Alton Central School (ACS): Suddenly, Post Bond Failure, Heating Oil Delivery To School Becomes An Issue. A Coincidence?

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 ..by Anura Guruge

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It appears that the ‘State’ (whatever that implies) has mandated, in the last ‘few’ weeks, that heating oil can no longer be delivered to ACS by a large, commercial fuel truck. Why, because the big truck can’t get close enough to the filler and as such has to use two hoses. So …

The heating oil has to be delivered by smaller trucks, the type used to make residential deliveries. Moreover, a fire truck with personnel needs to be present while the oil is being delivered. [Maybe I didn’t make this clear enough. They are now delivering the heating oil via smaller trucks BUT a fire truck is required to be there. So, it is not one or the other; i.e., smaller trucks or fire truck presence. It is both.]

Seems incongruous, to say the least.  Why this new requirement now? Hasn’t the school been getting heating oil delivered, the same way, for decades? What changed? What happened?

If this is due to one of the many recent inspections, for example the one from DoL that found many violations, I am delighted – BUT, at the same time want to know why it has taken this long to spot this apparent violation.

Not really sure why using two pipes is considered a ‘no-no’. Wouldn’t it have just been simpler to say that oil can only be delivered at weekends with fire department presence. Of course any pipe can leak. If it is about fumes, fumes can escape from both ends of a single pipe. So, not sure why they are obsessing about coupling together two pipes.

Yes, I am trying to get to the bottom of it.

So, how did I find out about this? We went to the ‘art showcase’ at ACS on Wednesday — after school. We got there around 5:30 pm and there was an Alton fire truck and at least 4 ‘uniformed’ personnel. I, giving all the benefit of the doubt, assumed that this was just to add a bit more spice to the showcase, though I know that the kids get plenty of opportunity, at other times, to get to know the Alton Fire Department.

When we got home Deanna saw on the ACS Facebook page that somebody was asking why there had been a fire truck in front of ACS ‘all day’ Tuesday’ and ‘Wednesday’ — possibly wondering if there was a connection with the tragic events in Boston. [My first reaction was, why fire truck rather than police?] The response on Facebook to this inquiry further puzzled me. The person who asked the question was told to contact the SAU Office.

Well, I didn’t want to bother the SAU. Instead I called a friend who has lived in Alton for 70 years and knows everybody who is an anybody in town. He just made one phone call to a buddy and got back to me with what I am telling you above. I still had a few more questions and he is working on getting those answered for me.

This is just a heads up. No big deal. But, I like to keep these things straight.

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Talking about these inspections and violations, I have yet to see any official statement by the school or the School Board.

Somebody has to be held accountable. No, they can’t sweep it under the carpet.

I have the report, which is a public domain document. I can make it available to anybody that is interested.

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