Dublin Fire Department will be a bit greener and have lower energy costs in the future, as the town has been awarded a grant from the state to install solar panels at its fire station on Main Street.

 “Once live, the panels will lower the fire station’s utility bills,” said Select Board member Susan Peters, who announced receipt of the grant at Monday’s Select Board meeting.

The federal Inflation Reduction Act is the funding source for the grant. The $45,843 come via the New Hampshire Department of Energy, and covers 100% of the project. The Executive Council and Gov. Chris Sununu approved the grant to Dublin on Nov. 13. 

“A solar array on the south-facing portion of the roof would offer enough capacity to meet the current electricity needs of the fire station, with some room for future growth in electricity usage,” according to a press release from the town Tuesday morning.

The Select Board began seeking proposals from photovoltaic vendors once the grant process commenced this past summer.

“The Dublin Energy Committee worked with town grant-writer K Vanderbilt, Fire Chief Tom Vanderbilt and Clean Energy NH Circuit Rider Frank Richter to complete the application on time,” according to the press release. 

Peters said that the process will move further along with technical meetings in January, and that installation should follow in the spring.

In other news, Select Board member Carole Monroe expressed satisfaction with the decision by the state Board of Education regarding the education of students in Dublin. Following the town’s presentation in Concord Nov. 14, the board voted to allow Dublin to put the issue of withdrawing from the ConVal School District to district voters in March. It will pass if either 50% or more of district voters as a whole approve or 60% of Dublin voters and 40% of voters overall approve.

 “It means the decision about how to move forward will go to the voters,” said Monroe after Monday’s meeting. She also said after the meeting that state board Chair Drew Kline said Dublin’s presentation was one of the best he had seen.

 There will be several forums for residents to learn more about the steps ahead for Dublin, the first one being on Nov. 23 at 10 a.m. at Dublin Community Center.