The City Council is scheduled to vote during a special virtual meeting at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 9, on three energy projects that would reduce greenhouse gas and carbon emissions at the R.K. Finn Ryan Road School, Jackson Street School and Northampton High School.

Debate on the three measures was halted Dec. 4 when Ward 3 Councilor Quaverly Rothenberg lodged charter objections after her attempts to raise questions about any potential plans to consolidate the city’s four elementary schools. were ruled out of order. Under the city charter, such objections immediately end debate and postpone a vote to the next council meeting.

Remote participation in Tuesday’s meeting is available by using this Zoom link (passcode (018897):

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81954240577

All three projects were approved unanimously by the School Committee on Nov. 13.

An order to appropriate $455,763 from the Climate Mitigation Stabilization Fund to install a solar array on the roof of the Ryan Road School is available here:

https://northamptonma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/26132?fileID=210982

An order to authorize a 25-year lease in the parking lot of the Jackson Street School for a solar canopy and a power purchase agreement with Solect Energy of Hopkinton is available here:

https://northamptonma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/26133?fileID=210983

There is no expense for the city and the cost of electricity produced by the solar canopy would be fixed at 15.8 cents per kilowatt hour for 25 years, compared to the current cost of 18.4 cents per kilowatt hour. That would produce an expected savings of $1,092,570 over the 25 years.

An order to appropriate $11,166,625 to design and construct a geothermal heating and cooling system at Northampton High School is available here:

https://northamptonma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/26134?fileID=210984

The project would be paid for by using $2 million from the Climate Mitigation Stabilization Fund and borrowing the remainder.

Budget ‘listening session’

The City Council Committee on Finance, of which I am vice chair, will hold a “listening session” at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 10, in the City Council chambers, 212 Main St., to hear from the public about the municipal budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.

People who want to participate remotely may use this Zoom link (passcode 476833):

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87913129617

This Is an opportunity for city councilors, including those who are taking office in January, to hear from residents about their spending priorities before the formal process of approving next year’s budget begins in early 2026. Participants are asked to limit their comments to three minutes or less.

Anyone unable to attend may email comments to citycouncil@northamptonma.gov.

Stan