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Swain County Schools seeks additional funds for HVAC repairs and advances middle school planning; sewer estimate could top $6 million
Summary
School officials asked commissioners to approve targeted draws from renovation funds to replace specialized air compressors and an HVAC compressor, and briefed the board on middle school planning and sewer/water project cost estimates that could range from roughly $6 million to $10 million.
Swain County Schools representatives asked the Board of Commissioners on Feb. 18 to approve two targeted draws for urgent HVAC repairs and provided a status update on middle school planning and related sewer infrastructure needs.
The schools requested a draw of $40,719.29 from the lottery renovation and repair fund to replace two specialized compressors that run pneumatic thermostat systems at two elementary schools. The representative told commissioners, “we are requesting that you would please allow us to draw down an additional $40,719.29 from the lottery renovation and repair fund.” The district also asked to draw $17,415 from Article 46 funding for a replacement HVAC compressor and related electronics at West Elementary; the presenter said that work was completed and the unit is running.
Administrators reminded commissioners that a separate $311,000 request from a prior meeting came from SRC 2 allotment and that the additional amounts are intended to close specific repair needs. The school representative said some replacement parts for older HVAC units must be custom-made and lead times have delayed repairs in the past.
On planning for a new middle school, the district said it selected LS3P as architect and a construction-manager-at-risk (CMAR) team has been conditionally selected; negotiations over fee percentages are ongoing. School officials announced two upcoming community engagement sessions: a March 4 session at 5:30 p.m. for an initial presentation and a March 13 meeting from 1–3 p.m. for final discussion with staff, students and community members.
Officials also briefed the board on sewer and water needs connected to the school project and the town: one engineering estimate (McGill) put preliminary costs near $5.5 million, while a town engineer’s estimate was roughly $10 million. The school representative summarized, “you could assume it's going to be somewhere between 6 and $10,000,000 easily,” and said staff would send the supporting documents to commissioners.
Why it matters The draws approved by the commissioners free funds to repair HVAC systems that school staff said are critical for classroom climate control and daily operations. The middle school project involves long-term capital planning and utility infrastructure that could require multi-million-dollar funding and intergovernmental coordination.
What commissioners asked Commissioners asked whether compressors had been ordered; the school representative said replacements were ordered and one unit was already installed. Commissioners were advised that parts for older HVAC systems are often custom-made and that the district is surveying students and staff for input on school design.
Next steps Design work will proceed after community input sessions; the CMAR fee negotiation will continue. School staff will provide commissioners with the sewer cost estimates and related documentation for future funding discussions.
