Plainfield Rejects Geothermal Bids, Advances Cannabis Facility Agreement

PLAINFIELD -- August 26, 2025, Plainfield Select Board rejects all geothermal bids and moves cannabis host agreement to next steps. The board voted unanimously August 26 to reject bids for a proposed ground-source heat pump at town offices after all submissions exceeded the project budget, the second-lowest qualified bid came in $50,000 over estimate, and the lowest bidder was disqualified for failing to include a bid bond. An energy committee representative said the project, designed to be funded entirely through grants and rebates at no direct cost to taxpayers, cannot move forward until additional funding is identified to close the gap. The board separately advanced host community agreement negotiations with Daniel Till of Farm Plainfield LLC, which scored 75 out of 100 on the Cannabis Commission's mandatory rubric, above the 60-point threshold, and set a September 9 deadline to circulate a draft agreement. The board also voted unanimously to convert Building Commissioner Robert Walden to a salaried position at $10,500 per year to allow him to participate in the Hampshire County retirement system, and heard Fire Chief Rob Shearer argue that a regionalized emergency services model proposed by Ashfield would eliminate Plainfield's volunteer fire base, citing Highland Ambulance's loss of all volunteers after transitioning to paid staffing.