Follow-up defined the January 3, 2024, Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting as the selectmen discussed topics carried over from December — and updated the audience on the ongoing issues surrounding the failed geothermal project. However, before the BOS got down to business, State Senator Jeff Gordon took the floor to highlight some of what’s coming down the road in 2024.
Gordon talked about tax cuts for the bottom two marginal rates and $250 million added to the budget for public education. He also hinted that he would soon hold “office hours” in Stafford and confirmed he will join First Selectman Bill Morrison during a Facebook Live event on Thursday, January 11.
Morrison spoke about the work he, Gordon, and selectman/Representative Kurt Vail have done to implore Johnson Memorial Hospital to keep its birthing center open — a decision on which is expected in mid-January.
The BOS also asked Gordon to follow up on a possible Transportation and Rural Improvement Program (TRIP) grant to help fund sidewalks and trails in the Levinthal Run area that could connect to downtown. ARPA funds have already been set aside for the project, but those funds have an expiration date.
Other issues the BOS raised with Gordon:
A possible tax exemption for trailers could lead to a loss of revenue for the town. Vail, who sells RVs and trailers, said, “I sell those, and I don’t understand why they wouldn’t be taxed.”
Funding for early voting.
Possible loss of state funds for the Board of Education.
Assorted follow-up
At the December meeting, the board discussed letting boards and commissions fundraise to help bolster their budgets. Now, it’s been established that this is, in fact, allowed and that the town’s new director of finance, John Lund, is working on drafting a policy that can be formally adopted by the town at a later meeting.
The board also followed up on their discussion of tax abatements for childcare facilities. Morrison said that after talking to the tax assessor, there were concerns that this could be cumbersome to monitor and enforce. Vail noted that no one has approached the board to advocate for the abatement and moved that they take no action. Selectman Rick Hartenstein seconded the motion.
Geothermal update
Morrison also took a few moments to provide an update on the ongoing review of the geothermal project at Stafford Elementary School, Stafford Middle School, Stafford High School, and Stafford Public Library. According to a statement provided by the attorney working on the case, back in 2015, the town “entered into a written agreement with Trison Construction, Inc. (“Trison), for the design and installation of a Geothermal Heating and cooling system,” but by June of 2017, Stafford claimed that the system was failing and that it still needed to use its boiler system to heat those buildings. In 2019, Stafford retained van Zelm Heywood & Shadford to perform a preliminary review of the project, and it determined that “the ground source heat pump (“GSHP”) systems as designed and installed were poorly integrated with the existing building HVAC systems and have inadequate capacity.”
Additionally, the existing buildings were designed to operate with hot water supply temperatures of 180-190 degrees, and the GSHP was designed to supply water over 170 degrees. However, the recommended limit for the GSHP is 150 degrees. This has resulted in compressor failures and heat pump operational issues.
By February 2024, van Zelm expects to have a final draft of the report, presenting it and its recommendations for rectifying the issues to Trison and The Travelers Indemnity Company, which holds the bond on the project. The statement also says, “Thereafter, in accordance with the MOU [Memorandum of Understanding], a process has been established to address the potential settlement and/or trial for the Town to recover damages.”
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