School Board approves boiler replacement contract

The Warren County School Board unanimously approved an almost $33,000 contract award during a special meeting on Tuesday, December 14, to replace a boiler providing heat at E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School.

“Due to my anxiety with the supply chain, I wanted to get this item to you before the holiday break,” Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) Maintenance Director Greg Livesay told School Board members, noting that one of the two boilers at the elementary school “is well beyond its useful life.”

Installed around 2006, Livesay said that the boiler providing heat for the school has failed after developing significant leaks. The boiler has been repaired twice previously, most recently in 2019 when two sections of it were replaced, he said.

Burner assemblies for both boilers were replaced roughly four years ago after extreme weather flooded the boiler room, and Livesay reported that upon further consideration, any future repairs to the boiler would be cost-prohibitive as the average useful life of a boiler is about 20 years.

E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School currently is being heated by the other remaining boiler, which Livesay said also has minor leaks that WCPS staff are continually monitoring.

If the remaining boiler fails, then the school won’t have heat at all, he added.

Due to ongoing nationwide supply chain disruptions, WCPS requested a proposal from Limbach Co., LLC utilizing a cooperative purchasing agreement with Prince William County Public Schools.

The Limbach Co. has confirmed that the estimated lead time for the delivery of the boiler replacement is 12 to 16 weeks, according to Livesay.

But if needed, there would be a much shorter delivery timeframe of two to three days if replacement parts are needed to keep the one operating boiler running during an emergency, Livesay said.

Following Livesay’s request, School Board member James Wells motioned that the board approve the $32,722.00 contract award to Limbach. School Board member Ralph Rinaldi gave the motion a second and the entire board unanimously approved the contract award, with members Kristen Pence and Melanie Salins also present.

The School Board’s next scheduled meeting is on January 5, 2022, for its organizational meeting.

Click HERE to watch Tuesday’s special meeting in its entirety.