LaPorte County leaders weigh repair, trial fixes and full replacement for courthouse HVAC

LaPorte County officials on June 15 opened a joint workshop to address chronic heating, ventilation and air-conditioning problems at the county courthouse and set a path for near-term relief and a longer-term procurement process.

Angie Davis, the county’s facilities director, told commissioners and council members that staff have documented repairs stretching back to installation of the LG system and that three proposals signed in March total $85,509 to restore first- and second-floor units. She said 14 replacement compressors have been purchased or installed to date, and that a third-floor compressor has been identified as bad and must be replaced separately from the March proposals. “Once all of these repairs are done … Airflow will get in touch with LG,” Davis said, describing the sequence staff expect for restarting and reassessing the system.

Why it matters: multiple elected officials said the system has not worked reliably since it was installed and debated whether continuing piecemeal repairs is fiscally prudent. “What at what point do you stop chasing good money after bad?” a commissioner asked during the discussion. Mark, one of the participants, stated plainly: “This thing will work,” while others replied that they had heard from courthouse staff the system “did not” work properly since 2017.

Short-term steps and experiment: Commissioners agreed staff should pursue immediate, limited repairs that can restore partial functionality — including replacing thermistors on the second floor and installing a compressor that is already in county inventory for the third floor if weather allows — while also pursuing rapid-quote options for a trial dehumidification system. Staff estimated dehumidifiers tied into existing ducts would cost roughly $25,000 per floor (about $75,000 for three floors); several officials recommended bidding a one-floor trial first to test effectiveness before full rollout.

Procurement and long-term plan: The workshop participants directed staff to begin soliciting proposals from design-build firms to produce a single, accountable turnkey solution rather than continuing to patch components. Commissioners discussed pros and cons of design‑build versus separate engineering and build contracts and emphasized warranty and enforcement provisions be written into installation purchase orders. Staff noted bonding and financing options depend on audit completion and the size of the eventual price tag; participants flagged a wide potential range — from hundreds of thousands to several million dollars — and agreed to gather firm estimates before selecting a funding strategy.

Temporary relief and operations: While longer-term work proceeds, the county will pursue operational relief: relocating some employees to other county spaces when feasible, adding portable air-conditioning units and fans where load capacity permits, and monitoring electrical load. Davis reported 17 window units have been purchased to date for relief; commissioners authorized procurement of additional portable units and larger fans as needed.

Process improvements: Officials said bidding confusion on prior solicitations highlighted the need for a written standard operating procedure for procurement so departments know when to advertise, when sealed bids are required and what thresholds trigger different procedures. One participant said the county’s procurement thresholds had recently changed and cautioned staff to confirm whether quotes (faster) or sealed bids (slower) applied to particular pieces of work.

What’s next: Staff were directed to (1) get quotes for a one-floor dehumidifier installation and bring those back quickly, (2) prepare and issue RFPs for design-build firms to propose a full replacement scope and cost, (3) pursue available short-term repairs (thermistors, third-floor compressor) as practical, and (4) draft an SOP for procurement. The workshop ended after a motion to adjourn was seconded and approved.

No formal vote on a long-term replacement or bonding was taken at the workshop; commissioners requested cost proposals and legal/financial guidance before any binding decision.