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District reports $44,000 in recent heating and rooftop repairs; committee asks about service contracts and contingency planning
Summary
Two recent equipment failures — boiler control/valve work and a rooftop compressor replacement — cost the district about $44,000 and prompted committee discussion about spare parts, service contracts and business continuity planning for heating failures.
The Tiverton School Committee heard on Jan. 14 that recent heating and HVAC work at two schools cost roughly $44,000 and highlighted the need for contingency planning.
A staff member reported that Fort Barton required repairs estimated at about $22,000 after two vendors visited the site; Trane quoted approximately $2,000 for its portion and another contractor (ICM Mechanical and subcontractors) quoted about $20,000. At Tiverton High School, technicians replaced a failed boiler control module and valve for about $9,000 and replaced a rooftop compressor for an office mini-split at a quoted cost of $13,000. The combined and recent billings produced a roughly $44,000 total against an original HVAC budget of $5,000, the presenter said.
Why it matters: The committee said the cost was not surprising given the age of building systems and that warranties had expired on some components installed during a 2018 project. Members asked staff to consider a formal service contract and a business-continuity plan so the district can respond quickly to failures without disrupting students.
Committee discussion: One committee member said they wanted a business-continuity plan in the event of building failures that could require student relocation or temporary closures. Staff said they maintain some spare parts and will present ideas for a service contract and contingency steps in a later agenda item. The director of maintenance was referenced as having sought vendor quotes and background information.
Next steps: Staff will bring additional information on potential service contracts, spare-parts inventory and contingency procedures to a future meeting so the committee can weigh ongoing maintenance-contract costs against emergency repair spending.
