Cole County commissioners schedule review after automation failure exposes aging jail rooftop HVAC units

Cole County commissioners discussed replacing nine rooftop HVAC units at the Cole County Sheriff’s Department jail during their Oct. 21, 2025, meeting after a control-board failure shut down one unit and required an emergency temporary repair.

The discussion centered on whether to replace all units at once or stage work in phases, how to modernize controls, and how to limit future energy use and mechanical strain. Commissioners directed staff to meet with Wayne, who performed an earlier HVAC study for the facility, the county’s maintenance director Greg and county staff to review blueprints and return with recommendations and bid options.

Why it matters: The jail’s HVAC automation and some rooftop units are at “end of life,” staff said, and system failures can affect building operations and long-term maintenance costs. Commissioners flagged crane and roofing costs, options to add modulating units and CO2 monitoring on return ducts to reduce unnecessary outside-air intake, and the lack of built-in redundancy in the original design.

Details of the discussion: County staff said the control board that automates the rooftop units failed on a recent Friday; a contractor reprogrammed wiring to restore operation temporarily. The maintenance director said the rooftop units date to about 2007 and that nine discrete rooftop units serve different parts of the facility. Because many units run 24/7, staff warned they tend to fail around the same time.

Options under consideration include: 1) soliciting bids to replace all nine units at once; 2) soliciting bids to replace them in three phases of three units each; or 3) buying all units up front and staging installation. Staff asked the consultant Wayne to advise which units should be prioritized in a multi-phase plan so the county can sequence replacement efficiently and salvage parts from retired units for repairs.

Commissioners also discussed technical tradeoffs: switching some constant high-CFM rooftop units to modulating units with demand ventilation (CO2 or CO sensors) to reduce energy use; the additional cost of making the front-end automation compatible with future rooftop units so replacements are ‘‘plug-and-play’’; and the logistical cost of cranes and roofing protection during lifts. Staff said they had not found an applicable state contract for full replacement rooftop units and would check again.

Next steps: Commissioners directed staff to schedule a technical meeting including Greg (maintenance director), Wayne (HVAC consultant who prepared the earlier study), and county staff to review blueprints and the consultant’s recommendations. The group will then present a recommended procurement approach (all nine vs. phased replacement), estimated costs, and funding options at a future public meeting.

The discussion did not produce a formal procurement vote or appropriation; commissioners instead agreed to convene the technical review and return with a proposed schedule and funding plan.