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Committee endorses Green Communities grant application for McCall HVAC controls; district to identify local match
Summary
The School Committee authorized submission of a Green Communities grant for replacing failing pneumatic HVAC controls at McCall Middle School and discussed the project cost, anticipated incentives and proposed local funding sources.
The Winchester School Committee on March 27 authorized submission of a Green Communities grant application to replace failing pneumatic controls and related equipment at McCall Middle School.
Peter Lawson, presenting for facilities, said McCall’s original renovation was in 1998 and that many control components are pneumatic and failing. The proposed project would replace pneumatic valves with electric damper motors and actuators, integrate controls into the district’s building-management system and allow remote scheduling and triage. Lawson said consultants estimated the project cost at roughly $177,789 and that utility incentives would reduce the district’s net project cost; the district would still need to identify local matching funds before a grant could be signed if it were awarded.
Lawson told the committee that the facilities office could provide $10,000 and that the Energy Revolving Fund had $10,000 available to commit now, and he asked Winchester Public Schools to contribute $31,060 toward the balance. The committee moved and approved a motion to submit the Green Communities application with the understanding that funding sources would be identified prior to signing; the committee vote to authorize submission was recorded as 5–0.
Why it matters: Controls failure affects the district’s ability to provide consistent heating and cooling. Replacing controllers and integrating the equipment with the building-management system would improve temperature control, allow remote adjustments and is expected to modestly reduce energy use; however, the short‑term financial need requires district budget or departmental accounting to cover the district share if the grant is awarded.
Next steps: If the grant is awarded (award announcements are typically made in October), the district will finalize contracts and return to the committee with the project contract and timeline. Facilities staff indicated they would work with town budget offices (capital stabilization, capital maintenance, DPW accounts) and the steering committee to identify an appropriate funding source and, if necessary, reimburse that source in FY26.
