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Board hears calls to bundle mini‑split replacements; staff to plan broader procurement
Summary
Supervisors discussed multiple failing mini‑split units across county buildings and urged staff to inventory anticipated replacements and issue a single, larger bid rather than piecemeal repairs.
Board members and staff discussed repeated failures in mini‑split heating and cooling units across multiple county buildings and recommended a coordinated procurement plan.
Supervisors said many of the county’s mini‑split units have failed within a narrow time frame and that patching units one‑by‑one increases cost and complexity. Several board members urged staff to inventory all units likely to need replacement in the next 12–24 months and then put the work out to competitive bid as a bundled project. Staff confirmed that past small purchases repeatedly returned the same vendor (Smith Heating and Air) and sometimes fell below small‑purchase thresholds, but noted procurement rules and time sensitivity for some replacements.
Staff said a larger bundled bid might take several weeks to advertise and close and that some urgent repairs may still require emergency purchases. The Board asked staff to report back with a count of units likely to need replacement, a proposed bidding schedule and a suggested budget impact analysis. The Board also discussed longer‑term HVAC decisions — including the possibility of changing to heat pump systems for certain facilities — and asked staff to factor life‑cycle costs into the analysis.
Ending: Staff will assemble an inventory of mini‑splits, identify urgent replacements and present a proposed bundled procurement plan and schedule for Board approval.
