HARVARD -- The School Committee had the chance to fund a few necessities on Tuesday night, after learning of extra money available from the school omnibus budget.

Finance Director Lorraine Leonard compared the school district's fiscal year 2014 budget to the actual amount spent, ultimately identifying a $119,000 surplus.

Although identified as extra money, the surplus actually comes from the educational Devens fund that MassDevelopment pays to Harvard, she explained.

This way, the town does not have to use the extra money solely for what it was originally allocated for -- instead, the committee can choose what it needs to finance.

New Superintendent Linda Dwight presented a number of items that could be funded with the extra money, including a gym sound enhancement system, an additional teaching section at The Bromfield School, furniture for the faculty room at Bromfield and more.

School Committee member Patty Wenger suggested looking into what can be done for the ventilation system at Bromfield's science labs, which have had issues with heating and ventilation.

"Just for health reasons I'd like to find out what the possibilities are for the HVAC, because that is not a safe situation," she said.

Leonard said that there should be extra money next year from the state special-education Circuit Breaker fund.

Committee member Bob Sullebarger took issue with $5,000 allotted for signs for both schools that show the vision and core value statement.

"I think we would really hear about it," he said of giving that much money for signs.

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Surplus in school budget allows for extra class section, shade replacements, more

July 16, 2014 - As drop-in replacements using existing tank fittings, XM/XT Series provide continuous fluid level monitoring of tanks with depths <20 in. XM/XT-300 Series, constructed from all-wetted polysulfone plastic parts,is direct compatibility with various chemicals, while XM/XT 700 Series comes in stainless steel or brass. Both fluid level transmitters feature 0.14 in.resolution, indicating length to 14 in., andstem length to 20 in. Custom mountings and float materials are available. Gems Sensors Inc. 1 Cowles Rd. Plainville, CT, 06062 USA Press release date: July 14, 2014

Plainville, Connecticut, USA Gems Sensors & Controls (Gems) (www.gemssensors.com), a leading industry supplier of liquid level, pressure and flow sensors, as well as fluid control devices, has announced the global market introduction of its XM/XT Series.

The Gems XM/XT Series is a family of cost-effective, single float transmitters, expressly designed to provide high-accuracy continuous fluid level monitoring within smaller, more compact tank environments.

Historically, off-highway vehicle, HVAC, locomotive, commercial printing, and medical OEMs have had limited capability for cost-effective and accurate fluid level monitoring of tank depths less than 20(50.8 cm). Many OEMs would specify multi-level float solutions, despite their discrete point limits of indication, due to the lack of availability of a lower cost single float transmitter. The new Gems XM/XT Series effectively addresses these concerns.

Gems XM/XT-300 Series fluid level transmitters are constructed from all-wetted polysulfone plastic parts. This ensures their direct compatibility with a variety of chemicals. Its counterpart, the Gems XM/XT 700 Series, combines the extended durability of stainless steel, or brass, within a lightweight package. Both models are designed to serve as effective drop-in replacements using existing tank fittings. They feature 0.14 (3.5 mm) resolution; an indicating length to 14 (35.5 cm); and a stem length to 20 (50.8 cm). Compact and versatile, XM/XT Series units are also available with a broad choice of mountings and float materials to suit individual requirements.

As a standard catalog product, Gems XM/XT Series models are available for immediate customer order. Full-scale OEM volume manufacturing can usually proceed in just a few business days. In addition, Gems engineers can design and manufacture a custom fluid tank level measurement solution to meet specific requirements. Custom fluid level transmitters can be produced in OEM volumes within shorter lead times than many other industry standard solutions.

For more information about XM/XT Series single float fluid level transmitters or other liquid level sensors available from Gems Sensors & Controls, visit http://www.gemssensors.com/en/Products/Level.

Link to XM/XT-300 Product Page and Data Sheet: http:// http://www.gemssensors.com/en/Products/Level/Continuous-Transmitters/Float/Compact-Size/ XM-XT-300-Series

Link to XM/XT-700 Product Page and Data Sheet: http:// http://www.gemssensors.com/Products/Level/Continuous-Transmitters/Float/Compact-Size/ XM-XT-700-Series

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Single Float Level Transmitters suit shallow tank monitoring.

Participants swim the first leg of the Minihaha Triathlon at the Broomfield Community Center in June. City Council at a study session Tuesday was set to discuss renovations and improvements to the BCC, including to the pool. ( David R. Jennings )

City officials are weighing plans to renovate the Broomfield Community Center, which needs several major repairs because of its aging structure.

At its study session on Tuesday, City Council will discuss options for how to plan Community Center renovations.

In the next few years, the center could need improvements to its HVAC system, locker rooms, pool, roof, parking lot, gym or other elements, according to a staff memo.

Though Broomfield has budgeted capital improvement funds this year to renovate the center, it's not clear if any work will be done on the building in 2014. Staff needs to figure out if larger improvements should be done first to save time and money, as well as avoiding prematurely investing in smaller repairs that could be impacted by larger projects down the road.

Preliminary cost estimates for the most pressing repairs, including the HVAC system, elevator repairs, parking lot repairs, roof replacements and locker room reconstruction is about $3.6 million, according to the memo.

Some of those features, such as the locker room and elevator, do not meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Costs for the total list of repairs and improvements, which could be planned out and executed over the next few years through 2017 or beyond, will cost about $6.5 million.

Nancy Harrold, Recreation Services director, said the council study session discussion is just the first step toward creating a comprehensive and efficient plan to address improvements to the aging building, which was first erected in 1974.

"We are really at a beginning point with getting a sense of how council feels about" the proposed renovations, she said.

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City Council to weigh Broomfield Community Center renovation plans at Tuesday study session

By James Heaney and Pamela Cyran

INVESTIGATIVE POST

on July 12, 2014 - 12:01 AM

, updated July 12, 2014 at 11:15 PM

The bill is about to become due for City Halls chronic failure to maintain and update many of the 240 buildings and 2,180 acres of parks it owns.

Consultants two years ago gave Mayor Byron W. Browns administration an estimate of $607 million to bring those buildings and parks up to snuff over the coming decade, and said that $253 million of that work ought to get done right away. The bill for leaky roofs alone stretched into eight figures.

The bill is about to come due for Buffalos disinvestment, and its got a lot of zeros in it.

Administration officials have kept the estimates under wraps, insisting they are too high. They were scheduled to meet Friday with the Boston-based firm that inventoried the citys holdings and estimated the cost of necessary repairs and upgrades.

Public Works Commissioner Steven J. Stepniak said hes hoping to finalize the cost estimates shortly, which he expects to be drastically lower than the $607 million estimated by VFA Inc.

Regardless, the tally will total hundreds of millions of dollars.

Link:
Buffalo is facing big bills

Teachers tend to get most of the credit or blame for the learning that takes place in a classroom but there are others who play a significant, although seldom noticed, role in students success.

Among these behind-the-scenes people are the facilities employees at the Napa Valley Unified School District who make sure school children spend their days in buildings that are safe, comfortable and cost-effective.

This year, as soon as school was out for summer break, they began installing solar panels at Napa High School, Vintage High School and the Napa Education Center in their phase one plan. Phase two, beginning next year, will include solar at more schools to make buildings more cost effective, officials said.

With energy prices soaring, cost-effective means energy-efficient but upgrading facilities for energy efficiency can be costly. When it is necessary to spend money to save money, what is an organization to do?

They can turn to Sustainable Napa County, a nonprofit, for help, suggests Napa Valley Unified School District maintenance and construction supervisor, Walt Blevins, who became the districts first energy and operations manager as of July 1.

Sustainable Napa County, through a special fund created by the Gasser Foundation, provides nonprofit organizations with a grant to cover the gap between any cost of upgrades and the available PG&E rebates and incentives. This way, the cost to the nonprofit is zero, and the nonprofit begins seeing a positive return right away, according to Jeri Gill, chief executive of Sustainable Napa County.

For the past four years, Blevins and his team have been working closely with Sustainable Napa County on energy saving projects for the school district.

The facilities management team at NVUSD has continued to excel in finding ways to eliminate overhead, making it possible to use each scarce dollar in their budget for education, Gill said.

In their partnership, they have saved the school district a significant amount of money, and they are taking steps to save even more.

Their group (SNC) has been very good to our district and I would encourage other nonprofits to contact them, Blevins said. Weve accomplished so much. I dont believe wed be as far along without their efforts.

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Solar comes to Napa schools

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH The floors are slippery these days at the former North Myrtle Beach Primary School, where workers are sandblasting in the corridors to make way for new no-wax, vinyl flooring.

Furniture and other items have been stashed in the auditorium and media center, and painting has begun in the halls, with some walls already awash in a new color scheme of soft spring green, white and baby blue.

Were trying to improve and reconfigure the school, said Matt Dean, executive director of facilities for Horry County Schools. Theres mostly interior work going on, but there will be some site work, too.

Similar work is in progress at North Myrtle Beachs former elementary and intermediate buildings this summer, as about $5.6 million is being spent to convert all three schools to serve multiple grade levels. A committee of parents and school officials last year recommended adding attendance lines for the area to better use the space, ease overcrowding and achieve other benefits.

The change for the first time alters the configuration of the North Myrtle Beach cluster, which has mirrored that of the Myrtle Beach cluster, where all students attend the same schools. North Myrtle Beach Primary served students in pre-kindergarten through first grade, while students in grades two and three attended North Myrtle Beach Elementary School, and those in grades four and five went to North Myrtle Beach Intermediate School.

From an educational standpoint, it makes more sense, said board member Harvey Eisner, as it gives teachers and administrators more years to work with students, and it eases the burden on the primary school, which had 894 children last year some as young as 3 years old and all needing constant supervision.

Dean said school capacity should be around 80 to 90 percent, but the primary school - now known as Ocean Drive Elementary School was at 99 percent capacity and still will have the most students when it opens in the fall. The elementary school, renamed Riverside Elementary, was at 92 percent capacity with 700 students, while the intermediate school now Waterway Elementary was at 60 percent capacity with 673 students.

Ocean Drive has the most school transfer requests to date, with 99 students transferring into the school and 28 transferring out, according to the district. Riversides transfers are at 51 into the school, with 67 out, while 49 students are transferring to Waterway and 65 transferring out of the school.

School officials say that there are many reasons parents request transferring from one school to another, including convenience to their work locations and daycare options. Ocean Drive Principal Renea Fowler said some of her parents also may feel they just want to keep their students at the former primary school because of their age.

They are just more involved at that point, Fowler said.

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Three North Myrtle Beach schools get quick conversions for new grade alignment

July 7 deadline By MARLA K. KUHLMAN Tuesday July 1, 2014 10:48 PM

The Gahanna-Jefferson Board of Education met into the late hours of June 25, debating over what might be the best option for a November ballot measure.

The board faces a July 7 deadline to file a resolution with the Franklin County Board of Elections if it wants to proceed with a bond issue to construct one new building, district treasurer Julio Valladares said. If the board wants to proceed with a permanent-improvements levy, the deadline is Aug. 6.

Valladares said the resolution due July 7 wouldn't commit the board to going on the ballot, but it would leave the option open.

Based on the findings of SHP Leading Design, a firm that was hired in February to establish a five-year capital-improvements plan at a cost not to exceed $10,000, the total over the next five years to just upgrade and remodel all buildings would be about $26 million.

Superintendent Francis Scruci said building needs include such items as HVAC, lighting and windows.

The board is considering a permanent-improvements levy or combination bond and permanent-improvements levy.

Board president Jill Schuler said no permanent-improvements levy would get the district a building.

"In addition to a PI, we have to entertain a bond," she said. "I think we're charged with looking further down the line than just this issue. We need to consider the message, the needs that exist and how we could pay for them."

Board member Matt Campbell asked if Lincoln Elementary School would have to be replaced in any long-term plan if the board waited a year to put together a comprehensive plan.

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School board weighing fall ballot options

Interior temperature and air quality are important elements of a healthy and comfortable home, so repeated problems with an aging or malfunctioning HVAC system should be addressed. If the equipment needs frequent repairs, it may be less expensive in the long run to install a new unit. The life expectancy of an HVAC system varies by type and operating conditions. A heat pump or air conditioner that receives regular maintenance can be expected to last for at least 10 years; a boiler or furnace may reach 15 years of age or more before failing.

Average Cost of HVAC Unit Replacement

The cost of HVAC units varies greatly; pricing depends on a number of factors such as the size and type of system and the energy efficiency rating. In addition to the equipment itself, buyers must also consider the cost of installation and any required modifications to the building like additional ductwork. Replacing an existing system costs less than a new installation if there is already functional ductwork in place. Here are the most common types of HVAC equipment types and their average costs.

Split systems consist of both indoor and outdoor components. The outdoor unit is an air conditioner to provide cooling; the indoor unit is a furnace to produce heat. Split systems usually cost between $2,000 and $11,000; the average cost is $6,625. Costs will vary based on the type of units included.

A central HVAC unit may cost as little as $1,000 or as much as $4,000 for a large unit; the average cost is $2,600.

This system is an option for homes without existing ductwork. Costs for a ductless system range from $2,000 to $7,000; the average cost is $4,500.

A standalone gas furnace typically costs between $1,000 and $5,000; the average cost is $2,400.

Regular efficiency boilers range in price from $2,500 to $4,000 with an average cost of $3,250. High-efficiency models cost between $5,000 and $9,000 with an average cost of $7,000.

Most air handlers cost between $1,000 and $3,500; the average price is $1,700.

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The Average Cost of HVAC Replacement | Home Owner Ideas

ATKINS A state-partnership project to replace 33 heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units in the Atkins School District this summer was put on hold when the bid came in at around 1.5 times the amount the district expected.

The state which will pay 60 percent of the project, leaving the district responsible for 40 percent approved accepting a bid at a little more than $1.3 million.

Lorrie Smith of Hight-Jackson Associates, who acts as district architect, told the Atkins Board of Education during its regular meeting Monday the bid was so high because of unexpected fees and higher-than-expected percentages.

"Going into this, we felt like you had the $1.3 [million] but that we could get it in the $900,000 to $1 million [range]," Smith said. "We're not going to."

Board President Brian Boyer said the bid which was nearly $1.6 million seemed "astronomical," and suggested the district look into piecemealing the project over the next three years.

"The problem is, with state funding, they won't let you piece it," Smith said. "They won't let you go back and say you've approved this scope of work ... [if you] can't do it all at once, they're going to pull your funding."

All present board members voted to put the work back out to a hard bid, with four 20-ton HVAC units in the high school auditorium not included in the bid if they require emergency replacements. Because the bid date has been set at July 10, the completion date of the project has been moved to the summer of 2015. Board member Shawn Rook was absent.

The district is also contacting local companies to get estimates on piecemealing the project, should it come to that. It has until October to accept or rescind the state partnership funds.

Look for more coverage of the school board meeting in future editions of The Courier.

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Atkins HVAC project on hold

by Courtney Elko DCNN Correspondent

The Interboro School Board unanimously approved the final 2014-15 school budget at last Wednesdays school board meeting. Board member Deborah DiBattista was absent from the meeting.

Residents will see an increase of 0.4941 mills with the approved $58.4 million budget a 1.5 percent tax increase.

Residents with an average assessed home of $90,000 will see a school tax bill increase of about $45, according to district Superintendent Bernadette Reiley.

Residents saw a 2.3 percent tax increase in last years $57.5 million budget, Reiley said.

About 64 percent of the 2014-15 budget expenditures will go toward instructional salaries, Reiley explained.

The district will also see a few improvements with the approved budget, including a full-time librarian at Prospect Park School, professional development for teachers, districtwide concrete work, safety and security enhancements, and HVAC replacements at Norwood and Tinicum schools. Additionally, the high school will see painting, exterior signage, a piano for the auditorium and other improvements.

Technology within the district will also see improvements, including the reinstatement of the director of technology position, an upgrade to the server system, a new website, districtwide printing stations and phone system.

Board member Paul Eckert said he was in favor of the budget, which will do a lot to upgrade technology and programs throughout the district.

I know a 1.5 percent increase may not sound like bargain, but it really is for all that were getting (with that increase), Eckert said.

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Interboro approves 2014-15 budget, with tax increase