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Commissioners approve HVAC work plan, urge use of energy grant and staged approach
Summary
Facing recurring HVAC failures and high maintenance costs, commissioners authorized staff to proceed with mechanical services recommended in the RFP, and instructed staff to use an EECBG energy efficiency grant and consider ARPA funds as needed.
Penobscot County commissioners on Aug. 6 voted to proceed with staff‑recommended mechanical services from the county's HVAC RFP, after directors described widespread temperature control problems and high repair costs across county buildings.
Director McDonald told commissioners that frequent manual set‑point adjustments are required to keep rooms functioning, that the county has been paying substantial electrician and contractor costs, and that mechanical's bid exceeded the existing budget by multiple millions. Commissioners instructed staff to prioritize essential work and to use available grant funding where possible.
Staff and commissioners specifically noted an existing EECBG (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant) of just under $80,000 and directed staff to work to apply that grant to eligible HVAC energy efficiency upgrades. Commissioners also discussed drawing on ARPA funds if additional funding is required, and they asked staff to explore staged contracting to do the most critical work first.
The motion to proceed with awarding mechanical services and to use grant funds as appropriate passed unanimously.
