Voters OK $450,000 for school cooling system

Yonsky has said she received estimates of $390,000 for an air cool system and $420,000 for a water cool system. For the latter, the district would need a water treatment system, as well, but the funding would cover that. School and town officials plan to

BETHEL — Voters easily approved spending

$450,000 for a cooling system for the middle school.

About a dozen residents attended the brief meeting Tuesday night and unanimously gave their blessing to the plan to take money from the fund balance for the project.

“We’re pleased it was approved,” said Teri Yonsky, director of fiscal services.

School officials said the

27-year-old chiller plant often failed in the heat and needed to be replaced before hot weather returns. The plan is to go out to bid for the new system and install it in May.

The district might not need to spend the full

$450,000.

Yonsky has said she received estimates of

$390,000 for an air cool system and $420,000 for a water cool system. For the latter, the district would need a water treatment system, as well, but the funding would cover that.

School and town officials plan to weigh which of these systems are more energy efficient and cost effective, Bob Germinaro, the district’s supervisor of facility and security operations, has said.

‘We’re going to have a group of people here in town that are really going to look at which system makes the most sense and consider pricing and everything,” Yonsky said.

The old plant was installed in 1992 and had a lifespan of 20 to 25 years. The cooling tower outside the school is deteriorating, while the compressors inside cannot run to full speed because they are losing the ability to maintain pressure, school officials said.

Recently, the district has been studying the systems in the school buildings with the help of Peregrine Energy Group, a Stamford-based company. Peregrine had recommended the district replace the plant.

Earlier this school year, the town spent $230,000 for two new boilers at the middle school. An existing boiler had been leaking and was at risk of failing in the winter.

Hearst Connecticut Media file photo Sixth-graders test their locker combinations on a hot first day of school. If all goes according to plan, Bethel Middle School will have a new chilling system installed before summerlike heat arrives.