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Board approves $66,000 emergency repair for Central High chiller to protect new gym floor and air quality
Summary
The Bridgeport Board authorized an emergency, sole-source contract with the chiller installer/maintainer to repair one compressor and replace another at Central High School for $66,000, citing risk to the new wooden gym floor and building air quality. Board members pressed for warranty and long-term replacement plans.
The Bridgeport Board of Education on May 25 authorized an emergency contract to repair Central High School’s second chiller after staff said one compressor needs full replacement and the other needs repair.
Facilities director Ms. McArdle told the board the work is urgent and was procured as a qualified purchase rather than through the standard bidding process because the district needs the air conditioning to protect a new wood gym floor and maintain indoor air quality. “This contract is… pretty much an emergency. It’s urgent,” she said, adding the district solicited a quote from Hi‑Tech (the original installer) and one other vendor; Hi‑Tech’s price was roughly one-third of the other bid.
The quote presented to the board was $66,000 to replace one compressor and repair the other. Ms. McArdle said each complete chiller replacement would total roughly $500,000 (and a full, gutted replacement of a chiller could run about $1.2 million), a cost the district has included in its capital plan. She said the chillers have been maintained quarterly by Hi‑Tech since installation in 2015.
Board members asked how long modern chillers typically last and whether the parts come with multi‑year warranties. A facilities representative said a chiller would normally be expected to last about 15 years, and the new‑construction warranty typically covers one year; Mr. Nipple said a full chiller replacement was about $1.2 million. “Replacing the whole chiller… is 1.2 million,” he said, stressing the board was being asked to approve a repair, not a full replacement.
Board member Mr. Traynor moved to approve the emergency contract; the motion was seconded and the board voted in favor. Staff said funding would come from capital funds earmarked for building maintenance and repairs.
The board’s action authorizes the vendor to proceed with the repairs and replacement compressor; staff said equipment and repairs could arrive within weeks. The district also said it will continue to pursue capital replacement in a future budget cycle and will report warranty details to the board once confirmed.
The board did not amend policy language for procurement; members asked staff to provide follow‑up details about warranty length and the long‑term capital replacement timeline.
