Board approves EHS boiler project changes: storefront door and new expansion tank added

The Emporia Public Schools Board of Education approved two change items tied to the Emporia High School boiler replacement project.

For the boiler room storefront (agenda item 7C), district staff said removing the old storefront was necessary to extract the old boilers and install the new units. Facilities staff proposed replacing the worn storefront with a heavy‑duty 12‑foot manually rolling garage door plus an adjacent walk‑through door, rather than reinstalling the original glass storefront; the bid from DH Pace through a buyboard contract was presented at about $20,037 (quote figure read as "20 or $37,000" in the transcript; the board record lists the buyboard bid as submitted). The board voted to approve the DH Pace quote to furnish and install the storefront/door package as submitted.

On the boiler replacement (agenda item 7D), staff reported demolition revealed the building’s original expansion tank — installed in 1973 — was in poor condition. Contractors recommended replacing the old tank and installing a new code‑compliant, optimally sized expansion tank rather than attempting to recertify and retrofit the original unit. The board approved a change order increasing the project by $8,666 to supply and install the new expansion tank; the motion passed unanimously.

Board members discussed cost comparisons and long‑term efficiency, and at least one member framed the storefront/doors solution as a lifecycle cost saving relative to reinstalling an inefficient glass storefront. The board approved both items by voice vote, each passing 7–0.

Votes at a glance: Approved storefront/door package (DH Pace bid) and approved $8,666 change order for a new expansion tank; both motions passed 7–0.