NEWINGTON - Newington will have to pass on applying for a grant that could have covered the full cost of installing an electric car charger in town since the Town Council did not get the two thirds support required to take action on a newly-introduced item at its Aug. 12 meeting.

       The Council voted 5-3 to suspend rules that would have mandated that the application proposal appear on two meeting agendas before action is taken. With an Aug. 27 deadline, waiting to approve the application would not have been feasible. The Council does not reconvene until Sept. 9.

       â€�"We’re hoping that maybe this will come around again,” said Newington Economic Development Director Andy Brecher after the vote was taken. â€�"But I have no idea when more funds will be made available.”

       Right now, there is around $300,000 in state funding available for electric vehicle supply equipment, according to Brecher. For charging stations that do not exceed $10,000 in cost, towns can receive up to a 100 percent reimbursement, according to meeting packet information from Town Planner Craig Minor.

       Application â€�"ranking criteria” for determining the level of funding a town receives is based on whether or not a given station is run free of charge, is operational 24/7, is in a central location, is within walking distance of restaurants and retail outlets, is in high traffic areas and has adequate lighting-amongst other criteria.

       â€�"I think this is a good opportunity for people to have ecofriendly automobiles, knowing that there are chargers around town,” said Councilor Beth McDonald during a discussion prior to the vote on whether or not to suspend the rules. â€�"It would put us on the map.”

       The plan, if the application was sent in and approved by the state, was for a charging station in the parking lot of Market Square. The estimated cost of the project, both the equipment and the installation, was $8,000, according to meeting packet documents from Town Manager John Salomone.

       â€�"We said this is a neat idea to get more people to Constitution Square and help the business owners,” Brecher said.

       Newington already has a couple of electric car charging stations that are not town-run. One is in Best Market and the other is at Newington Electric. What the town doesn’t have is a regulation for it, and that was what prompted concern over the proposed application.

       â€�"Originally when I looked at it, it sounded like a good idea,” said Councilor David Nagel. â€�"But according to the 2020 Plan, it has to go before the Town Planning and Zoning Commission before it can be done.”

       The state does not have its own regulations regarding the stations and has left it up to towns to establish their own rules.

       â€�"I don’t see how the State of Connecticut can issue a grant for something they have no regulation for,” said Councilor Maureen Klett.

       In Newington, that’s a discussion that can happen if it is determined that the town qualifies for some grant money, Brecher said.

       â€�"Regulatory bodies of the town will look at this if we receive funds,” he said. â€�"This is just to throw our hat in the ring.”