SMLD General Manager Reflects on Long Career Full of Contributions to Town

By Danielle Ray, Senior Reporter
It is the end of an era for Sterling Municipal Light Department (SMLD) General Manager Sean Hamilton, who is retiring on May 27.
“It has truly been an honor and a privilege to serve you,” he said.
Hamilton has had an impressive and prolific 42-year career in the public power sector, with nearly half that time spent in Sterling as Operations Superintendent from 1992 to 1999 and as General Manager since 2010. Although he is beginning his retirement later this month, he said he will be around “for a little while” during the transition.
“I could not step away without thanking my current and previous board members for their unwavering support and guidance these last 10 years,” Hamilton said. “It was with their cooperation, along with the incredible operations and administrative staff at SMLD, that we were able to construct some of the first in the state and even New England progressive energy projects.”
Those projects in town include one of the first utility scale solar arrays, two battery storage projects, a community solar station with battery storage providing 4.5 MW of system solar, second-generation AMI deployment, Smart Grid, a 72-count fiber optic line backbone, and rebuilding of both the SMLD administrative and operations buildings.
“This was accomplished while lowering rates, hardening the substation and distribution system, reducing outage and restoration times, and most importantly, without incurring any debt,” Hamilton said. “These projects earned national awards and recognition, bringing representatives from 18 different countries to Sterling while providing over $1.5 million in savings to you, the ratepayers of SMLD.”
Looking back, Hamilton said he will never forget the Annual Town Meeting on May 20, 1993, where a vote was taken on whether to keep SMLD or sell it to Massachusetts Electric, which is now National Grid.
“Staying in existence by only 70 votes always seemed too close for me,” Hamilton said. “We heard your concerns during that meeting loud and clear, and since then the previous manager, board members, SMLD staff, and I have worked endlessly to regain your trust and become the department you expect.”
At that time, the final report to the Sterling Municipal Light Department Sales Search Committee “painted a grim picture of who the SMLD was and what we would become,” Hamilton recalled, including a prediction that SMLD rates would soar to nearly 40% above what they were.
“I am happy to report that did not happen,” he said. “In fact, 28 years later, the exact opposite did. SMLD residential rates are 47% below current National Grid rates. I think you made a great decision Sterling.”
Hamilton said he feels SMLD “is in great shape.”
“The Board of Commissioners, Joe Curtin, Brian Pierce, and Eric Darlington, have nothing but the best intentions for our ratepayers and the Town of Sterling,” he said.
Darren Borge, who has been at SMLD for 13 years and ran the operations department until recently being named Assistant General Manager, will take over as General Manager.
“Darren will certainly help SMLD continue to do great things,” Hamilton said. “The vision of the board and staff at SMLD has always been about doing things that will benefit the customer and I am sure that will continue.”
Hamilton said he will be “excited” to watch the fiber optic program continue to expand throughout Sterling and gives a lot of credit to the SMLD line crew and office staff for the department’s continued success.
“The office staff has been tremendous as we transitioned through a whole new advanced metering structure (AMI) and computer and billing system, allowing updated reading, billing and payment methods,” he said. “They will also be an integral part of the new SMLD app rollout that will allow bill pay, outage management, and usage monitoring from your phone.”
Hamilton said he has enjoyed working with both the office staff and the line crew over the years, the people that ensure the light department runs smoothly, and those who are out in the trenches keeping Sterling powered up.
“The line crew is mostly a young group that brings a host of individual skill sets to SMLD, and when combined makes them one of the most talented line crews I have ever seen,” he said. “You are in good hands. So thank you Joe, Brian, Eric, Darren, Nancy, Meggin, Karl, Bill, Kaylyn, Tim, John, Ross, Brian P., Kevin S, Brian F. and Kevin R. for making each and every day I came to work an exciting day to look forward to.”
Hamilton said he also wants to thank all of the town employees who he has worked closely with over the years.
“I would like to express my gratitude to all the departments that make up the Town of Sterling and have supported SMLD,” he said. “What a team this town has.”