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Guilford BOS Looks to Reconstitute Energy Task Force

As part of an effort to help keep Guilford green, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) recently moved to try to reconstitute the Energy Task Force in town. The task force would be charged with helping guide the town through the process of becoming a member of the Sustainable CT program.

Sustainable CT is voluntary certification program open to all municipalities that aims to help towns build their local economies while protecting their natural resources. Towns can chose from a menu of actions to complete, such as growing affordable housing options, promoting effective parking management, or developing an open space plan, that then count for points toward a town’s final certification in the program.

At the BOS meeting on May 21, First Selectman Matt Hoey said he would like to have Guilford participate in the program and hopes to use the Energy Task Force as the vehicle by which to start the application process. The only problem is the Energy Task Force is supposed to have seven members and currently only has one.

“We are looking to reconstitute the task force for the purposes of working with various members of our staff toward the application for becoming a member of the Sustainable CT community, which has a significant number of benefits to us,” Hoey said. “Including ensuring we are protecting the environment and being more efficient with energy consumption and leave this community in a better place than we found it down the road.”

Hoey said some residents have already expressed interest in the task force and all residents are welcome to contact the First Selectman’s Office if they are interested.

Hoey said he hopes to reconstitute the task force soon as the process for becoming a certified Sustainable CT town is fairly lengthy.

According to the program mission statement, the goal is to “provide municipalities with a menu of coordinated, voluntary actions to continually become more sustainable; to provide resources and tools to assist municipalities in implementing sustainability actions and advancing their programs for the benefit of all residents; and to certify and recognize municipalities for their ongoing sustainability achievements.”

To learn more or to ask to be on the Energy Task Force, visit the town website at www.ci.guilford.ct.us.