Board adds McBrayer HVAC upgrades to facility plan to enable design work

The Brown County Board of Education voted Sept. 16 to request a finding that adds HVAC upgrades and replacement for McBrayer Elementary to the district facility plan, a procedural step needed before the state will accept a BG‑1 funding/design submittal. The motion was made by Brad and seconded by Gabe; it passed unanimously.

Glenn, a district staff member overseeing facilities, told the board the school has persistent HVAC failures and needs a major overhaul. Because McBrayer was not listed for HVAC work in the previous facility plan (it had not reached the 20‑year threshold when the plan was last drafted), the district cannot submit a BG‑1 to start design until the facility plan is amended. "In order for us just to start the design process and get this rolling, if you pass this tonight, I would reconvene for 1 meeting the facility planning group ... We would add that small finding, send that off to the state," Glenn said.

Glenn also said McBrayer has an existing geothermal well field that staff hope can be reused; the planned work is primarily controls, motors and compressors rather than replacement of the well field. Board members discussed whether the roof repairs (which can be placed on the plan after 15 years) could be combined with HVAC work; Glenn said the district can consider combining projects if appropriate and if funding is available.

The change allows staff to proceed with the preliminary design so the district could potentially bid construction next summer if funding is secured. The board will reconvene the facility planning committee to add the finding and then return the amended plan to the board and submit it to the state as required.