Temporary boiler restores heat at Lyman Hall after aging boilers fail; district outlines replacement and bonding plan

District maintenance and administrative staff reported to the operations committee on Oct. 21 that Lyman Hall High School lost reliable heat after two aging permanent boilers became nonfunctional and that the district installed a rented temporary boiler to restore heat that week.

Facilities staff said one of the permanent boilers dates to 1958 and the other was replaced in 1991. After determining in July that the boilers would not be serviceable for the coming cold weather, the district sought town bonding approval for replacements and placed orders. Delivery delays and a vendor transport failure for an earlier rental unit prompted the district to pursue a second temporary-boiler provider and an emergency bid waiver; the mayor approved the waiver and a temporary unit was installed and started, restoring heat to Lyman Hall.

Superintendent Belizzi cited Public Act 23-167 (section 45, effective July 1, 2024) and said interior temperatures had been measured in the low 50s, prompting the district to close the building while contractors installed the rental equipment. "The temperatures were in the low 50s within the building, and they were not rising," Belizzi told the committee, saying staff and contractors performed continuous temperature checks and prioritized student safety.

Maintenance director Jared Deptula and contractors described complex installation work, including running new condensate and gas lines, connecting a 10-inch steam main and coordinating union and nonunion fitters. An insurance-authorized boiler inspector (Bob Trapka) performed an expedited inspection and issued the Connecticut tag that allowed operators to start the rental boiler. Staff said the temporary boiler rental was expected for at least three months while permanent replacements are procured, parts are removed and the boiler room is prepared.

Board members asked about budgets and payments for the rental; the finance director said the rental PO was processed out of rentals for now and that a funding decision (including potential use of 2% contingency) would be discussed at the next meeting. Facilities staff also reviewed a broader list of aging boilers across district schools and said three other schools have been approved to move forward for bonding approval, but bid specifications and firm budgets must be developed before funds are issued.

The district said it will continue to coordinate with the mayor and town council on bonding and timing and will provide updated materials to the board and the public at the next full-board meeting.