By Ashley M. Casey
Staff Writer
The town of Clay may install a solar array on Maider Road. The town board voted July 17 to enter negotiations with Abundant Solar Power, Inc., which is a program of the CNY Regional Planning and Development Board (CNY RPDB).
In 2014, the town installed 396 solar panels behind Clay Town Hall. After the first year of use, the town reported a reduction in energy costs of 44 percent.
Supervisor Damian Ulatowski said the town is looking to install 10 to 12 acres of solar panels on Maider Road, where the town owns about 67 acres, but he added “nothing concrete” has been decided.
“We’re projecting that we can almost eliminate the cost of roadway lighting,” Ulatowski told the Star-Review. “Since that power’s free, we can reduce that cost to the taxpayers.”
Also at the July 17 meeting, the town board approved another agreement with CNY RPDB to convert the town’s 1,670 cobra head roadway lights to LEDs through National Grid’s LED Cost-Benefit Project.
“This is a continuing effort on the town’s part to go green,” Ulatowski said, adding that LEDs offer the same brightness with more efficiency.
Funeral home will proceed
In addition to its “go green” decisions, the Clay Town Board granted Farone & Son Funeral Home’s request to re-zone a trio of parcels on West Taft Road from R-10 One-Family Residential to NC-1 Neighborhood Commercial.
In May, several residents spoke out against the proposed zone change. At the July 17 meeting, there was minimal discussion before the vote.
“I know we’ve got a long road ahead of us, but thank you,” said Tom Cerio, an attorney for Farone & Son Funeral Home.
