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Limestone County approves replacement of aging HVAC at airport FBO
Summary
Commissioners approved replacing a 15-year-old HVAC system at the county's fixed-base operator building, accepting a low bid and using available county funds; discussion noted a pending freon phase-out and uncertainty about long-term maintenance needs.
Limestone County Commission on an agenda item approved replacing the 15-year-old heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system at the county airport's fixed-base operator (FBO) building, after commissioners and staff said the unit had a leaking evaporator coil and a failed compressor.
County staff told commissioners the existing unit is 15 years old and leaking and that “the compressor is turned up,” leaving the county with limited repair options. The county compared quotes and discussed differences in equipment — including older systems using soon-to-be-phased-out refrigerant — before moving forward with the lowest-priced bidder identified in county documents.
County staff said one bid, from a provider identified in the meeting transcript as Serna, appeared significantly lower than others. A commissioner said, “It's my personal opinion that they did it so low to try to get their foot in the door and try to get 1 of our business.” Staff confirmed the low bid included equipment and installation and advised commissioners on the need to replace rather than repeatedly repair the aging system.
Commissioners made a motion, seconded, and voted to proceed with the replacement and to use available county funds to pay for the work so the project could move forward without delay. A county speaker said paperwork related to funding would appear at the next meeting.
Why it matters: the FBO serves visiting pilots and aircraft operators and has limited modern use but remains an FAA-recognized facility for pilot needs; failing HVAC affects building functionality and the county's ability to host operations. Commissioners also noted that the market for replacement equipment is changing because of a refrigerant phase-out and that some options (heat pumps) were available but not preferred for the building in question.
What happens next: the county will proceed with the accepted bid and present funding paperwork at a subsequent meeting; county staff will oversee installation and warranty details per the approved quote.
