Sullivan County approves up to $90,000 to repair Kingsport health-department chiller after freeze damage

The Sullivan County Commission voted to authorize up to $90,000 in emergency spending from the county general fund to patch and secure a replacement heat exchanger at the Kingsport Health Department.

Commissioner Jones, who presented the request, said staff had obtained multiple vendor estimates and that the county needs a temporary fix to maintain services while waiting for a new unit. "We're asking for $90,000. It may not take that much to be done. But this is being requested as an emergency," Jones said during the meeting.

Officials described two vendor quotes: one quoted at more than $100,000 and another around $79,000. County staff said they hope a temporary repair will carry operations through the estimated 10-week lead time for a replacement exchanger and that a patch might cost on the order of several thousand dollars to as much as $10,000 depending on what is found once work begins.

Commissioners asked whether the county attorney should investigate warranty or insurance coverage. Staff said vendors and insurers had indicated the damage is not a warranty item and that the county’s insurance deductible would be large; the county attorney said he had not yet been consulted and could not give a legal opinion without reviewing the case.

The budget committee recommended the expenditure, and the commission approved the emergency appropriation and waiver to proceed. The clerk recorded the motion as approved; the governing body instructed staff to pursue the temporary repairs and return with updates on costs and whether the replacement can be expedited.

What happens next: Contractors will begin diagnostic and patch work to keep the unit running while staff continue to seek replacement options and firm cost estimates; staff will report back to the commission on final costs and timing.