PARIS — The Board of Selectmen is set to approve a special town meeting warrant for Sept. 12 to see if residents will approve taking money from the undesignated fund balance to pay for a new boiler in the fire station.
On Thursday, the board will meet with representatives from Thayer Inc. and W.H. Demmons on the replacement or repair of boilers at the Paris Fire Station. The boiler installed in the relatively new fire station failed years ago, and this year the system failed after two propane boilers were installed to replace it.
At their Aug. 8 meeting, selectmen voted to seek more information on the system before proceeding. Engineers from Thayer and Demmons concluded that problems in the heating system were causing the boilers to fail.
Both gave quotes for repairing the system and replacing or repairing boilers. At Monday’s meeting, selectmen voted to invite engineers from both companies back to the fire station to look at the second boiler to make sure it was in good working order.
Before deciding on the boiler’s replacement, the board also discussed the option of using a wood pellet boiler rather than heating with propane. Dutch Dresser of Maine Energy Systems gave a short talk on wood pellet heating.
Selectman Jean Smart wanted to look into wood pellet heating, calling it a better long-term choice given the rising price of fuels. The board voted 4-1 to stick with propane heat.
The board unanimously agreed to meet with Thayer and Demmons on Thursday to discuss the town’s options and get quotes on replacement costs. A special town meeting to see if voters will agree to the cost has been tentatively set for 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Paris Fire Station.
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