Belmont is so close to being somewhat solar-friendly, however, there are two loose ends that require an extra push. We are asking for your help! The Light Board (a.k.a the Selectmen (BOS)) is planning to resolve two policy issues at a meeting November 19th, where resident input MUST be received BY the 12th. While your signatures and comments on June's online petition were well-received, the Chair of the BOS does not have to accept online signatures at the same weight as physical signatures and has stated that direct emails go further in the town's effort to communicate to them. So, we ask you to take a moment out of your busy schedule to send a quick email to selectmen@belmont-ma.gov letting them know that you support the following two policy language changes (feel free to copy and paste the 2 lines below, add your name, address and precinct). 1) reinstate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) so the town can more easily and cheaply realize solar on town buildings; and 2) grandfather existing residential solar hosts according the Light Board's Net Metering Working Group minority recommendation. #solarbelmontnow Background: On September 30, the Chairman of the Light Board (BOS), Sami Baghdady, convened a meeting to vote on the Net Metering Working Group's recommended solar-friendly tariff. Rather than using the Board-appointed Working Group's recommended tariff, Belmont Light presented its own tariff which was not available to the Board or public prior. Belmont Light's tariff differed from the Working Group's recommendation in two important ways. 1) It prohibits 3rd party Power Purchase Agreements (PPA). This makes installations on town sites such as our schools, town dump, and other large sites more complex and costly to install. 2) It ignores the Working Group's recommendations to provide some form of relief to existing solar hosts to compensate for the fact that the new tariff substantially lengthens the payback period on thier initial investments. Nonetheless, the Light Board, eager to start a solarize campaign, voted in favor of Belmont Light’s tariff as written. They agreed to discuss these two issues at some point in the future. Consensus was not reached on the subsequent October 30th meeting due to continued resistance from Belmont Light, so they will meet again on November 19th. They want resident input before this Thursday (11/12)!!!! Please email our Board of Selectmen to urge the Belmont Light Board and Belmont Light to reinsert the language allowing PPAs and insert the Working Group's minority recommendation for grandfathering existing residential solar hosts (the minority recommendation is much fairer, less costly to the town, and easier to implement than the majority recommendation). We will send more background information within 48 hours should you have further questions. Thank you for your time and support. Erin Lubien Unity Avenue "Belmont Corner" Precinct 7