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Committee approves immediate repairs at UW–Richland buildings, estimates exceed $23,000
Summary
The committee authorized immediate repairs to heating and circulation systems at the Coppertop Theatre building and the gymnasium and approved staff to proceed; the projects will be coordinated with the campus foundation and finance staff.
Richland County’s Extension Committee approved immediate repairs to heating and ventilation systems at multiple UW–Richland campus buildings after receiving an engineering estimate that identified several near‑term failures.
Committee staff presented vendor estimates showing required repairs at the Coppertop Theatre and the gymnasium. The list included a boiler pump assembly for the Coppertop building (estimate $11,350), an air‑circulation fan repair in the gymnasium (estimate $5,888), and a leaking gym boiler pump (estimate $5,850.39). Staff calculated combined minimum repair costs of a little over $23,000; concrete or related work could raise the total if additional damage is discovered during repair.
After discussion about the county’s capital and repair budget and a pledge of support from the UW‑Richland Campus Foundation, the committee voted to proceed with the immediate repairs and authorized staff to contract for the work. Committee members said they would coordinate invoices with the campus foundation, which has pledged up to $100,000 toward campus capital projects, and forward any required budget or purchase approvals to county finance personnel as needed.
Committee members asked staff to prioritize work that would allow facilities to be heated before cold weather and to replace or cap damaged fixtures that pose short‑term operational problems. Staff noted specific options for a broken women’s locker‑room shower: a temporary cap to restore consistent building operation at low cost, or installing a new shutoff valve to permit full repair and finish work (estimated additional plumbing and tile repair costs).
The committee approved the motion to authorize repairs and instructed staff to coordinate payment and accounting with the campus foundation and the county finance office. Committee members emphasized the time sensitivity: without repairs, heating systems could fail when temperatures drop, risking more extensive damage and higher future costs.
Clarifying details provided in the building report: - Coppertop boiler pump assembly repair estimate: $11,350 (may increase if concrete work required). - Gym air‑circulation fan repair estimate: $5,888. - Gym boiler pump repair estimate: $5,850.39.
The committee directed staff to report back with invoices and any foundation commitments before invoices are closed out in county accounting.
The committee’s action will allow campus programming that depends on those spaces — theatrical rehearsals, classes scheduled in the gymnasium and public events — to continue with heat and circulation restored.
