Courthouse HVAC failures prompt temporary cooling measures as repairs continue

Colfax County officials reported ongoing HVAC failures at the county judicial center and said technicians are continuing efforts to restore reliable cooling.

County staff told commissioners that technicians got the system running briefly after replacement parts were installed but that the system later failed and would not restart. "They bypassed the exhaust side VFD... the air conditioner was running through the weekend. It went down on Sunday afternoon... it wouldn't reengage," a county official said.

Staff said they spent hours on the phone with the vendor and filed an additional help ticket; two technicians were scheduled to be on site the next day to trace bypasses and legacy modifications that have accumulated over 15 years of repairs.

While repairs continue, the county said it obtained rolling evaporative coolers and deployed fans with help from local school staff and others to keep the courtroom environment tolerable. The county also reported a separate equipment issue in the jail — a hood vent repair — and a hot‑water heater leak that had been addressed.

County staff said they have contacted state facilities and submitted an insurance equipment‑breakdown claim for damage related to HVAC equipment; staff noted the county's deductible applies.

Commissioners were advised the county was continuing to operate the court calendar, including a jury trial, with temporary cooling measures in place.

The county did not provide a timetable for full restoration but said additional vendor diagnostics and parts are expected in the near term.