Facilities director seeks single-component replacement to avoid full air-handler overhaul

Marathon County facilities staff asked supervisors to approve expenditure to replace a condenser unit (AHU13) for a county air-handling system, explaining the targeted replacement avoids a full air-handler and associated-equipment overhaul. Supervisor Johnson asked how old the air-handler is and about life-expectancy impacts of replacing a single component. Facilities and Management Director Holman said the condenser is at end-of-life and is a distinct component of the overall chilled-air system; the air handler itself is expected to last longer and is on a 2027 project list. Holman explained manufacturers are changing refrigerants, meaning a one-for-one condenser swap is no longer possible in many cases without replacing associated components, so replacing only the condenser now avoids replacing the entire system and saves about $100,000 in the near term. Why it matters: targeted replacement seeks to minimize immediate capital outlay while preserving longer-term plans to replace the full air-handling system when appropriate. The transcript records staff explanation and questions; a formal vote was not recorded in the provided excerpt.