The Dickson County School Board approved a repair contract to address HVAC deficiencies at Burns Stuart Burns Elementary on Oct. 23, but members required legal review and county commission approval before the district signs a final agreement.

Maintenance director Mister Clifton told the board the district discovered problems with roughly a dozen rooftop air‑handling units; the equipment representative for the Daikin system, MRG, inspected the site and proposed a piggyback price to correct the issues. Clifton said the proposed approach is "the least invasive repair" and would avoid extensive ceiling demolition.

Board members raised two conditions before final execution: (1) the agreement’s warranty language must be corrected (staff said the vendor packet incorrectly listed a 90‑day warranty and would be updated to reflect a 10‑year parts warranty and one year on labor), and (2) the contract should be reviewed by Mr. Hall (district legal counsel) before signature. Clifton and other staff said the repairs would be funded from fund balance and would also require county commission approval.

Why it matters: Clifton said the underlying problem stems from improperly located branch controllers and incorrect line set routing during installation, which can cause oil return issues that damage compressors. "It's burning up compressors," Clifton told the board, explaining the technical consequence of the installation errors.

Board action: A motion to approve the repairs contingent on county commission approval and Mr. Hall’s contract review was made and seconded; the board carried the motion.

Supporting details: Clifton said MRG produced the piggyback proposal after inspecting the system and that the district will insist on verification from the design/MEP engineer moving forward. Board members praised school staff for their handling of the issue and emphasized the need for safeguards on new construction and future HVAC projects.

Next steps: If the county commission approves the fund allocation, staff will circulate a corrected contract showing the revised warranty terms and Mr. Hall will complete a legal review prior to execution.