Marblehead is moving closer to becoming a state-designated Green Community, a step that could unlock hundreds of thousands of dollars for energy-efficiency projects, while the Select Board also approved a new option aimed at expanding the Police Department’s shrinking pool of job candidates.
Those were among several issues the board took up at its Aug. 26 meeting, along with preparations for Marblehead’s 400th anniversary, a new speed feedback sign on the Neck and upcoming Fire Department promotions.
Green Communities push revived
Community Development and Planning Director Brendan Callahan and Town Planner Jacinta Williams told the board the town hopes to submit an application for Green Communities designation by December.
Marblehead has been pursuing the designation since 2018 but recently put the effort on hold while officials focused on complying with the state’s MBTA Communities zoning law. With the new zoning approved at Town Meeting in May, Callahan said his department has revived the Green Communities effort.
Williams said Marblehead has already done much of the work required to qualify, including adopting the stretch energy code, developing an energy reduction plan and adopting a zero-emission vehicle policy.
“In other words, Marblehead has been a green community without the benefits of the designation for quite some time,” Williams said. “And while that might not seem like a big deal, it actually is because we’re actually leaving money on the table.”
Williams pointed to neighboring communities including Swampscott, Peabody, Salem and Beverly, which have received between roughly $500,000 and $2 million in Green Communities grants over the years.
Marblehead still has a few steps to complete. The town must identify at least 50,000 square feet of vacant land or building space that meets program requirements and obtain confirmation from town counsel.
The biggest remaining piece, however, rests with the Marblehead Municipal Light Department. The Light Commission must adopt a renewable energy surcharge and sign a Massachusetts Clean Energy Center membership agreement before the town can complete its application.
Dylan Patel, a regional grant coordinator for the state Department of Energy Resources, told the board Marblehead’s initial designation grant would be approximately $140,000 to $160,000. After completing that grant, the town could compete for grants of up to $250,000, potentially as often as once a year, although most communities apply every other year because an existing grant must be closed before another application can be submitted.
The money could be used for projects such as weatherization, lighting improvements, building control systems and other upgrades designed to reduce energy use and operating costs.
Board members stressed that the financial benefits of individual projects would be important when deciding which ones to pursue.
The renewable energy charge needed from the Light Department is estimated to cost the average ratepayer about $4 a year. Board members noted that the charge could generate about $50,000 annually while opening the door to substantially larger state grants and long-term energy savings.
The Select Board voted unanimously to formally support the Light Commission “in taking the remaining steps to apply” for the designation.
On Aug. 14, Marblehead Light General Manager Jon Blair told the Current he supports the designation … in theory.
“We should not subscribe unless we are serious about using it consistently — if our membership sits idle waiting for intent to convert to action, or if we belong only to satisfy a desire to feel more virtuous, it is a waste,” Blair said. “To avoid such a pitfall, we should have a specific plan of who will apply for grants, where the remaining funds will be sourced, what projects will be prioritized, when will they be sequenced, and how Marblehead will ensure that the enthusiasm for leveraging the program does not fade with time or disruptions. “
Police seek larger hiring pool
Police Chief Dennis King received the board’s approval to pursue a new “hybrid” hiring process that would allow Marblehead to recruit some officers outside the traditional civil service list without withdrawing from the state civil service system.
King said fewer people are taking civil service exams and pursuing careers in policing, making hiring increasingly difficult, particularly for smaller communities.
The problem was apparent in Marblehead’s latest recruitment effort. King said only about 12 Marblehead residents took the civil service exam. When the department sought two officers, 41 letters were sent to potential candidates, but only two completed applications were ultimately submitted.
“Forty-one names go out, two applications” came in, King said.
One of those candidates is nearing the end of the hiring process and could be presented to the board soon, King said, but the department would still be one officer short. The hiring and training process can take roughly a year before a new officer is ready to patrol independently.
Under the alternative pathway, Marblehead could establish a local register and consider qualified applicants who have not taken the civil service exam, including officers from other communities or candidates with equivalent out-of-state certification.
The agreement would allow no more than half of the department’s hires over five years to come through the alternative pathway. Once hired, those officers would enter the civil service system and receive the same civil service protections.
King emphasized that the change would give the department another recruiting tool without requiring Marblehead to abandon civil service.
“If it becomes too burdensome, if it does not create the candidates that we’re looking for, which I do think it will, then you just choose to go and hire off the regular list,” he said.
The board unanimously authorized the Police Department to work with the Massachusetts Human Resources Division to pursue an agreement allowing participation in the hybrid hiring program and creation of a Marblehead local public safety register.
400th anniversary planning begins
The board also got an early start on a milestone still three years away: Marblehead’s 400th anniversary in 2029.
Town Historian Don Doliber urged the board to begin planning now, drawing on his experience organizing previous town celebrations.
Doliber recalled helping organize the 1979 celebration and co-chairing the town’s 350th incorporation anniversary celebration in 1999. That effort required about a year and a half of planning and ultimately involved roughly 100 volunteers working on 33 events.
“More importantly, that 400th anniversary is something that should be started now,” Doliber told the board.
He also said $1,649 was set aside after the previous celebration as seed money for the 400th anniversary.
The board unanimously voted to establish a seven-member 400th anniversary committee, including a chair and co-chair. Officials discussed seeking applications over the next several weeks, with interviews potentially beginning in October.
Speed sign, fire promotions and 9/11 ceremony
In other business, the board accepted a $4,764 donation from the Marblehead Neck Association to purchase a speed feedback sign that will be installed on the Neck at a location determined by traffic data.
The board also addressed a conflict involving upcoming Fire Department captain promotions. Two firefighters took the promotional exam for two open captain positions, and one is a direct family member of Fire Chief Jason Gilliland.
Because the chief normally serves as the appointing authority, the board accepted his disclosure of the conflict and appointed Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer to oversee the promotional process instead.
Finally, officials announced that Marblehead’s annual Sept. 11 memorial ceremony will take on added significance this year, marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park.
