WETHERSFIELD - The abatement of an abandoned oil tank discovered beneath Wethersfield High School--the site of an ongoing $84 million renovation project--will cost an additional $38,000.

       That’s the agreement that the town has reached with contractors who wanted to double the initial $73,000 price tag of cleaning the tank after the job took an additional 32 days to complete.

       When the work began, contractors expected to be clearing sand material from the tank, according to Wethersfield Engineering and Public Works Director Mike Turner.

       â€�"The material was not sand--more of a silky sludge,” Turner said.

       So a hole had to be cut in the tank so that it could be vacuumed out, he said.

       â€�"The material was so sludgy, that it kept clogging up the pipes,” Turner said. â€�"It was such a slow process, that every night the tank would refill with ground water.”

       Based on the additional volume of material, the town and contractor have agreed that the work should have taken an extra six days, Turner said.

       The change order was approved by the Town Council during a special meeting in which a handful of high school renovation-related purchases were approved.

       The Council gave the go-ahead for the purchase of 30 classroom computers, a $42,869 item. They also approved the purchase of $241,000 worth of video projectors, also for the classrooms.

       The purchase of cafeteria furniture was approved at a $67,983 threshold.

       Councilor Mike Hurley noted that a number of the items had come in under budget and asked if where the project cost as a whole will land will be clear by September.

       â€�"Once the summer’s over, we’ll have a very good idea where we are schedule-wise, and with the cost of the project,” said Town Manager Jeff Bridges. â€�"As of right now, there is no over [budget]. As we progress, who knows? If there is, we’ll have to come back to this body and address it.”