UV system eyed for Meco school
Gloversville school board discusses water-filtration projectBy ZACH SUBAR, The Leader-Herald
Article Photos
GLOVERSVILLE - The Gloversville Enlarged School District may purchase an ultraviolet water-filtration system for the Meco Elementary School building.
The school district would do so in anticipation of a likely state mandate that would require the school, which uses a well for its water, to either connect to a city water system or purchase some sort of system that would eliminate bacteria from water.
There is no such mandate yet, and Director of Operations Bill Ferguson stressed at a board meeting Monday the water in the school is of a high quality. But board members said they favored buying the UV system-which could cost the district $70,000-sooner rather than later, saying it would allow the district to be well prepared if it is required at some point to put in such a system.
"We would avoid a mandate, which would save a lot of money," board member Stanley DeVoe said.
A chlorination system also is an option, but Ferguson said a chlorination system must be regulated much more extensively than a UV model, and he said he did not favor it.
For the most part, board members agreed the district should soon formally consider the purchase. But Board President Pete Semione wondered whether it would be worth installing such a system in the school, saying he has questions about putting "a $70,000 system in a school we may or may not look to do something with one, two, five years down the road."
He said the district could consider closing the school in the future. But board members said they still favored buying the system.
"You enhance the salability of the building," Business Manager Steven Schloicka said.
There is a chance the $70,000 cost could come down. Ferguson said the bid for the project, submitted by BPI Contracting, included 298 man-hours of work, which he said was more than he expected. The actual system costs $20,000.
Board members asked Ferguson to look into the matter and see if they could reduce that number.
The project would be 98 percent reimbursable by state funds, since it is part of a capital project.
In other business, the board approved the creation of two new positions it will pay for with the portion of federal stimulus funds specifically targeted to special needs students.
The district approved a new social worker position, as well as a new truancy officer/youth aide officer.
The officer, who will come from the Gloversville Police Department, will work three hours per day. As part of the officer's duties, he or she will go to truant children's homes and determine why they are not at school.
Superintendent Robert DeLilli has said addressing truancy should have a positive effect on graduation rates, and the district receives more state aid when more children attend school.
Zach Subar can be reached at ruralnews@leaderherald.com
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Discobulous
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08-12-09 12:09 AM
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It's all a big con.....people have been alive for generations without these costly gizmos thought up by people in laboratories out to create fear and sell something only maybe 5% of people need.
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lizzie
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08-11-09 11:42 PM
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And you, my friend had no commentary at all, except to comment that I commented. Thanks for bring us all up to speed. (and for anyone who doesn't know, Lizzie is BOE VP Betsy Simek - aka "davematthewsfan" on the other message board.) As for Dirty Harry, well, he likes to hide.
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DirtyHarry
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08-11-09 9:33 PM
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Now we know what what ails lizzie...her water!!!Since she didn't make the story she adds her commentary here! What a country!!!!
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native
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08-11-09 9:00 PM
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FYI: A UV purification also requires a water conditioning system to be effective which requires repeatedly adding solar salt, a continued expense that also adds residual salt into the drinking water. Also the "UV Bulb" or "bulbs" needs to be replaced annually for maximum efficiency, yet another continued expense.
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lizzie
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08-11-09 8:55 PM
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There are many wells with issues in Meco and the school is probably no exception. We have a UV system in our house and have for several years, when we decided to have our water tested. There's nothing serious in our water that would have any immediate effect. Possibly over time. I believe there are many residents who have some sort of filter for the same reasons. Pamoja, I understand what you're saying. If some other district takes advantage, it still effects all of us in the end.
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Dirtracefan
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08-11-09 7:45 PM
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Every once in a while we are faced with absolute " know-brainers" this is one of them. What is more important then safe drinking water for our children. This project is 98% reimbursed by state funds, if we don't use this money some other school district will. This is a win-win situation for all involved.
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bgaletta1
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08-11-09 4:02 PM
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Perhaps they should spend some time trying to find a way to raise morale in the district instead of spending even more money. What a joke.
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DakotaRick
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08-11-09 3:31 PM
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Just becuase well water is clean and bacteria free today does not guarantee that it will be free of bacteria tommorow. A UV system can clean 99.99% of all bacteria from water. This is a great safety measure for your children and I commend the school district for being proactive and forward thinking.
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IKnooow
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08-11-09 1:24 PM
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I question spending money for something they don't need. If the water quality is high, why filte rit. If a mandate comes down from the state, then do the capital project and spend the money. Why would it be any more expensive then? Money reimbursed to the schools for projects like these does come from taxes, but, if your local school doesn't do any projects and gets no reimbursements, it doesn't mean you save anything. That's just budgeted money that will be used somewhere else. If GESD can get a $70k project done at 98% reimbursement, that is a very good thing, no matter how you look at it.
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Discobulous
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08-11-09 11:33 AM
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At our old country school, the biggest kid went across the road and down a path to a springhouse once a day with a bucket and nobody died from drinking the water. Wonder where the 'state' was then. I know where it could go now.
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PAMOJA
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08-11-09 10:56 AM
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Even though the UV filtration system is "reimbursable" by the State, in the end it is still taxpayer dollars and in the end effects ALL OF US....when will everyone start to realize this.
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