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Richland County staff: asbestos removed, boilers to be replaced and HVAC options to be outlined at next meeting
Summary
County facilities staff reported asbestos removal on existing boilers, confirmed an August arrival for replacement boilers and outlined HVAC failures and replacement-cost estimates; an outside engineer will present options at the next committee meeting.
Richland County facilities staff told the Highway/Facilities Committee that asbestos was removed from the county boilers early the morning of the meeting and that Precision (the contractor) will remove the old boilers to make way for replacement units expected in August.
The staff member said asbestos crews “came in, 08:00 this morning” and “they were gone by 10 after 10,” and that Precision can now begin removing the old boilers. The boilers the committee previously approved had a purchase price of about $97,000; staff said initial industry estimates had been $160,000–$180,000 and the final price came in roughly $60,000 below the early estimate.
In addition to boilers, staff reported multiple HVAC and pneumatic-system failures in the building. They identified a 40-year-old air dryer for the pneumatic compressors that they plan to replace at an estimated cost of about $2,400, saying the dryer “runs all of our units on this side of the building.” Staff warned that if the dryer fails, water will enter solenoids and require repeated part replacement.
Staff said several rooftop units had been down, dropping the number of operating units from 5 to 8 after repairs to leaks and recharging freon. They cautioned further failures are likely and recommended planning now to avoid emergency repairs over winter.
An outside engineer who assists Ash Creek and Precision has been asked to prepare options for the county on how to proceed with HVAC and chiller systems without triggering a full engineered project that would require state-level plan review. Staff said the engineer will present to the committee at the next meeting, at no charge to the county, and that the presentation will lay out alternatives (for example, multiple smaller chillers for redundancy or replacing like-for-like units with updated controls).
Committee members asked staff to circulate preliminary option summaries ahead of the presentation so committee members can be “up to speed for the meeting.” Staff agreed to provide options and cost approximations if available.
Clarifying details: asbestos abatement was completed the morning of the meeting; asbestos contractor removed material by about 10:10 a.m. (staff quote). The current approved boiler purchase is approximately $97,000. Staff reported the earlier industry estimate of $160,000–$180,000. Asbestos removal labor/materials were described informally as “right around $1,500” but staff said the final bill is pending. The pneumatic air dryer replacement estimate given in the meeting was about $2,400. Rooftop HVAC units were reported as down to 5 units earlier in the repair period and restored to 8 units after intermittent repairs.
The committee did not take a formal vote on a capital plan at this meeting; staff was directed to arrange the engineer presentation and to circulate options and available preliminary cost information prior to the next meeting.
