Wood chip boiler price tag heats up

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — The proposed wood chip boiler project for Houlton High School may wind up costing more than original expectations.
    At Monday night’s SAD 29 meeting, board chairman Liz Anderson informed the school board that the project’s costs have escalated.
    Converting oil furnaces to wood-based burners is something several schools are exploring. Leavitt Area High School in Turner and Mt. Abram High School in Strong have already installed wood-based heating systems, while Caribou is in the process of installing one.
    Houlton was one of six schools and universities to receive a total of $3.2 million in federal stimulus funds earlier this year through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, which is managed by the Maine Forest Service under the Maine Department of Conservation. Houlton High School received a grant in the amount of $750,000 to install a wood chip boiler to heat the junior/senior high school, as well as the adjacent Southern Aroostook Vocational Education (SAVE) Technical Center.
    The project was initially estimated to cost is $1,374,650, but that estimate has now grown to between $1.6 and $2 million. At the its last meeting in June, the board agreed to take out a low- to no-interest bond for up to $930,000 for the project.
    “We’re still trying to nail down more of the details, which have a lot to do with the cost.” Anderson said. “Once we accept the forestry grant money, we’re looking $1.6 to $1.7 million with a nine-year payout.”
    Anderson sought opinions from board members as to how much money they would be comfortable in spending, should the project cost more than $1.6 million.
    “I would like approval for the committee to go up to $1.7 million, because I think that is what the project is going to come in at,” Anderson said. “If it gets to be beyond $1.7, I’d like to know what your comfort level is.”
    Anderson said the district needed to sign the contract for the project by Wednesday.
    “It’s a very good project that gets us away from being dependent on oil,” she said. “But it’s certainly a lot of money to spend.”
    The board ultimately gave its approval to spend up to $1.7 million for the project, which includes a 5 percent contingency.
    In his report, new interim superintendent Peter Edgecomb informed the board that a minor roof repair project is ongoing at the high school to correct a leak. He estimated the cost of the project was about $3,600. During work on the roof, Edgecomb noted that one of the exterior brick walls was damaged by the company placing a trash dumpster at the school for debris.
    “During the roofing process, the dumpster took out a brick wall,” he said. “The whole wall will have to come out. It will be the covered by their [the trash removal company’s] insurance.”
    Edgecomb also updated the district on its financial status. He anticipated the district would have a carry forward of $1.3 million of unspent money from the current school year’s budget.
    “You’ll have a little more than 10 percent of your budget leftover,” he said. “Normally, you can’t carry forward that much, but because of anticipated problems that school budgets may have, the state has allowed schools to do this. It’s good that you have this buffer.”
    Edgecomb added he would present a policy to the board at the next regular meeting regarding volunteers in the classroom. The district currently does not have a policy regarding individuals volunteering to assist in classes.
    In other agenda items, the school board:
    • Hired Heather Alexander as a fifth-grade teacher and Ellen Anderstrom as a secondary special education teacher.
    • Approved the hiring of Jake Clockedile as a consultant for the RSU consolidation project with SAD 70. SAD 29 will be responsible for half of the fees associated with Clockedile’s services.
    • Welcomed new board member Stephanie Lively of Hammond. Lively replaces Angie Wotton.
    • Approved the following coaches, Mike Fogarty, varsity boys basketball; Wendall Harvey, junior varsity boys basketball; Shawn Graham, varsity girls basketball; Erica Tweedie, junior varsity girls basketball; Julie Dunn and Shari Good, varsity cheering; Rob Moran, eighth grade boys basketball; Ray Mailman, seventh grade boys basketball; Paul Cleary, eighth grade girls basketball; Mark Faulkingham, seventh grade girls basketball; Joel Trickey, varsity hockey; and Kim McGary, junior high cheering.