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Board approves HVAC repairs and amended landscaping contract for district office
Summary
The Beatrice school board on Oct. 13 approved replacement of a 24‑year‑old wrestling room compressor, a $5,012.38 kitchen heat‑pump repair, and an amended landscaping package to tear out the circle drive and install river rock (not to exceed $17,000 total). Vendor names appear inconsistently in the transcript.
The Beatrice Public Schools Board on Oct. 13 approved several facilities expenditures: replacement of an aging HVAC compressor serving the wrestling room/gym, repair of a kitchen heat pump, and an amended landscaping plan for the district office grounds.
Mr. Alexander told the board the wrestling‑room HVAC unit is about 24 years old and presented two repair options: fix the existing unit's compressor for $8,391 (limited warranty) or replace the entire unit for $22,634 with a five‑year compressor warranty and one‑year parts warranty. "This unit is in a difficult spot to get to in the building," he said, arguing replacement is preferable to repeated short‑term fixes. The board voted to replace the unit. The meeting materials and motion contain inconsistent vendor naming (agenda text cites "Prairie Mechanical" while the motion referenced "Proton Mechanical"); the board did not discuss the discrepancy on the record.
The board also approved quote 25‑13‑68 to repair a Freon leak on the Beatrice High School kitchen heat pump for $5,012.38. Mr. Alexander said the compressor is still functioning and parts are available, making repair appropriate. The cost exceeded the board's internal approval threshold by $12.38, which is why it was presented to the full board for approval.
On grounds maintenance, administration presented two bids: Envision Landscaping ($28,097, broken out) and Schmolly Lawn & Landscape ($29,300). Administration recommended proceeding with Envision's tear‑out and river‑rock replacement for the circle drive and bringing back bids later for sod adjacent to the building. A trustee amended the motion to approve Envision's circle‑drive tear‑out and river‑rock work at $10,225 and to seek subsequent bids to replace sod (up to $5,000) and ornamental trees ($1,775), with a not‑to‑exceed total of $17,000; the amended motion passed.
The board indicated depreciation funds (roughly stated as "a little over $1,000,000") would likely be used to pay for HVAC work. The compressor replacement carries an approximate eight‑week lead time for equipment, Mr. Alexander said.
Next steps: administration will coordinate vendor scheduling and procurement, order the HVAC equipment if required, and solicit additional bids for sod/landscaping items as authorized by the amended motion.
