Board approves $150,968.50 emergency boiler purchase after crack found in school unit

The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously on Jan. 15 to approve an emergency purchase and expedited installation of a replacement boiler after district staff discovered a crack that was enlarging in a school boiler.

Wilma Jordan, the district's facilities and maintenance director, told the board contractors from Mechanical Solutions found "the crack is on the bottom of the boiler," and that the crack had been getting larger over the previous day, requiring frequent water additions to keep the vessel operating. Jordan said the district located two available units — one in Charlotte and one in Greensboro — and that suppliers would hold a unit for about six hours, creating an urgent need to issue a purchase order.

"As soon as we get approval, we can issue that PO, and we will have a truck en route to Greensboro to pick it up from the manufacturer," Jordan said, summarizing the procurement plan and the tight timeline.

Dr. Parker, who outlined the reason for calling the emergency meeting, told the board the vendor quote and associated overtime for weekend installation are linked to the public agenda and reported the total cost with tax as $150,968.50. "That includes the tax with the overtime, the boiler, the whole out of cost," Dr. Parker said.

Jordan told the board installation is planned to start Friday with work through the weekend so heat could be restored by the following Wednesday. Staff also prepared a contingency to move students scheduled for testing to two other schools if the installation or heat restoration encountered problems. Board members noted that Martin Luther King Jr. Day and subsequent work days reduce student presence and would help minimize disruption.

A motion to approve the purchase was made and seconded; Tommy Old and Valerie Bogues were recorded as seconding. The board approved the expenditure by a unanimous show of hands for members present (Chair Cox, Vice Chair Perez, Dr. Sheila Williams, Tommy Old, Angelique Boland and Valerie Bogues; Sharon Wharton was absent).

The district characterized the purchase as necessary because of supply-chain timing and the growing severity of the boiler crack. The board adjourned after the vote. The quote and contract details are available via the meeting's public agenda, per Dr. Parker.