MECHANIC FALLS — The Town Council on Monday night unanimously approved an agreement with RealTerm Energy to change 102 streetlights to energy-efficient LEDs.

The Annapolis, Maryland, company would replace equipment on the poles for $68,977 and provide a 10-year maintenance program for $2,448 per year. The total savings for the town over 20 years is estimated at $335,693.

The proposal, presented by Mark Carter of RealTerm, said the town spent over $19,400 for over 60,000 kilowatt-hours per year. Switching to LEDs would drop consumption to 16,000 kWhs at an annual cost of $4,500.

RealTerm has been involved in changing municipal lighting in over 45 Maine communities, including Auburn, Oxford, Paris and Norway.

Town Manager Vic Hodgkins said at the Nov. 1 council meeting that Central Maine Power owns the poles and charged the town about $20,000 per year for the lighting equipment. He said CMP would change the lights to LEDs at no cost and lower the charge to $13,000 per year, if the town agreed to a 15-year contract.

The council believed RealTerm offered more savings in the long run.

In other business, Hodgkins said the Police Department will soon have five officers with two recent conditional hirings.

The council also unanimously adopted Solar Array Energy Systems Ordinances authored by the Planning Board following a public hearing.

The council accepted Lou Annance’s resignation from the Planning Board and appointed Carl Beckett to serve as the at large representative to the Regional School Unit 16 Budget Committee.

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