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Board hears $4.4M Harrison Elementary bond update and district HVAC briefing
Summary
Superintendent and maintenance staff told the board the Harrison Elementary bond work (about $4.4 million) is ongoing with asbestos abatement and roof work; maintenance coordinator William Sorrell described HVAC system limitations, the move to state-mandated energy-efficient units and implications for heating performance.
Superintendent William Hawkins told the board the district is in the midst of bond-funded projects, including work at Harrison Elementary described as a roughly $4.4 million project covering asbestos abatement, roof replacement and replacement of swamp coolers. Phase 1 asbestos ceiling-tile abatement was completed with minimal dust, Hawkins said, and contractors will return during spring break and again after the school year to complete floor abatement and other phases of work.
William Sorrell, the district’s maintenance coordinator, gave a technical briefing on HVAC systems across campuses. He explained the district’s mix of systems: older boiler-fed fin-tube heaters and multi-room units that average temperatures across multiple classrooms; larger boiler/chiller plants at some campuses; and newer "energy-efficient" units that regulate temperature by introducing more fresh air and maintaining a steady outlet temperature rather than delivering a blast of heat. "The new units are meant to maintain a temperature ... they're not meant to give you that 100 degree heat you feel when you walk into your house," Sorrell said, adding that the result can prompt calls that heat is "not on" even when the system is regulating properly. He warned that doors must remain closed for those units to maintain temperature and noted warranty/service limitations when specialized vendor support is required.
Sorrell also highlighted operational realities: many existing systems control multiple rooms from a single unit, making per-classroom adjustments difficult; the district operates with limited maintenance personnel (Sorrell said he and a small crew cover the whole district), and the OPR/owner-review process is being used on CLIP and other projects to surface needed design features such as additional electrical capacity for vehicle charging station requirements.
Board members asked technical questions about unit performance, alarms and staff capacity; Sorrell said he can pull data logs for discharge temperatures and alarms for most units and that contractors are relied upon for specialized repairs. Hawkins confirmed the bond schedule is on track and that the district is prioritizing construction sequencing to reduce instructional disruption.
