“It’s been dying a slow and deliberate death for many years, but it is dead,” Town Administrator Paul Dawson said. “It can’t be repaired.”

This is what Dawson had to say about the boiler that heats the Marion Town House. It was a cool 51 degrees inside at Tuesday night’s meeting, and Facilities Manager Shaun Cormier sought approval to purchase a new one.

Employees had to be sent home due to the cold temperatures inside, and Cormier had arranged for someone to put in temporary heating while the meeting went on that night.

“You can hear them working as we speak,” Dawson said.

The boiler had been struggling to keep up with the cold winters for years, Cormier said.

“In the four years I’ve been here, we’ve been dumping money into this old boiler and it finally kicked the bucket,” he said.

The selectmen approved to pay the more than $1,000 a week for temporary heating until a new boiler can be installed. The new boiler will cost about $74,000, including parts, installation and prevailing wage.

The money will come from the facilities budget, which will then hopefully be replaced at Town Meeting in May, Dawson said.

“We will replenish the facilities budget at Town Meeting, but the boiler is beyond repair,” he said. “We need to get this ball rolling.”

Part of the rush is to prevent damage to the building and pipes, especially as below-freezing temperatures continue to push through town.