By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Few things go according to plan. When the USD 431 Hoisington Board of Education began planning the replacement of HVAC building control systems, the goal was to replace the systems in all buildings. Superintendent Patrick Crowdis outlined to the board at Monday's meeting that the project can move forward with just most of the buildings.
"Due to the cost, part of that being with using the ESSER money we have to meet the Davis-Bacon wage criteria," he said, "which is a higher criteria than if we just to pay for it out of capital outlay, which elevated the cost."
The district budgeted $680,000 from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund, which is federal funding used to help schools address the impact of COVID-19. That price will allow Wichita-based Dynamic Control Systems to install the building control systems at the Activity Center, Hoisington High School, and Hoisington Middle School.
"That would leave this building off, Roosevelt off, and Lincoln has its own building control system that we are not tied to at all right now," Crowdis said.
A consultant advised the district to purchase Nest thermostats for better control in the district building and Roosevelt. That would allow some control in three buildings, with up to 20 thermostats in each building.
The board agreed Dynamic Control Systems offered a good bid on the project, including customer service once the weather turns cold to examine any temperature oddities in the buildings and target those areas. Crowdis said the installation of the new systems is likely at least 90 days out.