County officials flag additional HVAC sensor change orders at jail; contingency may be needed

County staff told the Board of County Commissioners at a July budget hearing that ongoing roofing and HVAC work at the county jail has produced additional change orders to add sensors and ductwork and that more change orders are possible. The discussion matters because the work is part of a larger capital project that county staff said should have closed in June; additional change orders would increase project costs and could push funding into the next fiscal year. Staff described two technical issues: sensors that the HVAC contractor says must be installed in each housing pod and wired back to the thermostats so the system can properly balance air between occupied and unoccupied pods, and a recent architect change-order submission for about $14,000 that staff said they had asked the architect to explain. County staff said the building’s replacement units included factory-installed sensors but that readings have been unreliable because some sensors are located on the roof or in places the controllers cannot read correctly, so contractors are proposing supplemental sensors inside the pods. “Those sensors that are in the units were part of the original units of the wing,” a county staff member said during the hearing. Staff said the cycling on and off of units is not ideal for energy use or equipment longevity and that the county will try to resolve the issue this year; if not, the work would be funded from next year’s contingency. In the hearing county staff estimated roughly a single forthcoming contingency quote at about $90,000, and they said additional small change orders are possible. County staff said the HVAC contractor and mechanical engineer had been involved but that the architect has been slow to respond recently. A county official referenced coordination with Johnson Controls during the discussion but said the proposed sensor work is distinct from earlier change orders. Staff did not present a formal vote on the matter; they said they expect to ask the board for contingency funding if the work is not resolved by the end of the fiscal year and will bring specific change orders and justifications back to the board if required. County officials said they will continue to seek clarified pricing and documentation from the architect and contractors and will update the board if a formal contingency request is necessary.