BY ADAM ATKINSON

North Country This Week

CANTON — Town Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Murray has been busy handling inquiries and permit requests from commercial solar developers in the town recently and the town is researching hiring a private engineering consultant to help out.

“I guess the biggest highlight this month is learning to deal with commercial solar projects, because we seem to have a lot of land that is of interest to these developers,” Murray told the town board at their meeting Dec. 10. “And this is a whole new game for me.”

“This is a big learning curve for me,” Murray said.

“Well the solar is an issue that is coming to our town. Process and communication is critical,” said Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley. Ashley said the town does have a solar committee comprised of board members Bob Washo and Jim Smith. However, she advised Murray to notify the board as a whole when new developers expressed interest in a commercial solar construction project. “Any time you are contacted, because there are a lot of moving parts, send a quick email to the board about it,” Ashley said.

“Absolutely,” Murray said.

During discussion, Town Councilman Jim Smith said the solar committee of himself and Washo isn’t enough to deal with the interest. “This is something that is going to overwhelm us,” Smith said. “We’ve got to take a serious look at something to deal with this rather than rely on a couple part time board members.”

“We’re trying to educate ourselves as much as we can. No question Bob has spent a tremendous amount of time on this, and Eric (Gustafson, town attorney) has too. I’m not going to speak for you Bob, I’m going to speak for myself, I’m very close to being in over my head,” Smith said. “This is an issue we have to take a real serious look at.”

“I think Jim is right on that,” Murray said. “I think we maybe have to get in touch with somebody that is used to dealing with these developers and the size of these things. Because apparently they’re coming here and they’re looking for land and I think it's just going to get more and more intense.”

“As locals we are just overwhelmed with this,” Murray said.

“I concur completely,” Washo said. “It’s clear to me that we are already in over our head. And, that’s not to take away from Jeff, myself, Jim or the Planning Board. Everybody’s learning.”

Washo said however, that with recent changes in state licensing laws for renewable energy projects, development will be expedited moving forward. “And even with just the projects we have dribbling in right now, we have way too many deficiencies to handle it,” Washo said.  

Washo suggested contracting with a professional engineer to be on retainer to review the projects that are expected to come along.

Town attorney said he knows a few engineers that might be able to do that sort of work. He said he would come up with a list of names for the board to consider.

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