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Town approves several Mansfield school capital projects, including $1.2M Jordan Jackson chiller
Summary
Town officials approved a series of capital projects requested by the schools, with bids under review for a Jordan Jackson chiller and near-term purchases for a wheelchair bus and generator.
Mansfield school leaders told the School Committee on Jan. 14 that town officials approved several capital projects submitted by the district, clearing funding for immediate purchases and larger building projects.
Assistant Superintendent Ed Donnelly said the town’s recent vote authorized a number of items the district had requested: a special-education wheelchair bus (about $125,000), LED lighting upgrades (about $50,000), rooftop HVAC/rooftop-unit work (roughly $100,000), generator replacement at Qualters and a paving/concrete program. Donnelly also reported a $1.2 million appropriation for a replacement chiller at Jordan Jackson School.
On the Jordan Jackson chiller, Donnelly said the district had received nine bids and expected to award to the low bidder after routine due diligence; project oversight and administrative costs could add roughly $50,000, he said, but the total should remain under the authorized $1.2 million. The administration expects a mid‑August completion date and noted long lead times for mechanical equipment.
Donnelly described the wheelchair bus as an approved order that the district will place soon and highlighted savings from recent in‑house HVAC hiring as a driver of reduced facilities maintenance costs. He also said the district is replacing a Qualters generator with a diesel unit because lead times on natural-gas generators are significantly longer.
Why it matters: the approved projects address safety, special‑education transportation and building systems aging or in need of replacement. The Jordan Jackson chiller is the largest single capital item approved and will be scheduled to meet summer construction windows.
Next steps: Donnelly said the district will finalize the low bid and proceed to contract for the Jordan Jackson project and place purchase orders for the wheelchair bus and other capital items approved by the town.
