At the recommendation of the Waldoboro Community Energy Committee, the Waldoboro Board of Selectmen voted to move forward with weatherization of the town office.
The proposed work – sealing and adding insulation to the main part of the building, including the EMS bays and the conference room – will cost $13,214 and will be paid for with a $36,225 grant received through EfficiencyMaine.
The low bidder on the project, I and S Insulation Inc., of Wiscasset, will do the work. The town received a second proposal from Weatherization Experts of Newcastle for $20,698.
The selectmen also approved using funds from the town’s Municipal Building Capital Reserve Account to repair leaks in the roof. There is some evidence of leaking, but the exact nature – or cost – of the work needed is not known, said Town Manager John Spear.
The roof work is not covered by the efficiency grant and expending money from a capital reserve account requires selectmen approval. There is about $5000 in the capital reserve account, which is not enough to fix all the problems with the building’s roof, Spear said. Only the most pressing problems, in areas that would impact the new insulation and weatherization, will be fixed, Spear said.
In addition to the sealing and insulation, the efficiency grant will be use to purchase a new oil-fired water heater for $3150. The new heater means the town can avoid running the boiler during the summer to heat water at the town office.
The town’s purchasing policy requires selectmen approval for purchases over $10,000, so the selectmen did not vote on the oil-fired heater.
The town is currently waiting on bids for an upgrade to the town office’s heat and air conditioning control system. The deadline for proposals is Nov. 15; if the town accepts any of those bids, the project will be paid for with money from the efficiency grant, Spear said.
“The project would have to have a reasonable pay back period,” Spear said.
The efficiency grant expires at the end of this year, but the town requested a six-month extension. Although no official answer has been given, EfficiencyMaine has indicated via email that the request seems likely to be approved, Spear said.
