After five weeks without heat or hot water due to a fuel tank issue, utilities were restored to Boothbay Region Elementary (BRES) and High School (BRHS) between Oct. 2 and 6. The Community School District (CSD) school committee wants to know how it got so bad.  

On Sept. 28, BRHS Principal Tricia Campbell, BRES Principal Shawna Kurr, Director of Maintenance and Facilities David Brenner and Director of Special Services Julie Hansbury sent a letter to administration and operational leadership, detailing concerns about the lack of formal information or restoration timeline.  

A facilities audit found multiple violations: Basic school health and sanitation standards were not met because the restrooms lacked hot water, learning spaces couldn’t reliably maintain "the minimum operational temperatures mandated by recommended district policy and state statute" and BRHS' kitchen booster tank also couldn’t maintain the minimum water temperature of 120°F required for commercial kitchen hand washing and sanitizing sinks under Maine Food Code, per the letter. BRES had a functional dishwasher, so food service sanitation was not an issue.   

"I have a lot of questions about how we got to the place that we got to ... How did this get so out of hand that the school was at risk of closure?" said member Tory Paxson at the Oct. 13 committee meeting.  

She felt the school committee wasn’t properly informed of the issue's severity. Additionally, the CSD trustees, although they are a rare community asset, did not give the problem the level of attention their roles require. Member Mike Bartles also highlighted the lack of contingency plans.   

As reported in the Register, unforeseen issues complicated fuel tank installation. At BRHS, removing the old tank revealed significant horizontal cracks in the ledge running beneath the school's foundation. This required moving the tank, causing more work and expense. At BRES, the tank couldn't return to its original place due to the upcoming renovation and changes in elevation, once again necessitating more expense.   

Due to the unexpected costs above the contracted amount, a stop work order was issued by the trustees to Portland Pump. In a post-meeting interview, Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Robert Kahler said he is gathering information to get a clear timeline of events. The date of the stop work order, and whether it was verbal or written, is unclear, he said.   

The issue will be further discussed at the Nov. 12 trustees meeting.