By James Lomuscio
In its final discussion on the school system’s failing underground oil tanks, Westport’s Board of Education unanimously approved Monday night the superintendent’s request for $269,000 to remove the tanks at four schools and to heat them with natural gas only.
The school board will now request approval and funding from the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting.
Under the proposal presented by Nancy Harris, assistant superintendent of business, the 1,000-gallon oil tanks would be removed at Coleytown Elementary School, Long Lots Elementary School, Coleytown Middle School, and Staples High School, “and they would run on straight gas,” instead of their dual fuel capabilities.
A cost savings could be had, Harris noted, by repairing the Staples tank in the loading dock area and bringing it up to code.
“I want to continue pursuing repairing the tank,” she said, adding that it might not be possible since it did not pass “a tank tightness test.”
She also suggested re-piping the oil tank serving the pool area as well as the one one in the J Building, so that those tanks could be used only for Staples’ two emergency generators.
Jim Marpe, school board vice chairman, said that he spoke to Public Works Director Stephen Edwards who noted that since Long Lots is used as a town emergency shelter, the building would still need an oil tank to run its generator. Marpe said that Edwards suggested installing a 1,000-gallon, double-wall, above-ground tank on a concrete slab to be used for the generator.
“We should include whether our proposal should include that 1,000-gallon tank,” Donald O’Day, school board chairman said.
Harris said that such a tank would cost between $15,000 and $20,000, as opposed to $35,000 for a 2,500-gallon one. She also said about 50,000 gallons of already paid for Number 2 heating oil would be left in the tanks once the schools switch to gas.
“Is it conceivable that a local vendor like Gault would want to buy it?” asked Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon.
In the end, O’Day read a modified version of the superintendent’s request, noting that the amount requested would not exceed $269,000, “and that it can be reduced by repairs of the Staples tank,” purchasing the smaller, 1,000-gallon tank for the Long Lots emergency generator and by pumping out and selling unused oil.
