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Library building committee presses Carrier as HVAC problems persist; town manager signals legal escalation
Summary
The Bloomfield Library Building Committee heard extended reports of HVAC control and equipment problems tied to Carrier units and controls. Contractors and design consultants said Carrier will be on-site soon; the town manager directed staff to set deadlines and may refer unresolved items to the town attorney.
The Bloomfield Library Building Committee spent much of its meeting pressing contractors over lingering HVAC and mechanical issues at the new library, and town staff said unresolved items now carry the possibility of legal escalation.
Anthony of Downs gave a detailed construction update, saying Carrier equipment and controls have required repeated troubleshooting and that Carrier will be on site “on Tuesday with their controls vendor” to examine VAV and air-handling operation. Anthony said replacement parts — specifically a control board and a wire harness — are still outstanding even though the unit “is actively functioning as it should per the design.”
Rob Ricard, a mechanical engineer with RZ Design who consults to the architect, said the design and construction team has repeatedly engaged Carrier and is working to isolate programming and sequencing issues. “Nobody’s walking away from it,” Ricard said, noting multiple technical and procurement representatives from Carrier have attended recent calls.
Committee members described frustration with Carrier’s responsiveness. One member said the pattern of missed or ineffective meetings has been “unacceptable” and pushed for quicker results. Committee members and staff described frequent calls this week and a plan for Carrier’s lead programmer to be on site the coming Tuesday.
Joe relayed a message from the town manager that raises the stakes: the town manager asked staff to put completion dates on every outstanding item and “if not, he’s handing the whole thing over to the town attorney,” signaling a possible legal pathway if performance does not improve.
On mechanical hardware, Anthony said pumps two and three were replaced under warranty after a vendor report found a factory defect (a pinhole in pump #2); pump #3 is sent back for investigation and a formal vendor report is pending.
Committee members said they will continue to press Carrier and to coordinate among the architect, commissioning agent Vanzel, public works and the construction manager to resolve controls, sequencing and parts issues.
The committee did not take a formal enforcement vote at the meeting; the town manager’s direction suggests staff will pursue administrative or legal remedies if the contractors do not meet newly imposed deadlines.
