FARMINGTON — The Select Board may soon be hearing a proposal for an outreach plan by a community solar company that wants to sign up individual homeowners and residents.

Solar Simplified has asked whether Farmington is interested in hearing about its outreach plan, but Select Board members said June 9 they want more information before deciding whether to invite the company to present.

Town Manager Erica LaCroix said the company’s proposal would involve outreach in Farmington, including representatives going door to door. She said Solar Simplified works with municipalities because a town connection can give that outreach more credibility.

LaCroix said she told the company she would ask the board whether members wanted to hear more. If so, Solar Simplified could be invited to make a presentation at a future meeting.

The discussion was not about a new municipal solar project. Instead, board members considered whether Farmington should make information available about a private community solar program while avoiding any appearance that the town endorsed a particular company.

LaCroix said Solar Simplified indicated there would be no enrollment fees and that discounts would generally be similar to the town’s two net energy billing agreements, about 14% to 15%.

She said the company would not begin enrolling subscribers until the solar project was in place and available capacity was known, likely later in the fall.

Selectman Richard Morton said he would like to hear from the company but also wanted an independent source to explain how community solar works and whether residents would save money.

“I’m not convinced that I’m going to get that sort of unbiased presentation from someone who’s selling their particular project,” Morton said.

Selectman Randy Gauvin raised concerns about the town’s involvement being viewed as an endorsement.

“Whenever I’ve been approached by these people to sell me their power, it’s always been a high-pressure approach,” Gauvin said.

LaCroix said the town would not be selling subscriptions or signing residents up for a program.

“This is not about us selling anything,” she said. “It’s just about giving residents an option.”

Board members discussed inviting Solar Simplified to explain its proposal while also seeking neutral information, possibly from the state, about community solar billing, credits and consumer choices.

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