N. Merrick board declares emergency to replace water heater

The North Merrick School District convened a special Board of Education meeting on Sept. 28 to approve the purchase of a new solar-powered hot-water heater for Fayette Elementary School after the old one “broke down completely” on Monday, according to Superintendent David Feller.

The district will use a substitute heater to provide hot water to the school, the superintendent said.

At the Sept. 10 Board of Education meeting, the board passed a resolution to replace Fayette’s water heater, because they knew it was close to breaking down. The heater gave out on Monday, and the building was without hot water through Friday, said Facilities Director Jim Saitta. The district hired a company to install a temporary heater to restore hot water to the building, which should take place on Monday, Saitta said.

The special meeting allowed the board to declare the purchase of the new solar-powered heater as an emergency replacement. In doing so, the district can move more quickly to replace the heater.

The district recently received a $250,000 solar-energy grant, which New York State Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr., a Republican from North Merrick, helped to secure. The majority of the money, Feller said, was used to install solar panels on the roof of Old Mill Road Elementary School.

According to the board, the cost of Fayette’s new water heater cannot exceed $60,000, and, Feller said, it would take a couple of weeks to purchase and install it.