AUGUSTA — City councilors meet Thursday to consider converting Hartford Fire Station and the John Charest Public Works Facility from oil heat to natural gas.

Savings from switching to natural gas, which in recent years has been significantly cheaper than oil, are expected to more than cover the cost of converting.

The proposed conversions, if approved by councilors and done this summer, would leave the Augusta Civic Center as the only major city building yet to be converted to natural gas. And the Civic Center could possibly switch to gas for a heat source this summer, too, according to Ralph St. Pierre, finance director and assistant city manager.

St. Pierre said the cost of the proposed $290,000 lease-purchase deal to convert the fire station on Water Street and public works buildings on North Street to gas could be paid off in about 10 years with the savings generated from the switch in fuels.

He said the boilers at Hartford and three buildings at the public works department that would be replaced are old and would likely need to be replaced soon, anyway.

“It’s an old steam boiler at Hartford, and the ones at public works are very old,” St. Pierre said of the heating systems. “They are close to the end of their useful life anyway. So you convert them and get a new boiler out of the deal.”

A financial analysis put together by St. Pierre projects yearly savings of just under $24,000.

The police station and airport, which are heated by propane, will also be switched to gas over the summer, St. Pierre said.

And the school department is also converting the city’s four elementary schools to natural gas, aiming for conversion in time for the start of the school year.

Councilors are scheduled to consider authorizing City Manager William Bridge to sign a contract with New England Energy Solution for the public works and fire station conversions at the meeting Thursday, which begins at 7 p.m. in council chambers at Augusta City Center.

Councilors are also scheduled to:

• hold a public hearing and consider granting a liquor license to Tina Charest of Charlamagne’s;

• consider authorizing Bridgeo to allow Maine Natural Gas contractors to install a gas line across Western Avenue near Meadow Road, on or around June 22, at night;

• consider rezoning to allow a Sewall Street building near the state office complex to be used as an office;

• meet privately to discuss labor negotiations and pending litigation.

Keith Edwards – 621-5647

[email protected]

Twitter: @kedwardskj