Sunapee Selectboard Schedules Hearing on $1.3M WWTP Solar Bond

The Town of Sunapee will host a pair of public hearings on Monday, January 12, 2026, at the Sunapee Town Offices Meeting Room as part of the municipal budget process. The Selectboard will open a bond hearing at 6:30 PM to consider a proposal "to raise and appropriate the sum of up to $1,300,000 for the installation of a solar array and the implementation of energy efficiency measures at the Wastewater Treatment Plant," according to the town notice. A separate budget hearing will begin at 6:40 PM to review the proposed 2026 operating budget and any petitioned or governing body warrant articles.

Both hearings are being held under state statutes guiding municipal finance: RSA 33:8-a governs the bond hearing and RSA 32:5, I and 40:13, II-a (a) govern the budget hearing process. The bond would fund changes at the wastewater treatment plant intended to reduce energy use and install renewable generation capacity. The Selectboard will use the hearing to present the proposal and gather public comment ahead of any final action on warrant articles submitted for voter consideration.

For residents, the proposal raises two principal issues. First, the installation of a solar array and energy upgrades could lower long-term operating costs for the wastewater facility and reduce its environmental footprint. Second, financing the work through a bond could have near-term fiscal implications depending on the final amount authorized, the term and interest rate of the bond, and whether outside grants or reserve funds offset costs. Those factors will determine any impact on the municipal tax rate or sewer user fees.

The budget hearing will cover the town's proposed operating expenses for 2026 and provide an opportunity to examine petitioned warrant articles that, if adopted, could alter spending priorities. Links to the FY2026 budget development documents are provided on the Town of Sunapee Finance department page for residents seeking details on line items and assumptions.

Residents are encouraged to attend the hearings to hear the Selectboard presentation, ask questions, and register their views before warrant articles are finalized. The meetings offer the primary public forum for reviewing the bond request and the proposed budget prior to voter consideration.