The price to install some kind of heating and cooling system at Lincoln Elementary School is expected to continue to go up. That’s what Architect Bill Taylor told the Ottawa Elementary School Board at Tuesday’s meeting while he presented five different options to heat and cool the school. One of the options could be two bigger sized window units for each classroom.
Board Member Mary Ganiere says she still wants to have geothermal energy installed at the school and is in favor of a referendum to get the money the district doesn’t have to pay for it. Board Pres. Brendan Donahue opposes the idea.
Board Member Mark Fisher says he would also like to see geothermal installed at Lincoln, but something like windows units should be installed now.
Donahue says it depends on whether the district is going to invest in the over 100 year old school or maybe decide one day to replace it. The district borrowed about $3.5 million to use for some improvements at Lincoln like tuck pointing and roof repairs. Donahue has asked the board to come up with a solution for Lincoln after geothermal energy was approved to be installed at Jefferson and McKinley. But while federal COVID relief funds helped cover some of the costs at the two schools, the funds weren’t eligible to help Lincoln.
It will cost the district about eight to ten million dollars to install geothermal at Lincoln.
Correction: The school is not over 200 years old. We apologize for the error.