City Council OKs New Boilers for Rogers

After postponing their vote for nearly a month, the Newport City Council voted in favor of new natural gas boilers for Rogers High School on Wednesday night.

At its Aug. 25 meeting, council members expressed concern about what responsibility the city had in the deal, and whether it was the right timing for the project.

But on Wednesday, councilors said they were satisfied with the explanations they had been given and were comfortable signing off on the plan, which will replace the high school's two existing, 55-year-old oil boilers that are original to the building with more energy-efficient natural gas ones.

The school department brought the plan forward after an energy audit determined that they could cut their heating costs nearly in half by switching to natural gas boilers.

"We're on borrowed time right now," Mayor Jeanne Marie-Napolitano said of using the existing boilers. "I really believe we should be moving forward with this and support it."

Councilman Justin Mclaughlin was one of the members who questioned the timing of the project before. Mclaughlin had asked whether it was right to move forward with the project, which requires a 10-year lease, if the district could potentially regionalize its high school with neighboring towns in the years to come. Paul Fagan, property services director for the school department, told him that even if that were to occur, Rogers' building is in great shape and would likely be utilized.

"It doesn't preclude making decisions to do something with that building between now and 10 years out, so I'll support this," Mclaughlin stated Wednesday night.

The only council member to vote against the project Wednesday was Stephen Coyne, who emphasized that his "no" vote did not mean that he doesn't support the plan, but rather that he still doesn't think the school department should be pursuing it until after the voters speak on Nov. 2 regarding the new elementary school bond referendum.

"I believe that by voting for this, we're being pennywise but pound foolish," Coyne said. "I understand the timetable by which we get a certain interest rate, etc., but I really believe if we go out for bond for a million dollars we should make that decision in a broad context, looking at what exactly we will be bonding for after the November election, whether it'll be money for a brand new school, or spending $5 million dollar chunks to renovate the existing schools … I'm not against doing the project, I'm just against making a decision at this point."

Councilwoman Kathryn Leonard questioned whether the savings expected from switching from oil to natural gas are made based on the assumption that natural gas will remain cheaper than oil over the next 10 years. The school's business manager, Mike Saunders, said yes.

Saunders went on to assure that the school department will "aggressively be applying" for any possible reimbursements for the new HVAC system, noting that they've already been told by the Rhode Island Department of Education that up to 30 percent of the project could be reimbursed under housing aid. Saunders said they've estimated that they could be receiving up to $50,000 back in other rebates as well.

Superintendent John Ambrogi told the council at the Aug. 25 meeting that as it stands, the school department is currently spending about $235,000 a year for heating oil for the existing boilers.

With the new boilers, Ambrogi has said heating costs would be cut in half, with approximately $125,000 going to the natural gas company, and a remaining $125,000 going each year toward paying off the lease agreement. The payments, he said, will come from the approximately 40 percent in savings the district anticipates it will realize from switching from oil to natural gas. If the savings were not realized for some reason, the vendor, ConEdison, would have to make up the difference. The lease payments include all construction costs.