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Museum exhibit failures prompt warranty dispute with vendor; board to await repair estimates before pursuing claim
Summary
Board discussed repeated failures of the museum exhibit 'Catch the Pass,' a denied warranty claim to the original vendor, and pending cost estimates from local contractors before next steps.
Board members discussed persistent failures in the interactive museum exhibit "Catch the Pass" and a warranty dispute with the original exhibit installer, Ravenswood. A museum staff member described repeated reboot attempts and intermittent functionality over several weeks: "I probably rebooted it a dozen times, shutting off the power inside the exhibit... then it would work maybe a time, maybe twice when someone played it and then they would go out again." The exhibit uses FitLite sensors that appear not to be linking reliably to the exhibit computer.
Museum staff said they filed a warranty claim with the installer about six months ago and that Ravenswood denied the claim; the vendor’s most recent proposal reportedly would require the museum to pay for repairs. "We filed a warranty claim with them 6 months ago, and they denied our warranty claim," a museum staff member said.
The nut graf: the board agreed to wait for written cost estimates from local audiovisual and exhibit contractors before deciding whether to press the warranty claim further or to authorize repairs from available capital funds. The museum staff indicated the list of defective items has been largely static but that a few graphic panels show small bubbles that may worsen if not addressed.
Additional details: board staff noted prior contractors on the project included an Indianapolis-based electronics firm (referred to in meeting notes as Boeing Technology) that handled cabling and some electronics; the FitLite sensors and the exhibit cabinet were described as Ravenswood work. Board members discussed seeking new localized bids rather than re-hiring the original contractor. One board member suggested contacting a local software specialist for a diagnostic look at the sensors.
Financial context: the board has budgeted capital funds for building repairs and will supply updated quotes at the next meeting; the museum staff asked for guidance before escalating a demand to the original vendor. The board requested that staff return with firm cost estimates and a suggested approach to reclamation of costs from the installer before any formal demand letter or executive session.
