Haywood County greenlights $932,500 HVAC replacement at Waynesville library; project timed with roof work
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Commissioners approved a contract award to Superior Mechanical Services for $932,500 and a $1,000,000 budget amendment using interest earnings to replace the Waynesville library HVAC; facilities director Tim Sisk said the project aims to resolve chronic chiller and control failures and will coordinate installation with a planned roof replacement.
Tim Sisk, Haywood County facilities director, briefed commissioners June 2 on a multi‑component HVAC replacement for the Waynesville (Winslow) Library that the county has pursued for several years. Sisk said repeated chiller, control and air‑handler failures have plagued the building and staff designed the project to improve longevity, energy efficiency and operational control.
Sisk said the county solicited qualifications in July 2024 and selected McGill Associates for engineering. The design calls for properly sized chillers to reduce short cycling, natural‑gas boilers to replace electric strip heat, new air handlers and a new building automation system to provide central control for chillers, boilers and pumps. Sisk described the work as an “all or nothing” package that would not be effective if done piecemeal.
Bids were received and Superior Mechanical Services of Greensboro was the recommended bidder at $932,500. Sisk said the specifications include a 90‑day construction window, but the county cannot finalize schedule until equipment lead times are known; he and staff aim to coordinate installation with an already‑contracted roof replacement to reduce operational disruption. Sisk estimated a fall installation window once equipment is ordered, with work continuing into the fall and a goal of minimizing public interruptions during the library’s summer reading program.
Commissioners asked about expected service interruptions; Sisk and library staff said some services would be altered or temporarily provided offsite or through alternate circulation methods, and that there could be short periods when the building must be closed for safety or logistics. Board members also discussed the need for dehumidification to protect library materials during construction and the longer‑term difficulty of replacing a building entirely given cost.
The board approved the HVAC contract award and a budget amendment of $1,000,000, funded from interest earnings, and authorized the county manager to sign related documents. Daniel Griffey of McGill Associates attended as the engineering representative.
Speakers quoted in the meeting included Tim Sisk and Daniel Griffey; commissioners discussed timing and service impacts.