County okays lighting and HVAC upgrades project
Camp County Commissioners approved a plan to upgrade the lighting and heating and air conditioning systems countywide.
The Commissioners Court at its regular weekly meeting May 23 approved the Energy Savings Performance Contract with the engineering firm McKinstry. The ESPC will address energy consumption in the county buildings, updating the lighting to LED light fixtures at the courthouse, jail, courthouse annex, adult probation and the county barn. Most of the HVAC systems – 18 out of 26 - at all the buildings except the county barn where there is no heating and air conditioning will be replaced.
“Some of the newer ones don’t need to be replaced, but of the 18, a number of those are 30 years old,” County Judge AJ Mason told The Gazette after the meeting. “There are others that are 10-12 years old.”
The project will also include installing programmable thermostat controls for all of the county’s HVAC systems.
The Court heard the final proposal on the project from McKinstry representatives from the firm’s College Station office. It will cost the county $502,000, which will be funded through a bank loan. However, the energy upgrades will save the county approximately $3800 per month in electrical and gas bills or $45,600 per year and that’s how the county will service the debt, according to Mason.
“The reduced energy savings is what we will use to pay for it,” he said. “The ESPC program is allowed in the local government code, chapter 302. That’s the statute that allows for this method of updating and upgrading your infrastructure.”
The contract was approved contingent on reviews by the county attorney and a third-party engineering firm, Energy and Engineering Solutions from Fort Worth. Mason said Friday that those reviews have been completed and approved.
With the McKinstry proposal approved, the company would now be free to arrange and let out bids to local electrical and air conditioning contractors first.
“McKinstry will manage the project and bid it out to contractors. They have contacted our local contractors for them to be able to bid if it is a project that they feel would fit their operation,” Mason said on Friday.
Commissioners tabled the financial component of the project until local banks have an opportunity to bid on the project.
Mason said the county is in the process of talking with local banks.
“McKinstry will compile the proposals from our local banks that might be interested, and we’ll get it back on the agenda at a later date, likely in a few weeks,” he said.
In other business, the court:
• approved hiring an auctioneer to sell the old hospital
property, which the county had previously donated to
the City of Pittsburg for the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to sell and develop. The EDC was unable to find a buyer for a suitable use for economic development and recently donated it back to the City and County. The County voted to use the auctioneering firm it already has under contract for the sale of old equipment to auction the land for residential development. The property is located at 412 Quitman Street.
• approved the continuation of an $8,000 per month contract with the Indigent Defense Attorney Steve Simmons. Commissioner OK’d a change in the contract to allow Simmons, for convenience, office space, a computer and internet service in the courthouse.
• approved the annual financial report for fiscal year 2017. County Auditor Nanette Wilabay reported the general fund is up showing a balance of $96,770; the unreserved investment fund balance is $1,029,900; the road and bridge fund is also up at $40,341; and the stabilization fund is $74,810.
