Hampden Select Board Raises EV Rate, Advances Town Hall Use Agreements

Select Board · Meeting of February 9, 2026

Hampden Select Board raises EV charging rate and advances budget review amid rising costs. The board voted unanimously Monday to increase the town's Level 3 EV charging station rate from 45 cents to 55 cents per kilowatt hour after National Grid electricity rates nearly doubled — from roughly 10 cents to 19 cents — and fees from the Redy network operator pushed monthly station revenue into a deficit. Town Administrator Brian presented a preliminary fiscal year 2027 budget showing health insurance costs projected to rise 11 percent, a county retirement assessment approaching $985,000, and a proposed cut of about $33,000 in the legal expenses line — down from $83,000 to $50,000 — following the resolution of several prior lawsuits.

The board also forwarded draft memoranda of agreement to the library trustees and Parks and Recreation Commission formalizing space use, maintenance, and utility responsibilities at the repurposed school building now serving as town hall, and set an informal February 23 deadline for police, fire, and highway departments to submit budget requests. The Attorney General approved the town's battery energy storage system bylaw and its accessory dwelling unit bylaw — the latter with deletions requiring a follow-up process.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of February 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.