Stimulus-funded boiler conversion at Lynn’s Brickett School lauded

LYNN – Federal stimulus money has repaired bridges, renovated libraries, rehabilitated dams and restored historic buildings and landmarks. Now it will keep students in seven city schools warm this winter.U.S. Rep. John Tierney stopped by the Brickett School Wednesday to catch a peek at its boilers, which have been converted from using old-fashioned oil-fired burners to updated installations fueled by cleaner-burning natural gas.Tierney, who toured the basement boiler room with Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, School Superintendent Catherine Latham, School Committee member John Ford, city Inspectional Services Director Michael Donovan and the school’s new principal, Eileen Cole, was happy to see stimulus dollars being put to such good use.”Now you just need to train a couple of kids to come down and keep it maintained,” laughed Tierney.After Congress passed the Recovery and Reinvestment Act last year, Tierney started hounding all the cities and towns in the district to take advantage of the chance to make their schools and public buildings more energy efficient. He gave city and school leaders high marks for opting for the oil-to-gas conversions, an investment that will save about $50,000 a year.Latham might have been the first to laud the project as a winner on multiple fronts because of the benefits to the schools, the city, the environment and the workers who did the job. She was definitely the first to call the Lewis Street school’s burners “lovely.””I know, I am married to a plumber,” she said smiling.Kennedy was also all smiles over the money the conversion would save the city. Not only will the natural gas burners save $50,000 by switching fuel types, all the boilers are equipped with new energy-management systems to better control the use of fuel.Brian Cranney, owner of Danvers-based Cranney Companies, the plumbing, heating and electrical service company that did the installation, also took the Brickett tour. Cranney shared what it meant to him and his crew to get the job, particularly after the economy skidded off the tracks.”We were able to keep people employed and keep them at work on a great project,” said Cranney.”They’re your neighbors,” said Tierney. “The private sector is coming back, but it has been these public jobs that have carried us through difficult times.”The timing for the Brickett conversion is perfect since the school turns 100 this year. Although there are no definite celebration plans yet, Ruggiero thinks there will probably be an extended tribute to the school and its graduates.Now that Brickett has gone green, there’s one more reason to celebrate.