Plaistow — Voters at the Feb. 1 deliberative session voted to place a warrant article on the town ballot authorizing the Board of Selectmen to negotiate and execute a lease and related documents allowing a solar energy array on the closed Plaistow landfill (Parcel 32-032-000-00) for a period up to 30 years.

Select Board member Liz Costa, speaking for the town’s energy committee, said the article would allow the town to accept proposals from developers and perform initial due diligence. “We have been talking to a variety of vendors,” Costa said; the article authorizes the board to negotiate lease and power‑purchase terms and execute documents "on such terms as the Select Board deems reasonable" if the town approves the approach.

Why it matters: The landfill site is one of the few town-owned properties large enough for a utility-scale array. Developers typically require longer lease terms (two decades or more) to justify investment in site work and interconnection; the article would allow the town to offer the longer terms developers seek.

Amendment and vote
Resident Nolan Pelletier moved an amendment that would have required the final negotiated contract to be placed on the town warrant for voter approval before execution. The moderator called for a vote on the amendment; the floor count recorded 6 in favor to a larger number opposed and the amendment failed.

Supporters and concerns
Supporters said the landfill provides an appropriate location for renewable generation and could provide lease revenue to the town or support municipal energy needs if configured that way. Opponents and some voters asked for stronger protections in any lease — including decommissioning and site‑restoration requirements — and for assurances that heavy site work would not compromise the landfill cap. Selectmen and staff said engineering review and contractual protections (including decommissioning language and removal obligations) would be part of any negotiated agreement.

Process and next steps
By passing the article to the ballot, the selectmen are authorized to continue negotiations with potential vendors. Selectmen and town staff said they intend to hold public information sessions and to involve legal counsel and engineers during negotiations. Any final contract will proceed under the terms shown in the warrant process; the original floor amendment to require a return to warrant was defeated.

Ending note
If approved by voters at the March 11 ballot, the selectmen may negotiate a lease up to the 30‑year maximum stated in the article; specific financial and operational terms would be disclosed in subsequent public materials and any required legal review.