Date: Fri 13-Aug-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Edmond-Town-Hall-heating

Full Text:

Town Hall Heating System To Be Upgraded

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Edmond Town Hall employees can be assured they will have heat this winter

after the Board of Managers agreed to upgrade the building's antiquated

heating system Tuesday.

The board signed a contract with Edgerton Heating & Air Conditioning of

Monroe, who will install a new burner for the building's boiler. The new

equipment will utilize a combination of both gas and oil.

"If the oil burner failed and you went to switch to gas, if it didn't run, we

were dead in the water. We'd have no heat," explained Clark Kathan, the

building's maintenance manager.

Earlier this summer, Mr Kathan expressed concerns that the 70-year-old

building may be without heat this winter. In response, the managers acted

swiftly. The project is expected to cost more than $80,000.

"If we didn't put this burner in right now this building would freeze to

death," Mr Kathan said.

The heating contractors will also install new controls on town hall radiators

in an effort to better regulate temperature.

"Some rooms you go in you roast. Others you freeze," Mr Kathan said.

The new and improved heating system is expected to be online by October.

The Town Hall Board of Managers has recently been investing big bucks in the

historic Main Street building in an effort to bring it up to 20th Century

standards.

The board of managers' next project will be to upgrade the building's

electrical system, which was first installed prior to the FDR administration.

The old wiring has caused numerous blown fuses, provides limited electricity,

and is considered a fire hazard. Many of the building's circuits have become

overburdened. Each will have to be mapped out and tested.

"That's the original wiring. There have been some outages and we've got all

new computers coming in, so we were getting concerned," noted Marie

Sturdevant, a member of the board of managers.

As for the rest of the building's "deferred maintenance" needs, Mrs Sturdevant

said the board of managers will have to wait and see what the town decides to

do. Uncertainty over the disposition of the town hall had been precluding the

managers from any long-term plans for building improvements. The municipal

space needs committee has recommended a 23,000-square-foot addition be added

on to the building. As an insurance policy, the Board of Selectmen has

committed to refurbishing town hall, with or without a new addition.

Nevertheless, board of managers member Bill Honan is not holding his breath.

"I rather doubt there's going to be anything done for awhile," he said.

"Nobody is going to vote for an addition to town hall until they're sure

Fairfield Hills is resolved."