Board approves $102,304 replacement for failed Rossmann boiler

The Harper Detroit Wind School District Board of Education voted July 22 to replace a failed boiler at Rossmann School at a cost not to exceed $102,304, charging the expenditure to Fund 46, the district’s long‑term capital improvement trust.

Board President Miss Hook introduced the item and staff explained the recommendation to buy a nearly identical unit from Zion Incorporated. “We considered repairing the unit,” a facilities staff member said, noting a repair estimate of about $47,000, “but based on the age of that unit and the other units in that building, it wasn't really deemed appropriate to spend” that amount on a unit near the end of its useful life. Staff said the vendor is the exclusive distributor for this equipment and that district familiarity and parts consistency informed the selection.

District staff said lead time for delivery is about four to five weeks and that Rossmann currently has three boilers so the other units provide short‑term redundancy. A trustee asked whether the replacement has the same footprint; staff replied it “has almost the exact same footprint” and will require minimal piping changes. Another trustee asked about the warranty; staff replied the spec lists a one‑year craftsmanship warranty and they will follow up to clarify the manufacturer warranty.

The motion to award the contract carried on a roll‑call vote. The board’s packet included comparative quotes and a bid for repair, which trustees said was useful for decisionmaking. The district expects the work to be completed before the heating season.