SELECT BOARD – Listed in alphabetical order
(1 seats available - 3 year term)
The Select Board serves as the chief executive board of the Town, and as such, oversees all matters affecting the interest and welfare of the community. The Board exercises the authority vested in the Town not specifically assigned by law to any other board or office.
Q1. The Town’s capital project schedule for the next six years includes major new buildings and renovations (Morses Pond, RDF Administration Building, Park & Highway Building, RDF Baler Building, pre-school); HVAC projects (Sprague, Library, Bates, Schofield, Fiske, Middle School); and roof replacements (Middle School, Sprague, Bates). What will you do to ensure that these projects include a full analysis of the climate impact of various options, renewable energy, and full building decarbonization?
Kenneth Largess
A1. Wellesley has an opportunity to lead by example in making our capital projects more sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective in the long run. As a Select Board member, I will advocate for a comprehensive climate impact analysis for each major project to ensure that renewable energy and full building decarbonization are not just considered but prioritized whenever financially and operationally feasible.
To achieve this, I will push for:
Odessa Sanchez
A1. To ensure that these capital projects align with strong climate and sustainability goals, I would advocate for the following steps:
In the design phase, require that all major building projects undergo a full climate impact analysis, comparing the emissions and energy efficiency of different design and material choices. This should include selecting architects and contractors that are already “Green Certified” in their fields.
During the Design Review Board stages, the Select Board will make sure that this committee and other community partners keep contractors in line with sustainable goals of the project, and the proper materials or procedures can be suggested to help meet goals.
The Wellesley Housing Authority deals with many projects of various sizes, and when considering which parties to work with, a background check can be done on any contractor you select for a project.
In the building phase, require all projects to meet or exceed high-performance building standards, such as, LEED Gold, or Zero Energy Building certifications.
In addition I would ensure engagement and transparency amongst stakeholders. Climate experts, residents, and sustainability advocates, like Sustainability Wellesley and the Climate Action Committee can be involved in the planning process, with regular public updates given to measure accountability.
The most important aspect of full building decarbonization is establishing clear targets of net- zero emissions in municipal buildings and ensuring that all projects prioritize full electrification over fossil fuel- based systems when feasible. The Select Board can inform planners about funding opportunities and explore state and federal grants, utility incentives, and other funding sources to support the additional costs of decarbonization and renewable energy investments. In the effort to Go-Green, we don't want to create a hardship for the public or the town.
Michael Tauer
A1. I am proud of Wellesley's commitment to sustainability and combating climate change. We have taken the lead in implementing practical sustainability measures that yield long-term cost savings. Hunnewell and Hardy are net-zero ready with all-electric building systems. Town Hall has also now been converted to all-electrical systems, and it is anticipated that Warren will follow suit. With each of these projects, we have gained valuable experience and deep insight into how best to design, deploy, operate, and maintain the tools and resources available to achieve our climate and sustainability goals. We are ideally positioned to leverage this experience and insight as we tackle the Town’s upcoming capital projects.
In working on Town building projects for the last six years as a member of the Permanent Building Committee, I have seen that the very beginning is most efficient and effective time to discuss the sustainability goals and approaches for a given project. Under our decentralized form of government, the town entities that are proposing new buildings and renovations are largely responsible for defining the goals and scope of the work to be done and for complying with the Town’s Municipal Sustainable Building Guidelines. On the Select Board, I will encourage the proponents of new buildings and renovations to leverage Town resources and expertise as early in the process as possible so that sustainability solutions are woven through the design and construction process. I also support facilitating a consistent, Town-wide process or procedure by which the climate impacts and sustainability options are fully analyzed for all Town building projects as a matter of course. On the Select Board, I will leverage my experience on the Permanent Building Committee to help to guide the Town to successfully complete the significant number of large building projects we will undertake over the next few years. I will always prioritize our goals for sustainability and combating climate change and will support efforts to achieve them.
Q2. The Select Board’s current work plan includes the development of the Energy Transition and Climate Resilience working group with the Municipal Light Plant Board. What experience and/or insights can you bring to bear on the goal of making Wellesley more resilient and able to transition off of gas?
Kenneth Largess
A2. Wellesley’s energy transition and climate resilience efforts require a balanced approach that embraces innovation while ensuring affordability and practicality for residents and businesses. My background in legal, regulatory, and financial matters equips me with the skills to evaluate complex policies, assess financial impacts, and advocate for cost-effective solutions that align with both sustainability goals and economic realities.To support Wellesley’s transition off gas and improve resilience, I offer the following insights:
Odessa Sanchez
A2. My approach to making Wellesley more resilient and transitioning off gas would be guided by a mix of policy knowledge, energy transition best practices, and community engagement. Energy transition has been a housing focus for many years and I am a strong supporter of environmental health and justice. As a chair of Wellesley Housing Authority Board, and once a participant on a Climate Action Committee Sub Committee, I have experience and insight to bring to the table on this topic.
In housing specifically, the discussion of making units more resilient and able to make the transition off gas is met with a list of challenges but I've found most housing stakeholders are still pushing the idea. What I hear most about heat ( air source) pumps or mini splits feedback is, although they are initially an energy saver, some require a lot of maintenance including a costly yearly service.
Another complaint I've heard is that heat pumps can fail in severe weather crises, like 3 or more days of extreme temperature drops. Barton Road is just one of the town's public housing sites, and with 88 units, each one would require installation of it's own heat pump source and each one would be subject to placement considerations, the unsightly structures impacting the landscape, service issues, possible cold emergency calls, and noise evaluation for an area already thickly settled with units in close proximity to each other. Currently the Weston Road, and River Street housing developments are fully electric, but it would take longer to get past some of the challenges I mentioned, for Barton Road or other sites to transition off gas.
I've made an effort to understand housing energy policy and decarbonization strategies by attending HUD and EOHLC hosted Energy webinars to help analyze what the town and residents can do together to achieve some balance through integration. An idea that struck me as a lightning bolt, was geothermal heating, although not a new idea, it is fast becoming an alternative proposal to counter complicated heat pumps. Geothermal heat can be very costly upfront, and mostly suitable for a sizable property that has the land space to dig, but funding and support might be available through state grants and programs. Partnering with the MLP and sustainability advocates, the town can continue to seek out significant funding opportunities for pursuing this and other clean energy transitions. I’d work to ensure that Wellesley actively seeks state and federal grants. I have experience as a Legislative chair for the Metro West Region's Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, developing my skills for leveraging State and Federal Resources when available.
Having a clear roadmap for energy transition requires cooperation and collaboration across town departments like the MLP, the Select Board, and community stakeholders, including the residents and businesses to ensure alignment with state and federal climate policies.
I’d prioritize transparency and public engagement to bring residents and businesses into this conversation, helping them understand the benefits of electrification, while respecting their own financial and structural interests. Not all homeowners can afford the quick transition off gas, and some small businesses would have to overhaul their entire space to accommodate the switch.
I want to advocate for climate resilience planning, that would help the town balance this effort, because it's not just about transitioning off fossil fuels. Can Wellesley handle extreme weather events? Can we add more tree canopies? Can we improve stormwater management? I’d push for climate-resilient infrastructure but we cannot have these conversations without all residents and businesses having the chance to weigh-in. Our role should be to educate and clarify the benefits of electrification and renewable energy while respecting owners rights to choose the solution that works best for them.
Michael Tauer
A2. The Energy Transition and Climate Resilience working group is intended, in part, to advance the electrification, energy transition, and resilience goals of the Climate Action Plan. In 2021, Town Meeting adopted a goal of targeted reductions in town-wide greenhouse gas reductions, culminating in achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our Climate Action Plan contains a detailed roadmap for hitting these targets. As it relates to decarbonization, the Climate Action Plan seeks to maximize local renewable energy generation and storage, increase the MLP’s access to energy that does not emit greenhouse gases, utilize technology and incentives to optimize energy management, promote the conversion of Wellesley homes to all-electric systems, and target net-zero emissions of commercial and institutional buildings.
In implementing this Plan, the Town has already taken exciting steps for meeting our goals related to electrification and resiliency. For example, we recently installed a battery energy storage system that can provide backup power and can also save money by balancing energy loads, thereby reducing reliance on expensive, “dirty” power during periods of peak demand. We should continue to take advantage of technological innovation, the guidance of subject matter experts, lessons learned from the experiences of other municipalities, and our Town’s commitment to its sustainability goals to continue to fulfill the directives of our Climate Action Plan.
As a member of the Permanent Building Committee, I oversaw the design and construction of Hunnewell and Hardy, both of which are net-zero ready with all-electric building systems, as well as the conversion Town Hall and the anticipated conversion of the Warren building to all-electric systems. As part of these design and construction processes, I worked with proponents, consultants, experts, and other professionals to consider the range of options available to determine how best to advance the Town’s sustainability and programmatic needs while keeping the project within budget and maximizing the return on the expenditure of taxpayer dollars. Through this work, I have also established collaborative and productive relationships with the Town boards, committees, and employees who are involved in the Town’s sustainability efforts. On the Select Board, I will draw on this experience and these relationships to achieve the resiliency and decarbonization goals identified in our Climate Action Plan.
(1 seats available - 3 year term)
The Select Board serves as the chief executive board of the Town, and as such, oversees all matters affecting the interest and welfare of the community. The Board exercises the authority vested in the Town not specifically assigned by law to any other board or office.
Q1. The Town’s capital project schedule for the next six years includes major new buildings and renovations (Morses Pond, RDF Administration Building, Park & Highway Building, RDF Baler Building, pre-school); HVAC projects (Sprague, Library, Bates, Schofield, Fiske, Middle School); and roof replacements (Middle School, Sprague, Bates). What will you do to ensure that these projects include a full analysis of the climate impact of various options, renewable energy, and full building decarbonization?
Kenneth Largess
A1. Wellesley has an opportunity to lead by example in making our capital projects more sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective in the long run. As a Select Board member, I will advocate for a comprehensive climate impact analysis for each major project to ensure that renewable energy and full building decarbonization are not just considered but prioritized whenever financially and operationally feasible.
To achieve this, I will push for:
- Lifecycle Cost and Carbon Analysis: Every project should include a full assessment of its long-term environmental and financial impact. Energy-efficient designs, electrification, and renewable energy sources such as solar and geothermal should be factored into the decision-making process, weighing upfront costs against long-term savings and carbon reductions.
- Integration with Wellesley’s Climate Action Plan: These projects should align with the town’s net-zero goals, leveraging incentives and funding opportunities from state and federal programs to minimize costs to taxpayers while maximizing environmental benefits.
- Transparency and Public Input: I will advocate for robust public engagement to ensure that residents and experts have a voice in shaping these projects to meet both sustainability and community needs.
- Cross-Departmental Collaboration: The Facilities Management Department, the Climate Action Committee, and other key stakeholders should work together from the outset to embed sustainable design principles into every project.
Odessa Sanchez
A1. To ensure that these capital projects align with strong climate and sustainability goals, I would advocate for the following steps:
In the design phase, require that all major building projects undergo a full climate impact analysis, comparing the emissions and energy efficiency of different design and material choices. This should include selecting architects and contractors that are already “Green Certified” in their fields.
During the Design Review Board stages, the Select Board will make sure that this committee and other community partners keep contractors in line with sustainable goals of the project, and the proper materials or procedures can be suggested to help meet goals.
The Wellesley Housing Authority deals with many projects of various sizes, and when considering which parties to work with, a background check can be done on any contractor you select for a project.
In the building phase, require all projects to meet or exceed high-performance building standards, such as, LEED Gold, or Zero Energy Building certifications.
In addition I would ensure engagement and transparency amongst stakeholders. Climate experts, residents, and sustainability advocates, like Sustainability Wellesley and the Climate Action Committee can be involved in the planning process, with regular public updates given to measure accountability.
The most important aspect of full building decarbonization is establishing clear targets of net- zero emissions in municipal buildings and ensuring that all projects prioritize full electrification over fossil fuel- based systems when feasible. The Select Board can inform planners about funding opportunities and explore state and federal grants, utility incentives, and other funding sources to support the additional costs of decarbonization and renewable energy investments. In the effort to Go-Green, we don't want to create a hardship for the public or the town.
Michael Tauer
A1. I am proud of Wellesley's commitment to sustainability and combating climate change. We have taken the lead in implementing practical sustainability measures that yield long-term cost savings. Hunnewell and Hardy are net-zero ready with all-electric building systems. Town Hall has also now been converted to all-electrical systems, and it is anticipated that Warren will follow suit. With each of these projects, we have gained valuable experience and deep insight into how best to design, deploy, operate, and maintain the tools and resources available to achieve our climate and sustainability goals. We are ideally positioned to leverage this experience and insight as we tackle the Town’s upcoming capital projects.
In working on Town building projects for the last six years as a member of the Permanent Building Committee, I have seen that the very beginning is most efficient and effective time to discuss the sustainability goals and approaches for a given project. Under our decentralized form of government, the town entities that are proposing new buildings and renovations are largely responsible for defining the goals and scope of the work to be done and for complying with the Town’s Municipal Sustainable Building Guidelines. On the Select Board, I will encourage the proponents of new buildings and renovations to leverage Town resources and expertise as early in the process as possible so that sustainability solutions are woven through the design and construction process. I also support facilitating a consistent, Town-wide process or procedure by which the climate impacts and sustainability options are fully analyzed for all Town building projects as a matter of course. On the Select Board, I will leverage my experience on the Permanent Building Committee to help to guide the Town to successfully complete the significant number of large building projects we will undertake over the next few years. I will always prioritize our goals for sustainability and combating climate change and will support efforts to achieve them.
Q2. The Select Board’s current work plan includes the development of the Energy Transition and Climate Resilience working group with the Municipal Light Plant Board. What experience and/or insights can you bring to bear on the goal of making Wellesley more resilient and able to transition off of gas?
Kenneth Largess
A2. Wellesley’s energy transition and climate resilience efforts require a balanced approach that embraces innovation while ensuring affordability and practicality for residents and businesses. My background in legal, regulatory, and financial matters equips me with the skills to evaluate complex policies, assess financial impacts, and advocate for cost-effective solutions that align with both sustainability goals and economic realities.To support Wellesley’s transition off gas and improve resilience, I offer the following insights:
- Cost-Benefit and Feasibility Analysis: Any transition must be guided by rigorous financial and operational analysis. I will advocate for a transparent evaluation of electrification strategies, including grid capacity, long-term cost savings, and funding opportunities from state and federal programs.
- Public-Private Collaboration: Wellesley has a unique advantage with its Municipal Light Plant. I will work to strengthen partnerships between the MLP, businesses, and homeowners to expand renewable energy adoption, demand-response programs, and energy efficiency incentives.
- Infrastructure and Resiliency Planning: Decarbonization must go hand-in-hand with grid reliability. I will support investments in battery storage, microgrid technology, and weather-resilient infrastructure to ensure a stable transition to cleaner energy.
- Equity and Affordability: While electrification is a priority, we must also ensure that costs are manageable for residents and businesses. I will advocate for policies that provide financial support or incentives to help homeowners and businesses transition without undue burden.
Odessa Sanchez
A2. My approach to making Wellesley more resilient and transitioning off gas would be guided by a mix of policy knowledge, energy transition best practices, and community engagement. Energy transition has been a housing focus for many years and I am a strong supporter of environmental health and justice. As a chair of Wellesley Housing Authority Board, and once a participant on a Climate Action Committee Sub Committee, I have experience and insight to bring to the table on this topic.
In housing specifically, the discussion of making units more resilient and able to make the transition off gas is met with a list of challenges but I've found most housing stakeholders are still pushing the idea. What I hear most about heat ( air source) pumps or mini splits feedback is, although they are initially an energy saver, some require a lot of maintenance including a costly yearly service.
Another complaint I've heard is that heat pumps can fail in severe weather crises, like 3 or more days of extreme temperature drops. Barton Road is just one of the town's public housing sites, and with 88 units, each one would require installation of it's own heat pump source and each one would be subject to placement considerations, the unsightly structures impacting the landscape, service issues, possible cold emergency calls, and noise evaluation for an area already thickly settled with units in close proximity to each other. Currently the Weston Road, and River Street housing developments are fully electric, but it would take longer to get past some of the challenges I mentioned, for Barton Road or other sites to transition off gas.
I've made an effort to understand housing energy policy and decarbonization strategies by attending HUD and EOHLC hosted Energy webinars to help analyze what the town and residents can do together to achieve some balance through integration. An idea that struck me as a lightning bolt, was geothermal heating, although not a new idea, it is fast becoming an alternative proposal to counter complicated heat pumps. Geothermal heat can be very costly upfront, and mostly suitable for a sizable property that has the land space to dig, but funding and support might be available through state grants and programs. Partnering with the MLP and sustainability advocates, the town can continue to seek out significant funding opportunities for pursuing this and other clean energy transitions. I’d work to ensure that Wellesley actively seeks state and federal grants. I have experience as a Legislative chair for the Metro West Region's Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, developing my skills for leveraging State and Federal Resources when available.
Having a clear roadmap for energy transition requires cooperation and collaboration across town departments like the MLP, the Select Board, and community stakeholders, including the residents and businesses to ensure alignment with state and federal climate policies.
I’d prioritize transparency and public engagement to bring residents and businesses into this conversation, helping them understand the benefits of electrification, while respecting their own financial and structural interests. Not all homeowners can afford the quick transition off gas, and some small businesses would have to overhaul their entire space to accommodate the switch.
I want to advocate for climate resilience planning, that would help the town balance this effort, because it's not just about transitioning off fossil fuels. Can Wellesley handle extreme weather events? Can we add more tree canopies? Can we improve stormwater management? I’d push for climate-resilient infrastructure but we cannot have these conversations without all residents and businesses having the chance to weigh-in. Our role should be to educate and clarify the benefits of electrification and renewable energy while respecting owners rights to choose the solution that works best for them.
Michael Tauer
A2. The Energy Transition and Climate Resilience working group is intended, in part, to advance the electrification, energy transition, and resilience goals of the Climate Action Plan. In 2021, Town Meeting adopted a goal of targeted reductions in town-wide greenhouse gas reductions, culminating in achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our Climate Action Plan contains a detailed roadmap for hitting these targets. As it relates to decarbonization, the Climate Action Plan seeks to maximize local renewable energy generation and storage, increase the MLP’s access to energy that does not emit greenhouse gases, utilize technology and incentives to optimize energy management, promote the conversion of Wellesley homes to all-electric systems, and target net-zero emissions of commercial and institutional buildings.
In implementing this Plan, the Town has already taken exciting steps for meeting our goals related to electrification and resiliency. For example, we recently installed a battery energy storage system that can provide backup power and can also save money by balancing energy loads, thereby reducing reliance on expensive, “dirty” power during periods of peak demand. We should continue to take advantage of technological innovation, the guidance of subject matter experts, lessons learned from the experiences of other municipalities, and our Town’s commitment to its sustainability goals to continue to fulfill the directives of our Climate Action Plan.
As a member of the Permanent Building Committee, I oversaw the design and construction of Hunnewell and Hardy, both of which are net-zero ready with all-electric building systems, as well as the conversion Town Hall and the anticipated conversion of the Warren building to all-electric systems. As part of these design and construction processes, I worked with proponents, consultants, experts, and other professionals to consider the range of options available to determine how best to advance the Town’s sustainability and programmatic needs while keeping the project within budget and maximizing the return on the expenditure of taxpayer dollars. Through this work, I have also established collaborative and productive relationships with the Town boards, committees, and employees who are involved in the Town’s sustainability efforts. On the Select Board, I will draw on this experience and these relationships to achieve the resiliency and decarbonization goals identified in our Climate Action Plan.