Shelter Island School building ready and waiting

“I’m looking forward to being warm this winter.”

The speaker was Shelter Island Faculty Association President Brian Becker, who told the Board of Education Monday night he’s pleased that new boilers are in place.

For the first time in almost three years, the faculty and staff won’t have to worry about the heating and cooling system breaking down beyond repair.

In the fall of 2013, the system broke down, requiring building maintenance staff workers to put in around-the-clock hours to adjust temperatures with the possibility of a complete breakdown. But following a busy summer of repairs and upgrades, the new system will be ready when students return to school September 7. Solar panels on part of the building have been set in place and new vents are in all the classrooms.

In April, a construction crew started work on brick repointing and replacement of some loose bricks. That work is completed and an electrical contractor has run new wiring in the building.

In addition, performance contractor Johnson Controls, based in Syosset, instituted an energy savings program that has resulted in new, effective lighting and other initiatives guaranteed over the life of the contract to save the district more money than it costs to make the changes.

There’s still painting, cleaning and polishing to be done, according to Superintendent Leonard Skuggevik. But he’s optimistic that most of the work will be done when school opens and the rest will be finished without disturbing students or activities.

The maintenance crew, led by Mike Dunning, has been working long hours, arriving near dawn and working into the evening to ensure the building will be ready, board member Mark Kanarvogel said.

“They’re here all the time,” he said, describing this as “the summer from hell.”