The current heating unit is not in working order and in order to get it up and running as soon as possible, to provide heat to the various effected areas of the school, the board approved to repair the unit’s damaged heat exchangers at a cost of $20,000 allotted for labor and repairs.

 Replacement parts will not be shipped until Feb. 12.

The new unit will take approximately 6 to 8 weeks to arrive with another two days of labor to replace it.

At the meeting Mark Romain, maintenance supervisor, provided the board with an update on the status of the multi-zone unit.

SMASD President Joe Goetz explained the old unit will be saved in order to use for parts.

“We know we have to maintain heat in that building,” Goetz said.

Funding for the heating units will be taken from the general reserve fund, which was established for emergency such as this.

Two types of heating units are utilized at the middle school including six multi-zone units, each covering between 6 to 8 separate areas within the school along with four single zone units. Single zone units cover areas including the east and west sections of the cafeteria, offices, wood shop and the band room.

This effected unit heats such areas as the entire library, music room, a conference room, and two planning rooms.

As part of the unit’s 12 heat exchangers, four of them are rusted out while three were replaced in 2003. Heat exchangers cost $1,200 each to replace.

Romain said he was unsure of the status of the remaining heat exchangers, however the remaining multi-zone units are all in the same condition with severe rusting.

Romain added the effected rooms are maintaining temperatures at around 67 degrees.

School board member John Healy inquired about using space heaters inside the building after school hours. Romain answered that after researching them he did not trust the safety of space heaters.