The Nassau Town Board is moving ahead with plans to take the town’s facilities off the electric grid and supply its own power.

Thursday night the Town Board voted unanimously to achieve its goal of being off the grid by 2020. The town has five years to meet its goal.

Here’s the word from the town of Nassau:

Statement by Nassau Supervisor David Fleming on Unanimous Grid Vote

Nassau, NY – December 11, 2015 – “Last night the Nassau Town Board voted unanimously to set in motion their goals and a plan to take the town government off the grid by 2020. This move is good for our taxpayers, public safety and the environment. As we enter our 210th year as a town, I can think of no better time to celebrate the independence and strength of our community.”

Here’s the resolution:

At the Regular Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Nassau, held on December 10, 2015 the following resolution was presented to the Town Board:

Resolution No. _____

Resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Nassau

ESTABLISHING NASSAU 2020

THE TOWN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY

WHEREAS, 2016 marks the 210th anniversary of the founding of the Town of Nassau; and

WHEREAS, this anniversary reminds this community of the independence and ingenuity of our founding residents and their ability to forge a successful community from the wilderness; and

WHEREAS, the early residents of this community relied on renewable resources such as hydropower for the operation of mills and factories; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Nassau has a deteriorating and overall inadequate energy and communications infrastructure that has had only limited updates and infrequent maintenance; and

WHEREAS, this weak infrastructure is outside the control of the Town government; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Nassau has experienced prolonged power outages which have impacted emergency services, public safety and highway operations; and

WHEREAS, it is important that emergency operations of the Town of Nassau continue without the threat of the loss of power; and

WHEREAS, the support of renewable energy by the Town government is good for the environment, is in keeping with our Comprehensive Plan and has the potential to save taxpayers money while also supporting emergency operations of the local government; and

WHEREAS, the State of New York has encouraged and provided resources for the development and expansion of renewable energy throughout the Empire State; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Nassau wishes to take a leadership role in providing energy security to guarantee Town government operations without reliance on monopolistic power grids that do not place our residents as a priority;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Nassau does hereby:

1. Authorize the creation of a citizens advisory committee to be named the “Town Advisory Committee on Energy Sustainability”; and

2. Such Committee shall be composed of not more than nine members to be selected by the Town Board; and

3. Direct that such Committee shall investigate and explore successful regional, national and global plans and programs that utilize renewable resources including but not limited to wind and solar, in order to inform its recommendations to be made to the Town Board for the use of renewable resources; and

4. Such Committee shall work to leverage federal, state and private resources to assist in the development of a plan to take all Town buildings off the electric grid; and

5. Such Committee shall set a priority in their review and recommendations regarding the public safety and emergency operations needs of the Town government; and

6. Such Committee will explore methods to fund and implement a comprehensive plan to take all Town government buildings off the electrical grid by 2020; and

7. Direct that such Committee shall endeavor to provide specific recommendations and support to the Town Board to assist in achieving the goal of all Town government buildings in Nassau to be off the grid and energy self-sufficient by 2020.

8. Such Town Advisory Committee on Energy Sustainability shall report to the Town Board on a regular basis.

Upon motion made by Mr. Fleming, and seconded by Ms. Richards, the foregoing resolution was duly adopted by a majority of the members of the Town Board of the Town of Nassau at its Regular Meeting held on December 10, 2015, by roll call vote as follows:

Ronald Sears, Councilmember No____ Yes_X__ Absent/Abstain____

Lani Richards, Councilmember No____ Yes_X__ Absent/Abstain____

Jonathan Goebel, Councilmember No____ Yes_X__ Absent/Abstain____

Robert Rings, Councilmember No____ Yes_X__ Absent/Abstain____

David Fleming, Supervisor No____ Yes _X___ Absent/Abstain____

Said Resolution was duly adopted: December 10, 2015.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the Town of Nassau, Rensselaer County, New York.

____________________________ , Sandra Rings, Town Clerk Dated: December ___, 2015

(Seal)

And the prior announcement: