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Oak Ridge Board approves emergency replacement of Glenwood Elementary cooling tower
Summary
The Oak Ridge Board of Education unanimously approved an emergency replacement of Glenwood Elementary School’s cooling tower after freeze damage; the board authorized a $213,000 contract with McMahon Mechanical and will seek FEMA reimbursement for eligible costs.
The Oak Ridge Board of Education unanimously approved an emergency replacement of the cooling tower at Glenwood Elementary School after damage caused during a weather-related outage.
Doctor Borchers, a district staff member who presented the item, said a “brief power outage disabled the tower’s freeze protection system resulting in the freezing of the internal bundle,” and that the damage “cannot be cost effectively repaired.” He recommended a full replacement as the most efficient and reliable solution and proposed awarding the work to McMahon Mechanical for $213,000. “Replacement work is planned for spring break pending unforeseen complications or delays,” he said, and added that the district will submit eligible costs to FEMA for potential reimbursement.
Board members raised no questions before the chair called for a vote; the motion passed unanimously. The recommendation emphasized that the existing cooling tower was nearing the end of its scheduled life cycle, making a full replacement the preferred course to ensure cooling is operational before warmer weather.
The board’s action authorizes contract execution and scheduling; staff said they plan the work for spring break but noted timing remains dependent on contractor availability and possible unforeseen complications.
The board did not specify a final project timeline beyond the spring-break target or provide a firm date for completion; any FEMA reimbursement will depend on federal review and eligibility determinations.
