Town hopes for better bids on Mansfield Middle School gasline project

“We are hoping people will sharpen their pens a little bit.” – Finance Director Jeff Smith

A new request for bids was set to go out this week for a project that will bring a natural gas pipeline to the Mansfield Middle School, along with other upgrades aimed at making the school more fuel efficient.

A walk-through of the school for prospective bidders on what’s known as the fuel conversion project at Mansfield Middle School is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20, according to Finance Director Jeff Smith.

The sealed bids will then be opened and read at 2 p.m. on Feb 5.

“We are hoping people will sharpen their pens a little bit,” Smith said, adding that the first batch of bids submitted in October 2008 were well over the grant funding available for the project.

This time around, the request for bids also includes a menu of project components – or alternatives – which should give bidders more options, Smith said.

The request for bids states, “[The] project converts [an] electrically-heated school to natural gas heating and includes but is not limited to site work, construction of detached boiler building, masonry, drywall and ceiling work, new gas service, gas-fired boilers, co-generation unit, hot water heating distribution piping, heating terminal units and radiation, rooftop-dedicated outside air units, ducted air distribution, HVAC controls, electrical power distribution and lighting. “

Interested bidders who want to take part in the Jan. 20 walk-through must sign-up by calling the Finance Department at 429-3387 by Monday, Jan. 19, 2009, before 4:30 p.m.

Plans and specifications for the project will be available after 2 p.m. on Jan.15 in the Finance Office, as well as at the walk-through. A $50 non-refundable fee is required.

The choice of natural gas follows a study conducted in 2007 – which was a re-do of a study originally conducted in 2004, because of changes in the cost of fuel and other unforeseeable dips in the economy.

The 2007 study concluded that natural gas not only was the better option, offering “considerable energy savings,” lower operating costs, and less of an impact on the environment – or “carbon footprint.” measured by pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

Currently, most of the floor area of the Middle School is heated electrically.

Note: For a copy of the 2007 Fuel Conversion Study in PDF format, click on the attachment at the end of this story.

For More Information

http://mansfield.htnp.com/news/011009_natural_gas_mansfield_middle_school.html

Go, Huskies: UConn 85, West Virginia 55

UConn returns to the Storrs campus for the first time in more than a month, when it plays host to BIG EAST opponent DePaul on Tuesday, Jan. 13 in a 7:30 p.m. game.

The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team advances to a perfect 15-0 overall and 2-0 in the BIG EAST this season, and the Huskies extend their regular-season winning streak to 23 consecutive games after tonight’s [Jan. 10, 2009] win over West Virginia, 85 to 55.

Senior Renee Montgomery scored 17 of her 28 points in the first half to lead the No. 1/1 UConn women’s basketball team in BIG EAST Conference action at the WVU Coliseum.

With this victory, UConn improves to 20-1 all-time against the Mountaineers (10-5, 0-3). The Huskies have won the last 20 meetings between the two programs.

UConn began tonight’s game controlling the tempo early, while dominating on both ends of the court to take a quick 23-5 lead just six minutes in, when as Montgomery hit her second three pointer of the half to give the Huskies the 18-point lead.

She led all scorers at the break with 17 points, shooting 6-for-9 from the floor, while adding three assists and two steals.

The Huskies controlled play in the paint throughout the game, out-rebounding West Virginia 43-31, including a 21-11 advantage in the first half.

In the first frame, the Huskies also picked up 26 points in paint; the Mountaineers scored just eight. West Virginia turned the ball over nine times. The Huskies were able to score 17 points off those mistakes in the first 20 minutes of play.

Despite heading into the locker room at the break down by 17 at 47-30, West Virginia stayed in the game in the first half by making 5-of-8 from behind the arc for 62.5% and cut the Huskies’ once 17-point lead to nine (29-20) with 7:16 on the clock.

But the Huskies bounced back with a 14-3 run to extend their lead into the second frame.

The Huskies used the second half of the contest to expand their lead to 31, their largest point advantage of the night.

They hit that mark on a Tiffany Hayes free throw with 3:52 left in the game.

UConn outscored West Virginia 38-25 in the second half to take away the convincing BIG EAST victory.

They shot 47.8% (11-for-23) from the field, including 72.2% (13-for-18) from the free throw line in the half.

West Virginia shot 30.3% (10-for-33) from the floor in the half, while getting just six attempts from the charity stripe in the second half.

Maya Moore finished the game with 16 points – she recorded her 16th straight game in double-figure scoring, the 51st of her career. The sophomore also pulled down 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the year.

Hayes contributed with 10 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Junior Tina Charles and freshman Caroline Doty both added eight points, respectively. Charles recorded nine rebounds.

UConn returns to the Storrs campus for the first time in more than a month, when it plays host to BIG EAST opponent DePaul on Tuesday, Jan. 13 in a 7:30 p.m. game.

Postgame Notes

• UConn starts a season 15-0 for the second consecutive year and seventh time since 1994-95
  
• UConn opens BIG EAST play 2-0 for the 13th consecutive season
  
• UConn has won 117 of its last 125 BIG EAST Conference games in the regular season
  
• UConn improves to 208-11 when playing as the nation’s top ranked team in the Associated Press poll
  
• UConn owns a record of 80-9 in road games dating back to Feb. 1, 2001
  
• UConn extends its winning steak against non-ranked opponents to 101 straight
  
• UConn has won each of its last 51 BIG EAST Conference games in the regular season when playing an opponent other than Rutgers
  
• UConn ran out to a 23-5 lead in the opening six minutes
  
• UConn has led at the half in each of its 15 games this season
  
• Maya Moore’s 16 points marked her 16th consecutive game with double-figure points and her 51st in 53 career games
  
• Maya Moore’s 16 points and 10 rebounds marked her team-leading sixth double-double this season and the 17th of her career
  
• Renee Montgomery joins Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph as the only players in UConn history to rank among the program’s top-10 in scoring, steals and assists
  
• Renee Montgomery’s 28 points moved her past Swin Cash into 10th place on the UConn career scoring list with her current total of 1,603
  
• Renee Montgomery has scored 20 or more points in three of her last four games overall
  
• Renee Montgomery’s 28 points marked her career-best scoring effort against a BIG EAST opponent besting her previous top effort of 27 vs. Cincinnati on Jan. 19, 2008
  
• Tina Charles’ eight points moved her past Kris Lamb into 25th place on the UConn career scoring list with her current total of 1,247
  
• Tiffany Hayes’ 10 points marked her fifth game with double-figure points this season

For More Information

http://mansfield.htnp.com/sports/011009_uconn_women_beat_west_virginia.html

Go, Huskies: UConn 85, West Virginia 55

The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team advances to a perfect 15-0 overall and 2-0 in the BIG EAST this season, and the Huskies extend their regular-season winning streak to 23 consecutive games after tonight’s [Jan. 10, 2009] win over West Virginia, 85 to 55.

Senior Renee Montgomery scored 17 of her 28 points in the first half to lead the No. 1/1 UConn women’s basketball team in BIG EAST Conference action at the WVU Coliseum.

With this victory, UConn improves to 20-1 all-time against the Mountaineers (10-5, 0-3). The Huskies have won the last 20 meetings between the two programs.

UConn began tonight’s game controlling the tempo early, while dominating on both ends of the court to take a quick 23-5 lead just six minutes in, when as Montgomery hit her second three pointer of the half to give the Huskies the 18-point lead.

She led all scorers at the break with 17 points, shooting 6-for-9 from the floor, while adding three assists and two steals.

The Huskies controlled play in the paint throughout the game, out-rebounding West Virginia 43-31, including a 21-11 advantage in the first half.

In the first frame, the Huskies also picked up 26 points in paint; the Mountaineers scored just eight. West Virginia turned the ball over nine times. The Huskies were able to score 17 points off those mistakes in the first 20 minutes of play.

Despite heading into the locker room at the break down by 17 at 47-30, West Virginia stayed in the game in the first half by making 5-of-8 from behind the arc for 62.5% and cut the Huskies’ once 17-point lead to nine (29-20) with 7:16 on the clock.

But the Huskies bounced back with a 14-3 run to extend their lead into the second frame.

The Huskies used the second half of the contest to expand their lead to 31, their largest point advantage of the night.

They hit that mark on a Tiffany Hayes free throw with 3:52 left in the game.

UConn outscored West Virginia 38-25 in the second half to take away the convincing BIG EAST victory.

They shot 47.8% (11-for-23) from the field, including 72.2% (13-for-18) from the free throw line in the half.

West Virginia shot 30.3% (10-for-33) from the floor in the half, while getting just six attempts from the charity stripe in the second half.

Maya Moore finished the game with 16 points – she recorded her 16th straight game in double-figure scoring, the 51st of her career. The sophomore also pulled down 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the year.

Hayes contributed with 10 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Junior Tina Charles and freshman Caroline Doty both added eight points, respectively. Charles recorded nine rebounds.

UConn returns to the Storrs campus for the first time in more than a month, when it plays host to BIG EAST opponent DePaul on Tuesday, Jan. 13 in a 7:30 p.m. game.

Postgame Notes

• UConn starts a season 15-0 for the second consecutive year and seventh time since 1994-95
  
• UConn opens BIG EAST play 2-0 for the 13th consecutive season
  
• UConn has won 117 of its last 125 BIG EAST Conference games in the regular season
  
• UConn improves to 208-11 when playing as the nation’s top ranked team in the Associated Press poll
  
• UConn owns a record of 80-9 in road games dating back to Feb. 1, 2001
  
• UConn extends its winning steak against non-ranked opponents to 101 straight
  
• UConn has won each of its last 51 BIG EAST Conference games in the regular season when playing an opponent other than Rutgers
  
• UConn ran out to a 23-5 lead in the opening six minutes
  
• UConn has led at the half in each of its 15 games this season
  
• Maya Moore’s 16 points marked her 16th consecutive game with double-figure points and her 51st in 53 career games
  
• Maya Moore’s 16 points and 10 rebounds marked her team-leading sixth double-double this season and the 17th of her career
  
• Renee Montgomery joins Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph as the only players in UConn history to rank among the program’s top-10 in scoring, steals and assists
  
• Renee Montgomery’s 28 points moved her past Swin Cash into 10th place on the UConn career scoring list with her current total of 1,603
  
• Renee Montgomery has scored 20 or more points in three of her last four games overall
  
• Renee Montgomery’s 28 points marked her career-best scoring effort against a BIG EAST opponent besting her previous top effort of 27 vs. Cincinnati on Jan. 19, 2008
  
• Tina Charles’ eight points moved her past Kris Lamb into 25th place on the UConn career scoring list with her current total of 1,247
  
• Tiffany Hayes’ 10 points marked her fifth game with double-figure points this season

  Posted Jan. 10, 2009