School Board calls for wood chip hearing

By NATHAN LAMB | Milton Independent Staff Writer
miltonreporter@yahoo.com

In a move billed as working toward compromise with neighbors opposed to the project, the School Board has tentatively scheduled a public hearing for Monday, Nov. 5 to discuss its plans to install wood burning plants at the Elementary and High schools.

The hearing was the result of a lengthy discussion at the board’s Oct. 15 meeting.

Central to those talks was the Development Review Board’s (DRB) recent approval of the burning plants. That, in turn, led to discussion of neighborhood opposition, financials of the project, and even the possibility of the project needing voter approval once again to cover greater-than-anticipated costs.

The wood burners are being sought as a cost-effective heating alternative to fossil fuels in the schools and most of the $2.4 million project is eligible for 90 percent reimbursement from the state.

However, the 65-foot smokestack that would be attached to the elementary school has drawn criticism from neighbors, who are concerned about how it will look and smell. A petition against the project garnered 179 signatures in August, but failed to sway the DRB’s decision on the project.

DRB alternate Lori Donna emerged as spokesperson for the neighbors during the review, and followed-up the DRB approval with a letter to the School Board that suggested an appeal of the DRB decision could be avoided—provided the board was willing to schedule a hearing to meet with residents and discuss their concerns.

School Board Chairman Doug Stout expressed no objections to that measure at the Oct. 15 meeting—but he warned Donna that public opinion is not the only factor being considered.

“I would not, as one board member, make any commitment that we would derail the project if 100 people show up who don’t like it,” he said.

Donna responded that was fine; at this point, the petitioners were looking to cooperate toward an outcome that makes sense for all, she said. She did caution that someone else might appeal, though.

“I can’t speak for everyone on that list,” she said. “Personally, I feel encouraged.”

A major concern of neighbors was how the 65-foot stacks would be screened from their homes. Board vice chairman Reg Godin suggested the schools prepare for that discussion by bringing specific proposals to that meeting, which was agreed to.

Less easy to nail down were the lingering financial concerns with the project.

Though most of the project is slated for reimbursement, there’s no clear indication of when that will be forthcoming from the legislature, and the district will be on the hook for $113,000 of interest charges annually until it does.

It's been estimated that reimbursement will take at least three years. Taken with the $540,000 the district will likely need to kick-in, board member Jim Lyons said that—even if the burners save the district $80,000 in fuel costs annually—it would be still be 9 to 15 years before the town sees any real savings.

Further, the originally bonding vote for the project assumed the local contribution would be $260,000, but that number has since risen because parts of the project—like rearranging the bus loops—are not eligible for the 90 percent reimbursement, said school business manager Don Johnson.

That makes it likely that another bonding vote would need to go before the town, said Stout. Johnson was uncertain; he said language within the vote might allow for some cost increase; Stout wasn’t sure that would address the crux of things.

“There could be a difference between what’s legal and what people are comfortable with,” he said.

Overall, Stout said the financial details were among several hurdles the project would need to cross if were to become a reality. Both he and Darren Carner said they were only in favor of the project if it makes sense at each of those junctures.

However, Godin and member Steve Rose indicated they were strongly in favor of the project, saying it makes sense in the long run.

Time frame could be another issue. The DRB approval specified that construction would need to take place during the summer break, meaning a 100-day project would have to fit within roughly half that time frame.

While superintendent of schools Marty Waldron said they could likely work with that timeframe, ordering boilers for the burning plants has a lead time of 16 to 20 weeks—which means a decision would need to be made by February or March at the latest, he said.

Godin, who is a state representative, noted that would mean a decision would likely need to be made before there’s any clue to the disposition of the legislature, which could come in March or April. The project would also need to be put out bid prior to ordering the boilers, so they’d know the total cost, he added.

Stout asked Waldron to bring a timeline of “decision points” for the project to the next meeting, so they can track what must happen and when, should the district decide to proceed.

“There’s a whole series of hurdles, in my mind, we need to go through with this project,” he said.