The City Council on Dec. 9 approved three energy projects that will reduce greenhouse gas and carbon emissions at the R.K. Finn Ryan Road School, Jackson Street School and Northampton High School.
The Ryan Road School project was approved unanimously; the Jackson Street School project was approved 8-1 with Quaverly Rothenberg of Ward 3 opposed; and the Northampton High School project was approved 8-0 with Rothenberg absent.
Debate on the three measures was halted Dec. 4 when 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.
All three projects were approved unanimously by the School Committee on Nov. 13.
The 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
The 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 will 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 will produce an expected savings of $1,092,570 over the 25 years.
The 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 will be financed by using $2 million from the Climate Mitigation Stabilization Fund and borrowing the remainder.
First Night Northampton 2026
The 41st annual First Night Northampton will be held from noon to midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 23 downtown venues.
Fireworks are scheduled for 6:15 p.m. from the roof of the E.J. Gare Parking Garage. The traditional ball-raising will be held at midnight at the Hotel Northampton.
Information about performances, where to purchase buttons for entry to all events and volunteer opportunities is available on the First Night Northampton website at:
https://www.firstnightnorthampton.org
School superintendent search
The Northampton School Committee invites community members to join a Preliminary Superintendent Search Committee as the process begins to hire a successor to Portia Bonner who will depart when her three-year contract expires June 30, 2026.
The search committee will sponsor listening sessions with stakeholders, screen applicants to decide candidates to be interviewed, participate in interviews, and recommend finalists to the School Committee. That work is expected to be done from January through March.
Anyone who wants to serve is asked to write a letter describing their interest and their role (faculty, staff, student, administrator, caregiver, resident) in the community.
Letters should be sent to Cassie Eckhof, School Committee clerk, Northampton Public Schools, 212 Main St., 2nd floor, Northampton, MA 01060, or emailed to ceckhof@northampton-k12.us.
Happy holidays and best wishes for a healthy 2026!
Stan