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Council hears $3.3 million library HVAC replacement plan; council asks about bidding, grants and timeline
Summary
Facilities staff outlined a phased, $3.3 million replacement of the Puyallup library heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems, citing failing equipment, R‑22 refrigerant phaseout and controls upgrades; councilmembers asked about procurement, ESCO involvement and grant opportunities.
Jess Marshall, the city’s newly promoted facilities lead, briefed the City Council on Oct. 8 about a planned multi‑phase replacement of the Puyallup Public Library heating, ventilation and cooling systems. Marshall said internal HVAC equipment and controls are failing, water‑based coils are leaking and many components use R‑22 refrigerant that is being phased out.
Marshall described a phased approach: phase 1 will replace internal equipment and controls, phase 2 will replace boilers, and phase 3 will replace the cooling tower and chiller. She said the “total system cost will be 3,300,000.0” and emphasized the safety and operational risks of continued piecemeal repairs: leaking coils have damaged ceiling tiles and carpet and some motors failures have temporarily shut down systems.
Why it matters: Councilmembers noted the library’s role as a cooling center during hot weather and as a widely used civic building; several councilmembers framed the replacement as both a public‑safety and equity issue for residents without home cooling.
Procurement and grants: Marshall said the city engaged an energy‑savings contractor on the state ESCO (energy savings contractor) list to develop design and energy‑saving scopes; the contractor produces a project estimate and helps identify grant and utility incentive opportunities through state programs and utilities. Councilmember Johnson and others asked whether the ESCO arrangement eliminated competitive bids; Marshall said the ESCO process produces a project scope and then the city can competitively bid mechanical and electrical subcontractors for construction. City Manager Steve Kirkley told the council that the ESCO arrangement is commonly used by government entities and that the state Department of Enterprise Services (DES) oversees the ESCO list.
Timeline and efficiency: Councilmembers asked whether the project could be completed before summer 2026. Marshall said scheduling depends on lead times for equipment and that typical procurement and installation would take several months; she added that parts and refrigerants are increasingly hard to obtain. Councilmembers asked staff to provide a clearer explanation of the ESCO partnership, anticipated grant or utility rebate opportunities and a procurement timeline ahead of first reading next week.
Ending: Councilmembers expressed support for proceeding but requested additional procurement documentation, an explanation of grants and rebates identified so far, and an updated estimate of schedule and phasing before final budget adoption.
