Cole County approves $27,050 repair for rooftop HVAC unit serving sheriff's kitchen, discusses phased replacements

Cole County commissioners voted June 17 to authorize repairs to rooftop HVAC Unit 9 at the sheriff's building, approving $27,050 to restore service after staff reported the unit had failed.

County staff told commissioners Unit 9 "is 15 years old" and operates "24 hours a day, 7 days a week," and that repair costs for the immediate failure total $27,050. "I would ask that get approved today," a facilities staff member said when presenting the repair estimate.

The facilities presentation noted the county previously discussed replacing all rooftop units during budget planning with a preliminary estimate in the $1.8 million to $2 million range. Staff recommended repairing the failed unit now and pursuing a staged, competitive replacement of the remaining units next year. "This stuff will take 14, 15 weeks to get the the condenser coil in," the same staff member said, noting lead times and the potential need for temporary construction units to maintain kitchen operations.

Commissioners discussed logistics for a full replacement, including custom unit sizes (the record shows units ranging from 20 to 60 tons and several with heat-recovery wheels and outside-air dampers), crane access, potential prisoner movement or temporary shutdowns and whether parts from some units could be used to "limp" others along. One commissioner said the county could phase replacements rather than replace all at once; another urged staff to prepare more detailed documentation for budgeting and procurement.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve the Unit 9 repair for $27,050; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote.

Commissioners instructed staff to continue planning for a long-term replacement strategy, including preparing bid documents and a timeline; final replacement decisions were not made at the meeting.