| Sunday, April 20, 2008 6:51 PM CDT |
Heyworth Elementary's upgrade to geothermal soon to begin
HEYWORTH -- Construction is set to begin on a $1.2 million project to install a geothermal heating and cooling system at Heyworth Elementary School.
The lack of air conditioning there prompted complaints from parents summer.
The Heyworth school board has unanimously approved issuing about $4.155 million in bonds to finance life, health and safety measures in the district. About $2.225 million of that is bringing in new money, and the rest is refinancing existing bonds.
In addition to the geothermal project, the bonds will help to finance later projects to install an updated communications system at the school and perform asbestos abatement at the junior high school.
In a special meeting held earlier this month, the board awarded bids on two phases of the geothermal project. Tri-State Trenching of Delavan was awarded a $418,210 contract for the drilling of wells to supply water for the geothermal system, while a $245,970 contract for equipment for the system was awarded to Earth City Distributing of St. Louis.
The district completed its state-mandated 10-year life, health and safety review a year ahead of schedule in response to parents’ complaints.
Superintendent Randy Merker said the system should be operational in time for the start of the 2008-09 school year, although school is expected to start about a week later than usual to accommodate final work on the project.
Merker had noted at last month’s board meeting significant changes in the district’s tax rate are not expected as a result of the bond issue.
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