New Town School going geothermal
New Town School going geothermal
By Jerry W. Kram
The New Town School Board approved a bid to extend the geothermal heating system that will be installed in the new high school complex to the middle school. The board decided to accept the bid despite it coming in much higher than expected.
Superintendent Marc Bluestone told the board that replacing the middle school’s current heating system was vital as it wouldn’t last much longer.
“The state inspector came in and certified that our coal boiler is dead,” Bluestone said. “He said we might get one, maybe two more seasons out of our oil fired boiler. But with the cost of fuel oil, it is about four times more expensive to use the fuel oil boiler than the coal boiler.”
The school board had intended for the new high school geothermal heating system to have additional capacity to support future development plans. Bluestone said that was fortunate because it means the it will be possible to tie the middle school into the system.
