ORANGE TOWNSHIP — The Mapleton School Board held an emergency meeting Friday morning to authorize the purchase of a new roughly $74,000 generator for the middle school and high school.
The purchase comes after the previous generator, which was almost 20 years old, broke down roughly a month ago. Maintenance personnel could not find the necessary replacement parts.
The $74,088 purchase will be made using permanent improvement funds.
Superintendent Scott Smith said the old generator’s breakdown was not related to the Aug. 29 incident that led to the emergency evacuation and hospitalization of 43 high school and middle school students. The cause of the incident remains a mystery.
Smith said the board held the emergency meeting because it will be 20 weeks before BCU Electric can deliver the new generator.
“So, if we waited until the next regular board meeting, we’re losing almost two weeks,” Smith said.
Now that the board has authorized the purchase, Smith can submit a purchase order to get the process started.
The generator provides backup power for emergency lighting, coolers and fire suppression systems.
“We’re looking at getting a temporary generator for that system just as a backup until we get the new one in place,” Smith said.
Renting a temporary generator will be a separate cost. Smith said he is working on evaluating the options and prices.
The superintendent said school hours will not be disrupted when the time comes to install the new generator.