Hefty price for new school generator
Patrick McClave, the lead engineer at the school’s engineering firm, reviewed the school’s options in providing emergency power to the school. The school’s decades-old emergency generator is no longer reliable, according to the district.
In order for the school to power its basic emergency systems — emergency lighting and its fire alarm system — without an emergency generator, the school will have to install a battery-powered system at a cost of about $85,000. That system is designed to allow everyone to exit the building safely in case of a power loss and would keep the emergency lights on for 45 minutes and the fire alarm working for 24 hours.
But in order for the school to remain the town’s emergency Red Cross shelter, the generator would have to be replaced entirely and the new generator rewired to a new system. This would keep the heat on and the toilets running in case of an emergency.
The school would also have to install the $85,000 emergency battery-powered system if it replaces the generator, according to national and State Department of Education codes. Though the school’s current emergency power system was up to code when it was built and therefore is grandfathered into present code, if the school makes changes to the system, it will have to conform to present-day codes.
The total cost to get the system up to snuff to function as a shelter would be $600,000, including architect fees and the battery-powered system.
Mr. McClave suggested that it would be possible to install the battery-powered system now and replace the generator at a later date.
He also explored whether municipal buildings like town hall and the police station could be wired into the generator to keep those buildings running in an emergency, too, but explained that those buildings’ electrical systems can’t be connected to the type of generator that the school needs.
The district will explore what funding options are available to the school, such as state or federal grants. Board member Mark Kanarvogel suggested that perhaps the national Red Cross could provide some sort of funding if the school plans to continue to function as a shelter.
The board also listened to a presentation from 7th graders Kelly Colligan, Kenna McCarthy, Elizabeth Dunning and Tristan Wissemann about their class trip to Block Island.
Interim Superintendent Robert Parry reported that the school had removed nearly 4 tons of excess metal from the school basement, mostly in the form of old desks and lockers. The company that removed the metal paid the school to sell it as scrap, recouping the cost of trucking it away and netting the school about $250.
The board also took the following actions:
• Approved the National Honor Society’s overnight Cardboard Camp-out, to be held tonight.
• Approved a Sailing Club trip for three students to attend a New Orleans regatta on November 20 and 21.
• Accepted the resignation of Michelle Rice from the cheerleading coach position and appointed her and Stephanie Sareyani to the 9th-grade co-advisor position, for which each will receive $251.63.
• Appointed Katelyn Pryal to the position of cheerleading coach, at a rate of $3,044.
• Designated Dr. Scot Kolsin as school physician for the 2010-2011 school year.
• Appointed Jim Colligan volunteer boys varsity and junior varsity basketball coach for the winter season.
• Accepted recommendations from the committees on special education, preschool and section 504.
• Adopted the municipal cooperative agreement, “East End Workers’ Compensation Plan,” which provides for workers’ compensation benefits.
• Authorized the school breakfast trial program and price schedule.
• Accepted a donation of granola bars from the Shelter Island IGA.
Check sireporter.com and next week’s issue for a review of students’ standardized scores and coverage of last night’s superintendent search meeting, which was held after the Reporter went to press.