Turn down the heat: School Board puts brakes on bond vote

Shelter Island Board of Education members Monday night halted, at least for the moment, a vote on a more than $1 million bond to replace the school’s heating system.

But members could vote after the Thanksgiving holiday to push ahead with a February bond referendum if they’re satisfied they have sufficiently examined alternatives.

Superintendent Michael Hynes outlined plans for a February 11 referendum. Delays would affect both costs of continuing to operate the existing systems and increases in construction if the work isn’t tackled in 2014, Dr. Hynes told the board.

Board member Linda Eklund thought the process was being rushed without an opportunity to examine if there are alternatives to the plans presented earlier this month by Patrick McClave of Port Jefferson’s McClave Engineering, the company guiding recent construction projects for the district.

“I hate coming up with a number [the amount of the bond] without doing what I think is a full homework,” Ms. Eklund said. “We need to have something more definitive.”

Her colleague Marilynn Pysher joined her in calling for more information before a bond vote. “I’m very uncomfortable making a decision of this magnitude so quickly,” Ms. Pysher said.

Broken controls on the heating system will be replaced in December at a cost of $55,000, eliminating the current need for building and grounds workers Mike Dunning and Greg Sulahian spelling one another every hour around the clock to keep heat working in the school.

But a complete overhaul of the heating system is estimated at $1.6 million, which includes the $55,000 to update the controls.

Mr. McClave had warned the board that the new controls are a “band-aid” that won’t solve all the district’s heating problems. Overuse of fuel will continue at the rate of about 260 gallons a day, rather than 175 gallons and the old system could quit altogether, requiring crisis decision-making.

While some board members were concerned about delaying the project, they ultimately agreed to put off a vote while Dr. Hynes meets with Mr. Dunning, Mr. Sulahian, McClave Engineering and others knowledgeable about heating systems. That could result in a special meeting right after Thanksgiving to review additional information and schedule a bond vote.

What about solar heat? asked board member Thomas Graffagnino.

It’s not economical for the school, Mr. McClave said, but will be considered for the FIT Center gym. Earlier this month plans presented would separate the town-operated gym from the rest of the school’s heating system. But to use solar power for the entire school wouldn’t work, Mr. McClave said.

There’s no grant money to offset its installation and the payback from the Long Island Power Authority would average only about $25,000 a year. What’s more, about 80 percent of the power generated is lost, leaving the remaining 20 percent to heat the school. In addition, horizontal panels could be too heavy for the roof. More efficient angled solar panels would be too expensive, Mr. McClave said.

If the district delays installation of a new heating system for five years, Dr. Hynes estimated it would cost an additional $270,000 in labor and fuel use, plus the price of the system itself will increase. A 10-year delay would cost about $556,000 more and a 20-year delay, an additional $1.185 million, he said.

Leaving the system as it is with new controls would still run the district approximately $114,000 a year for fuel and other costs, the superintendent said. And it would be chancing a complete breakdown requiring emergency action.

“We feel an urgency to get it done this summer,” District Business manager Kathleen Minder said about replacing the heating system.

That would require a February bond referendum and a 22-week lead time to gain New York State Education Department approval of the project, Ms. Minder said.