Residents at a town meeting Thursday voted unanimously to send a roof project at Great Oak Middle School to the voters.
The town, based upon a recommendation from a committee, wants to spend $1.8 million to install a metal roof and solar panels at the Great Oak Middle School. The school’s asphalt roof is 20 years old.
Local taxpayers won’t have to foot the entire bill directly, as the town has a number of funding sources.
For example, the town is eligible for a $324,000 grant from the state’s Clean Energy Fund to purchase the solar panels for the roof. The town is also eligible for $180,000 in reimbursement from the Department of Education. The town also secured $61,000 from the American Recovery Reinvestment Act.
The roof project has been in the works for some time, but hit a snag March 22 when the town’s Finance Board rejected the project, saying they wanted more roof-replacement options. The Board of Selectmen, however, ignored that vote and moved the project along.
Bob DeBisschop, chairman of the school’s Roof and Solar Panel Committee, said over the last 10 years, high winds in the area have blown shingles off the roof causing water damage inside the building and creating annual maintenance costs for repairs and replacement of shingles.
“The benefit of the metal roof far outweighs asphalt based on our previous experience,” he told an audience of about 125 people in Oxford Town Hall.
Debisshop said the metal roof is expected to last 40 years while the solar panels have a 30-year life expectancy.
Debisshop said the town can expect to save about $8,500 a year by using the solar panels.
Resident Pam Mavis said when she bought her home in town 26 years ago, it had solar panels on it and has seen tremendous savings on her electric bills.
“This would benefit the town tremendously,” she said.
Finance board member Richard Burke said the town should look at the cost of the project considering other needs in the community.
“Roofs do not put out fires, protect us from crime, teach our children or lower class sizes,” he said.
Following the resounding yes from the audience to move the project to referendum, First Selectwoman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers thanked the members of the committee and said the project is going in the right direction.
“We took the proper steps to get here and had a good turnout,” she said. “Everyone had a chance to speak.”
The question will be on the referendum ballot along with the town budget May 18.
