal to navigate the process.

“If the village went ahead with making the default electric service a green energy at a much lower price, it would really be a good deal,” said Helme. “I think this is a wonderful thing for elected officials to take responsibility for.”

Scott Brown, also of the village of Warwick, agreed that the intentions for joining a CCA were laudable; however, he expressed concern over the potential for goals like sustainability to conflict with such others as delivering lower costs to consumers. He called on the board to be mindful of how energy choices are made and their impact on village residents.

“I think it is very important that you look carefully at how that balance is made, who is making that choice, and how it is communicated to the community,” said Brown.

Trustee Thomas McKnight addressed the public, noting that the CCA program is being pushed by the state of New York. He added that, if the village decided to move forward, there would be significant public education initiatives to ensure residents understood the program and its intentions.

“There is a heavy dose of community outreach provided by whatever administrator we would pick. The administrator will reach out to as many people as they can to make sure they understand [the program] and set expectations,” said McKnight.

Affirming the need to raise awareness for the proposed local CCA program law, the board agreed to keep the public hearing open until the next meeting, so that the public can share their concerns, questions, and comments with the village.

Other business

During the meeting, the board also discussed changing the minimum age for the village’s summer recreation staff to 15 from the current minimum of 16. The request was made by the village of Warwick’s recreation director, Ron Introini. Heeding the guidance of Warwick village attorney Stephen Gaba, the board agreed to consult with legal counsel on labor laws before proceeding with making the change.

In addition, the board announced that a mental health first aid training program will take place on January 23 and January 25 at the Warwick Valley Community Center. Trustee Mary Collura shared that more information is available on the Warwick Valley Coalition Facebook page.