Board approves cooling-tower and rooftop-unit repairs funded from permanent-improvement fund

The Marysville Board of Education approved two facilities resolutions: a repair of a leaking component on a cooling tower at Mill Valley Elementary and purchase/replacement of rooftop heating/cooling units at Early College High School. Both measures were presented as necessary building repairs and were funded from the district’s permanent improvement (PI) fund. A facilities representative told the board the cooling tower is "dying a slow death" and that the current request would replace the leaking part rather than the entire unit; the work will use the cooperative purchasing group (COG) process to secure competitive pricing. The board was told that the cooling-tower repair will come from the PI fund and not operating funds. The motion to approve the resolution for Mill Valley Elementary passed by recorded vote. Separately the board approved replacement of rooftop units at Early College High School, described as both heating and cooling equipment, and noted that some units were not functioning. That resolution also used the COG procurement process and will be paid from the PI fund. The motions to approve both items were moved, seconded and carried by the board. Board members and staff discussed timing relative to falling temperatures and noted that while cooling needs were declining in the next week, the district still needed reliable HVAC systems for occupant comfort and safety. What happens next: Facilities staff will proceed with COG procurement and contracted work; work will be charged to the permanent improvement fund as authorized by the board.