Mount Holly Newsflash 1/6/2024

 

Mount Holly Newsflash

Today's Forecast: Cloudy, with a high near 23. East wind 2 to 10 mph.

346 AM EST Sat Jan 6 2024

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 12

inches. Winds may gust to 30 mph at times resulting in some

blowing and drifting snow.

* WHERE...Essex County in northern New York and central and southern Vermont. Western Essex-Eastern Essex-Orange-Western Rutland-Eastern Addison-Eastern Rutland-Western Windsor-Eastern Windsor-Including the cities of Lake Placid, Newcomb, Port Henry,

Ticonderoga, Bradford, Randolph, Fair Haven, Rutland, Bristol,

Ripton, East Wallingford, Killington, Bethel, Ludlow,

Springfield, and White River Junction

* WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 7 PM EST Sunday.

* IMPACTS...Travel will be very difficult with periods of very low

visibility and potential for drifting snow.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snowfall rates will range between one and

two inches per hour, potentially exceeding two inches per hour

in heavier bands Sunday morning.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in

your vehicle in case of an emergency.

Please allow extra time if travel is necessary.

Archived Newsflash emails can be read at: https://mthollynewsflash.blogspot.com

Public Forum Monday, Jan 8

Ludlow and Mount Holly School Upgrades

The Mount Holly and Ludlow schools are showing their age. The oil boilers are 50 years old, in need of constant repairs and terribly inefficient. Most of the classrooms have no ventilation. The Ludlow roof is leaking and has little insulation, with an R-value of 2.5 compared with code of R-40. Windows are drafty. The old fluorescent lamps provide inconsistent light that cannot be adjusted for different tasks. When visitors ring the bell for admittance, nobody from the office can see who they are. When the Mount Holly School was built, we had no kindergarten or pre-k and very limited special education. Now the school is crowded, with the nurse's office in a closet, occupational and physical therapy in the cafeteria and music instruction in the gym.

The school committee recognized these problems and asked an energy efficiency engineering firm to propose upgrades to bring the schools what is needed for the 21st century. The firm worked with school staff, engaging in a yearlong facilities planning process that included energy audits, code review, program analysis and facilities assessments at each school to develop an encompassing plan that will improve learning environments and provide better occupant comfort, while saving the district utility costs and reducing CO2 emissions. They drafted a proposal that includes:

  • Replacing the oil boilers at both schools with efficient wood pellet boilers with LP backup,
  • Adding ventilation systems with electronic controls,
  • Replacing the Ludlow roof and increasing the insulation from R-2.5 to R-40,
  • Building a 2000 square foot addition behind the Mount Holly School (see drawing),
  • Rebuilding the schools' entrances and vestibules to make them secure and visible from the office,
  • Replacing doors and windows to improve efficiency and security,
  • Replacing old fluorescent fixtures with LED's
  • Upgrading interior finish,
  • Upgrading fire alarms and
  • Other improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other code issues.

Artist Rendition of proposed addition behind the Mount Holly School

On Monday, January 8th at 6:00 p.m. there will be a public forum in the Mount Holly School gym where the firm will present their proposal and members of the public can offer their suggestions to help the school committee decide what to present to voters in March.
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