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Goochland schools flag $1.8M chiller replacement, warn long lead times could disrupt operations
Summary
School leaders told supervisors a failing chiller at the secondary complex is a critical capital need with an estimated cost of about $1.8 million and vendor lead times of roughly 36–38 weeks; facilities staff warned failure could render the building inoperable and force emergency responses.
School facilities staff and the superintendent told the joint Board of Supervisors–School Board work session that a chiller at the county’s secondary complex is aging and poses an urgent capital need that could disrupt school operations if it fails.
Superintendent Patrick Marty described the chiller replacement as a critical capital need and estimated the project cost at about $1.8 million. “There remains a critical and urgent need for chiller replacement at the secondary complex as estimated to cost about $1,800,000,” he said, noting the unit is currently functioning but that replacement lead times make proactive planning essential.
Facilities staff (introduced by the superintendent as Mr. Forbes) told the boards the chiller is original to the building and about 23 years old. Forbes cited an engineering assessment that expects a chiller life of about 20–25 years and warned of a 36–38 week lead time to procure a replacement. “The problem with that...we need to be proactive because if it breaks...there’s an extremely long lead time of 36 to 38 weeks to get a new one,” Forbes said, adding that a rental unit would add substantial interim costs.
Supervisors stressed life‑safety concerns and asked whether smoke detectors, fire extinguishers or other safety items had been deferred. Facilities staff responded that smoke detectors referenced in the engineering report are still within their life expectancy and that the chiller’s potential failure risk justified its prioritization in the CIP list. The group also reviewed other capital estimates presented by the superintendent: a student parking seal at approximately $70,000; Byrd Elementary bathroom work ~$28,000; an EPDM roof replacement estimated near $250,000; and a Randolph cafeteria serving‑line upgrade about $85,000.
County funding constraints complicated the conversation: county staff said the initial county budget is being developed conservatively and may not include across‑the‑board raises or additional funds to cover all school requests. If county funding remains flat, Marty said the schools will need to reprioritize among personnel and capital items.
What’s next: Facilities staff and school leadership will provide documentation and cost details to county budget staff for prioritization. Supervisors said they will consider the chiller’s operational risk alongside competing capital demands as the county budget is finalized.
