Commission seeks four quotes for community center furnace; funding options debated

The Brentwood Recreation Commission is pursuing four bids to replace an aging furnace system at the community center and has begun discussions about where to find money for the work.
Andy, the recreation director, told the commission he has scheduled site walks and that two vendors — Heat Pro and Diamond Mechanical — are preparing estimates; the town’s plumber, David Fields, has also provided an earlier quote and the commission will give him an opportunity to revise it after seeing other bids. The commission expects to collect a fourth quote before recommending a contractor to the select board for approval.
Commissioners described the existing system as roughly 25 years old and said some earlier work extended its life; Andy said he was surprised by a prior quote that listed roughly $50,000–$60,000 for replacement. The commission asked that vendors provide itemized line‑item quotes so comparisons can be made between systems and labor. Mark Kennedy, a community member who joined multiple site walks, was asked to advise on technical matters.
On funding, the recreation director said impact fees are not an eligible source for replacement equipment because impact fees must be tied to growth; he recommended requesting capital reserve funds from the select board because the building is a public facility. Commissioners also discussed using the recreation revolving account if capital reserves are denied, but several speakers said they preferred the town cover building replacements. No formal appropriation was made at the meeting; the commission will present a ranked recommendation and the assembled quotes to the select board and seek approval for the funding source.
Commissioners asked staff to request itemized quotes, confirm which systems would serve only the downstairs space, and return with the full set of estimates for decision and potential select board appeal.