Community Corner
School Officials Reject Plan to Use Fuel Savings to Pay for New Boilers
School Finance Committee members unanimously rejected a plan to pay for new school boilers using the savings in fuel costs they are expected to produce.
Everyone agrees that the aging boiler systems at four city elementary schools need to be replaced. But how to pay for them is another matter.
At a Tuesday night meeting of the School Finance Committee, school officials roundly rejected a payment plan proposed by City Manager Lawrence Kendzior. The plan called for paying off the bond with the savings expected from converting the old oil-based systems to newer, more fuel-efficient natural gas boilers.
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The boiler systems at Hanover, Israel Putnam, Nathan Hale and Roger Sherman elementary schools have exceeded their life expectancies and are in poor to fair condition, according to a report by a contractor hired to evaluate the systems. Replacement parts for the outdated boilers are no longer available. Replacing the boilers will cost upwards of $500,000 per school, the report states.
Converting from oil to gas is expected to result in fuel and maintenance savings ranging from about $37,500 to nearly $60,000 yearly per school, according to the study. Kendzior proposed using the anticipated savings to pay off the bond. But school officials were reluctant.
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Assistant Superintendent for Finance Mike Grove pointed out that the projected fuel savings for one of the schools, Nathan Hale, would not alone cover the cost of the bond.
Committee member John Lineen reminded the group that the last time the school board had an arrangement with the city, "we kind of got burnt. I have some issues with doing it this way," he said.
Board member Rob Kosienski added, "I would be willing to vote for this if there were a letter in place spelling out everything the city is going to do for us in this process."
School Superintendent Mark Benigni expressed concern about possible fluctuations in fuel costs. "I'm not sure I agree with how they calculated the savings," he said. He recommended that any fuel savings continue to be reflected in the school budget each year, as they are now.
In the end, the committee unanimously rejected the proposal.
So what happens now?
"The boilers are in poor condition. Will they last another year or two? Probably," according to Grove. For now, he said, the school board will have to keep fixing the boilers until they break down for good.
