Facilities staff update: Judicial Center HVAC RFP, fleet lease economics and geothermal RFP update

Facilities staff delivered a multi-part operational update that covered staffing, capital projects and equipment strategy.

Staff announced an RFP for the Judicial Center HVAC system released in early December with proposals due March 3 and said staff will evaluate submissions once received. They also listed several 2025 carry‑forward projects (carpet, boilers, roofing) that are included in the capital improvement planning process.

On fleet management, staff explained that planned body-style changes in 2027 would make current plow mounts incompatible; renewing a five-vehicle lease one year early would increase net lease costs modestly (roughly $657 annually across five vehicles) but likely avoid $2,200–$3,500 per truck retrofit or replacement costs if the county waited and needed new plow mounts. Committee members questioned why the county leases rather than purchases and asked staff to provide detailed lease vs. buy analyses.

Supervisor Bjork sought more detail on a separate geothermal project; staff said the geothermal RFP is in a restricted communications phase (to avoid favoring vendors), that proposals are due Monday, and that the project is estimated at about $9.5 million. Staff said if no responses arrive they would contact interested parties about extensions or reissue the RFP.

Staff also previewed the two‑month financial snapshot (about 20% spent through the first two months) and reminded the committee of upcoming agenda items to be brought back after vendor evaluation.