Tom Rumsey, vice president of CPV, has said the Oxford plant will be a cleaner running, more efficient power plant, fueled by natural gas with an oil backup.
“Once this plant is up and running, they’ll be shocked at how quiet it is and over the benefit to the area,” he said. “People are concerned about emissions. The U.S. is the only place that reduced emissions year-over-year in the world. That’s why we focus on natural gas plants like this in New England.”
Bloomfield Council Weighs Restoring Spending On Building Project
The town council will hold a special meeting Monday to discuss restoring spending on the proposed $22.3 million human services building project.
The council suspended spending at its last full meeting, citing concerns about whether the project could be done within the budget that voters approved at referendum last November.
Current estimates show that the project is about $3 million over budget, but that could change once bids are received.
“We wanted spending stopped until we see where it’s going,” council member Kevin Gough said Thursday.The halt in spending caused a delay in the finishing of the construction drawings, which need to be completed before the project can go to bid.
The council earlier this week toured the 60-year-old, 92,000-square-foot former school building, which is in need of a sprinkler system, new roof, heating and cooling system, among other things.
On Tuesday the council’s finance committee voted unanimously to recommend that the council allow spending about $300,000 in order to finish the construction drawings on the proposed new 52,000-square-foot building. It also voted to recommend that the council authorize town staff to hire someone to provide an estimate on renovating the current building to new condition.
Gough, chairman of the finance committee, said Thursday that he expected to have the cost of the bids and the cost of renovation by March and that the council would then have a decision to make on whether to renovate the larger space or build the new building.
Either way, Gough said, he expected that the town would end up holding another referendum that more accurately depicts the true cost of the project.
“I think it’s fair to say this project was pushed through without adequate funding,” Gough said. “Other options should have been explored.”For some on the council though, the option of renovating the building is not a realistic one.
Council member Kenneth McClary, an advocate for the new facility, which will house the senior center and youth and leisure services, said he respected Gough’s desire to take a closer look at the cost of the project. But he was not on board with a renovation. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE