Board approves $823,500 contract to replace boiler and upgrade HVAC controls at Lifelong Learning Center

The board voted to award a boiler‑replacement and HVAC controls upgrade contract for the district’s Lifelong Learning Center to Sapphire Mechanical for $823,500.

Director of Facilities Burley McWilliams told the board three contractors responded to the bid and that Sapphire Mechanical’s price came in under budget. He said the existing boiler and pneumatic controls are beyond their life and explained the project will replace unit ventilators and controls in classrooms and involve significant wiring and coordination in an occupied facility.

Trustees asked about contractor performance history and post‑work quality; McWilliams said staff keeps records of contractor performance and that while occasional contractor problems have occurred in the past, the district has had solid experiences with local trades in recent years. He noted the project will be funded partly from permissive‑levy proceeds discussed earlier and partly from funds approved in prior actions.

A full‑board motion was made and approved to award the contract; the meeting record indicates the board approved the contract in a unanimous vote among trustees present that night.

Staff will proceed with contracting and coordinate scheduling to mitigate impacts to the occupied building. The board did not discuss alternative vendors during the meeting beyond asking about documentation of past performance.