Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Audrey P. Beck Municipal Building

Conference Room B

MINUTES

Present: Bill Simpson, Chair, Anne Rash, Elizabeth Paterson, Mark Boyer, Gordon Schimmel, William Hammon, Matt Hart, Anne Willenborg

Absent: Jeff Smith,

Staff: Fred Baruzzi, Jeff Cryan

Guest: Rick Lawrence, Lawrence Associates, Mike Callahan, Fuss & O’Neill

1. Call to Order/Roll Call

Mr. Simpson called the meeting to order at 5:03 p.m.

2. Meeting Minutes

The minutes of August 22, 2007 were moved, seconded and approved unanimously with one correction. Mark Boyer was not at the August 22nd meeting.

3. Opportunity for the public to address the Committee

No one came forward.

4. Report from Fuel Conversion Project Subcommittee

Mr. Callahan reported that he and Joe Marcucio have gone through the preliminary analysis and evaluated four significant options or choices to make relative to the middle school heating replacement.

First option is a #2 fuel included as a sub-option is a 20% bio-diesel. Installation and cost-savings standpoints, the diesel and the bio-diesel will have about the same performance. Looked at using natural gas as a straight heating application only. Also looked at using natural gas as a co-gen where natural gas is used to heat the building and waste heat is used to generate electricity. Fourth option is a geothermal system where would sink wells into the site and use the heat pump to take advantage of the constant temperature in the ground and use that to heat the building.

An analysis was done of the baseline (#2 fossil fuel), then look at the difference and the relative savings. Will finalize in approximately two weeks the advantages and disadvantages of each approach and will provide data that supports the economic benefits of each approach.

In summary, baseline still is at the lower cost of approximately $3.5 million, natural gas option after discussions with the gas company is about $250 to $300,000 more. The co-gen option has a higher annual savings but cost is almost $1 million more. Annual savings between baseline and co-gen is about $30,000 more.

The geothermal has the potential for the highest annual savings but would need approximately 150 wells on that site.

Mr. Simpson inquired as to if the initial investment cost was figured in as well as the operating cost and how long a period is the depreciation for the initial investment. Mr. Callahan replied that depreciation costs were not looked in the analysis. Simple payback cost along with maintenance and operating costs as well the energy costs were involved.

5. Scope of Work by Rick Lawrence

Mr. Lawrence reported that visits to the schools were continuing viewing the mechanical and electrical traits. More work has also been on the actual floor plans. There were room changes from the plans acquired from Bill and/or when he did his walk-thru over the summer. Square footage of every room will be added to the plans.

Two programming meetings have been held at Goodwin and the Middle School. Lots of repetition on suggestions and questions, Annie Vinton and Southeast will be done the first week in October.

Linda Robinson, Head Librarian, suggested that a meeting be held with the three Library IA’s, the three principals and possibly Gordon or Fred to discuss consistency among the three schools.

The Community Workshops have been scheduled starting with October 18th to be held

in the Mansfield Middle School Cafeteria from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

October 9th will be an informational meeting to the Town Council for the Fuel Conversion Project with a vote to be done on October 22nd.

Mr. Callahan gave a quick summary of his findings pertaining to the electrical and mechanical building walk-thrus.

6. Other

Mr. Hart reminded members that the School Building Committee would endorse the recommendation for the Fuel Conversion Project. The next School Building Committee meeting will be Wednesday, October 3rd at 5:00 p.m.

7. Adjournment

Mr. Schimmel adjourned the meeting at 6:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

L. Patenaude

Capital Projects and Personnel Assistant