Work Planned On County Buildings
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A massive water leak in the Water Valley courthouse in July did thousands of dollars in the damage. The leak was attributed to the heating and cooling system, and helped prompt county supervisors to replace the unit.
WATER VALLEY – Yalobusha County supervisors are a step closer to replacing the 20-plus year-old heating and cooling systems in the Water Valley and Coffeeville courthouses following a unanimous vote to approve a $1.9 million dollar proposal from Upchurch Services, LLC.
The vote to adopt the $1,902,410 proposal came during the October 7 meeting and approximately 65 percent of the cost, or around $1.235 million, is the price for the new heating and cooling systems for the Coffeeville and Water Valley courthouses. Other work in the proposal includes new HVAC units and lighting upgrades in most county-owned buildings including the Multi-Purpose Building in Coffeeville, the Carother’s Complex building on County Road 436, the health department building on South Main Street, the Department of Human Service building on Frostland Drive, all five county beat barns, the county jail and sheriff’s department on Hwy. 32 and other buildings.
Replacing the heating and cooling units at both courthouses is the catalyst for the project as costly repairs on the existing units have tallied over a half million dollars during the last five years. A massive leak in the Water Valley courthouse in July was another factor, as the existing geothermal heating and cooling units are water-cooled and require a maze of connecting pipes throughout the buildings. The July leak was caused by a faulty clamp on a water line in the second floor of the building that resulted in thousands of gallons flowing into the historic building, causing an estimated $200,000 in damage. The new heating and cooling systems recommended in Upchurch Service’s proposal will be refrigerant based, eliminating the water lines.
The project was expanded beyond the work at the courthouses to include upgrades at all county-owned buildings to allow to generate additional energy savings that would trigger eligibility in an energy-saving program that provides an option for long-term financing without issuing general obligation bonds.
Upchurch Services, LLC, Business Development Manager Earl Byrd explained that savings generated by LED lighting upgrades, HVAC upgrades and water conservation will substantially lower utility and maintenance costs for the county. Byrd cited $36,000 in savings annually in energy usage for all of the buildings, in addition to the $100,000-plus annual maintenance costs for the courthouses. Utilizing the energy-saving program, Byrd also said interest rates to finance the upgrades will be favorable, and recommended a 15-year loan.
“One of the benefits of this program is that the county can use this as a financial tool,” Byrd said. “The legislation allows us to go up to 20 years on the program, but we can make this cash flow in 15 years. We can get pretty good rates, probably the best rates outside of a bond issue,” he noted in the Oct. 7 meeting.
“This will include updating the old halogen lights and air conditioning in the Multi-Purpose building,” Board President Cayce Washington noted. “And the jail where we house inmates, we could get the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) come in here because the air-conditioning is not working.”
“I say do it all,” District Three Supervisor Kenny Harmon said following Byrd’s presentation.
“I am with you,” District 4 Eddie Harris agreed.
District 5 Supervisor Gaylon Gray also chimed in to support the upgrades.
“And y’all know me, I am cheap,” Gray quipped.
Byrd explained that the vote will be to approve the project, pending legal review and financing.
“If we can get approval today, we will in short order have the contract to begin review on that,” Byrd said about the legal work and seeking financing.
