Fire station heat pump options stay undecided

Sustainability Committee Presentation · Meeting of September 9, 2026

Boxborough's Sustainability Committee reviewed fire station heating options and pay-as-you-throw trash fee modeling but took no votes on either issue. Select Board liaison Priya Sundaram presented a cost comparison showing a geothermal HVAC system for the new fire station would cost about $400,000 more upfront than an air-source heat pump, but save roughly $150,000 over 30 years, with total investment pegged at $1.9 million versus $2.3 million. Committee member Barbara Salzman said "it's no question" she supports geothermal, while Jay Krishasamy questioned whether the analysis accounted for power outages.

Separately, staff presented transfer station modeling showing a pay-as-you-throw program at $3.50 per bag could swing the enterprise fund from a projected $80,000 annual deficit to an $83,000 surplus. Member Suresh Jasrasaria proposed giving residents free starter bags "to make this program more palatable." The committee approved June and July minutes unanimously but deferred decisions on both the fire station system and the trash fee program to its October 14 meeting.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,360 words

Source: the Sustainability Committee Presentation meeting of September 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.