Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board signs Gilbane certificate of completion after staff say HVAC problems have largely been fixed
Summary
Big Walnut board approved a certificate of completion with Gilbane after staff and contractors reported that HVAC issues that caused repeated system failures have shown sustained improvement over the summer; the board discussed warranties, field regrading and sump-pump replacements.
The Big Walnut Local School Board on Aug. 19 voted to approve a certificate of completion with Gilbane, following staff updates that said long-running HVAC issues appear to have been addressed after summer repairs and controls adjustments.
District staff and contractors told the board that recent work — including control-setting changes and equipment work by multiple contractors — has reduced the frequent failures that had required manual restarts. A district representative said, "For the past 4 weeks, it appears that they've... figured out what everything needs to be set at, and it's been working within the parameters that it should be." Another facilities representative confirmed that operations have improved since the last set of adjustments.
Board members pressed about warranties and other site work. Staff said the warranty for the outstanding HVAC items begins when the board signs the certificate and that warranty coverage is one year; staff also said there are existing warranties on prior items and that companies can be asked to address issues outside the warranty period if they relate to design or installation errors.
Members also asked about athletic fields, which staff said show substantial improvement after regrading, and about sump pumps — staff said the pumps were replaced with higher-horsepower units, a backup was installed and spare pumps were provided for future replacement.
The board approved the certificate of completion after discussion.
Why it matters: The vote signifies staff confidence that construction and HVAC problems that affected facilities are substantially resolved and transfers certain warranty responsibilities to the district, beginning on approval.
What’s next: Warranties for the newly completed items begin upon signing; staff will continue to monitor HVAC performance and may pursue contractor remedies if problems recur.
