The Falmouth Select Board on Monday, February 22, approved hiring a consultant to assist with the creation of bid documents necessary for the disposition of the two wind turbines at the wastewater treatment plant site on Blacksmith Shop Road.
Attorney Christopher W. Morog told the board that Massachusetts General Law allows for the dismantling and disposal of the turbines under one procurement.
âWe could, under Chapter 30.39M, which was the way the turbines were put up, have a procurement that goes out for the removal and disposal of the turbines,â Mr. Morog said. âThe bidder, the successful bidder, whether they are paying us an amount of money or we have to pay them to have them removed, would be able to do what they like with them, if they are the lowest responsible bidder.â
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic looms over the proposed $149.8 million Fiscal Year 2022 budget for Falmouth.
âThere is a lot we donât know right now,â Finance Director Jennifer Mullen told the select board on Monday, January 4. âState aid was level-funded for FY21, but we really donât know what will happen in FY22. They had a revenue hearing on December 15, but they really havenât released any information on that, so I did project an 8.5 percent decrease in state aid.â
However, she projected a 15.1 percent increase in local estimated receipts.
âWhen you look at your spreadsheet and read your budget book, it looks like a huge increase for FY22, but that is just because we significantly decreased them in FY21. Weâre getting them back to pre-pandemic levels. I feel comfortable doing that, and we do have some room in our estimated receipts,â she said.