By Sarah Opdahl

At their Tuesday, December 12 meeting, New Fairfield’s Permanent Building Committee (PBC) were relieved to learn that a temporary solution for lack of propane at the high school was in place, allowing hot f ood to be served in the school. The high school experienced varying degrees of a lack of mercaptan smell in the propane since the early fall, mostly in the science labs. However, in recent tests, the lack of smell was more far-flung, requiring a complete shutdown of propane in the building.

O&G and Colliers International’s representatives scrambled to determine a solution after a lack of mercaptan smell was discovered in the kitchens; multiple consultants visited and weighed in on the issue, offering options to solve the matter either permanently or temporarily. In the meantime, the headspace in the permanent propane tanks was purged, in order to allow new propane and mercaptan to go into the vapor, however, tests that followed were unacceptable. Recently, temporary tanks were installed and tied into the regulator that connects to the rest of the building. The tanks allowed the kitchen to reopen, but the culinary classrooms and the science lab Bunsen burners remain out of commission.

PBC members discussed hiring a pipeline conditioning company to tie into the existing line t o provide a higher concentration of mercaptan to “condition the pipes.” Colliers International’s Mr. Mark Schweitzer has worked closely with Town Fire Marshal Mr. Derrek Guertin and  the project’s environmental consultant, as well as two separate gas companies that tested the permanent tanks and did “not getting accurate, clear readings. Every time there were discrepancies.” Schweitzer went on to say “There is a belief that potentially the tanks may not have been bled properly.” He is happy that the temporary tanks “give us some time,” to solve the ongoing issue.

O&G’s Mr. Joe Vetro said, “we completed all the concrete work” last week for the middle school parking lot area. He went on to say, the site contractor is installing the storm drainage and running the sanitary line from the middle sc hool to the septic tank and field.

JCJ Architure’s Ms. Christine O’Hare explained, “we have a few issues still in furniture that we are working through with James [D’Amico]. I know there is one vendor who is supposed to come out next week and look at some damaged chairs and another vendor that is supposed to be coming out over Christmas break to finish up some wire management that still needs to be finalized.” She went on to say, “we also have an AV meeting scheduled for next week with all of our design team. So, on the AV side, we have several consultants working on this project and different pieces of it.” They plan to have the consultants on a phone call along with D’Amico and other staff, who can ask questions to better understand the system. There was a preliminary training but questions remain among the staff about particular features of the systems.

The next regular Permanent Building Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 9, 7:30 p.m.