Sandgate board reviews $39,900 boiler bid, delays hot-water decision as grant deadline approaches

The Sandgate Selectboard reviewed a $39,900 bid from Roy Plumbing and Heating to replace building heating as part of a grant-funded project and agreed to separate the boiler purchase from a proposed on-demand hot-water system while staff gather operating-cost estimates.

Tom Yandow, who provided MERP updates to the board, said one bid arrived after additional contractor solicitations produced no other offers and that the town must spend the grant funds by December. He told the board the contractor who responded found the posting on Front Porch Forum.

Board members pressed on fuel type and long-term costs. Joe Nolan said the town should not assume propane and a large continually heated water tank is the best long-term solution and asked for an estimate of annual operating costs before the board commits. Rob Viglas warned that keeping a large hot-water tank heated around the clock could raise ongoing maintenance and fuel costs for the town.

Tom said the state is encouraging municipalities to move away from oil and coal; in his words, “the State is trying to move municipalities toward non-oil/coal sources of fuel.” The board directed staff to ask Roy Plumbing for a boiler-only quote and to separate the hot-water work so the projects can be evaluated independently.

John Phelps relayed a service manager’s recommendation favoring Burnham over Rheem as a brand, but the board did not choose a make at the meeting and asked for additional cost and operational information before making a final selection.

Next steps: Tom will request a boiler-only quote from Roy Plumbing; staff will solicit lifecycle-cost estimates for the hot-water option and report back so the board can weigh capital costs against ongoing operating expenses before committing grant funds.