Council hears lengthy debate on new police-department rooftop HVAC; decides to table and seek another quote

Council discussion on Monday focused sharply on a proposed replacement rooftop HVAC unit for the Police Department, with questions about large cost differences between contractor quotes and about whether the work could be done more cheaply.

Ms. Lee introduced the ordinance authorizing an agreement with Action Air Heating and Cooling for installation of a new 7.5-ton American Standard multistage rooftop unit. She said two separate quotes had been provided; one “over engineered” quote was about $259,000 and a lower quote showed roughly $70,000.

Mr. Lowry, speaking for administration, said the existing system had been “broken for a long time” and that the proposed work included new ductwork and zoning controls so staff could regulate heating and cooling rather than relying on a vendor’s schedule. He said the current condition left the police department “barely running” in winter and with poor airflow in summer.

Council members pressed for comparisons to work done at other city facilities, square-footage justifications, and whether the rooftop installation and crane costs explained the difference. Mr. DeHart said he had “a hard time swallowing the difference between $25,000 and $80,000 and the first…$259,000.” Mr. Lukens noted warranty terms and equipment scope differences; Mr. Lukens read that some quotes included a five-year compressor warranty and a 25-year heat exchanger warranty.

After discussion, Council agreed to table the ordinance so staff could obtain additional quotes; administration warned it might take six to eight weeks to get comparable bids. Council instructed staff to return the item for consideration and, if needed, bring emergency language later.