Video courtesy of USD 489 News
By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post
During Monday night’s Hays USD 489 Board of Education meeting, the board discussed the proposal draft and the plan moving forward on a total replacement on the Hays High School HVAC system.
The board employed Integrated Consulting Engineers Inc., Wichita, to draw up a proposal for the board.
A engineer was contracted to put together a proposal draft that would then be presented to the board. The engineer came to Hays and spent time at the high school before writing up the proposal draft.
“The cost of their services and what they put together I really think is a pretty reasonable amount,” said John Thissen, Hays USD 489 superintendent.
Thissen wanted the board to get the proposal draft early so members had plenty of time to look at it before the next board meeting.
“The main reason this is in front of you right now is so you can review it and have your questions ready for the next board meeting,” Thissen said.
The main component in the proposal was that it mentioned the use of a tool that could be used not only for the HVAC system in the high school, but for all the systems in the district.
“That tool is what we want to have to be able to look at data to make determinations on not just HVAC systems, but any part of the facilities,” Thissen said. “This is big. It really is. I know the middle school was a big project, and that was good stepping stone because it was successful, but this one is a very big step for us because within that RFP is something we did not have before and that is having the tools and the planning not just for the high school heating and air, but the the heating and air for the whole district.”
The timeline identified in the proposal is a five-year plan, and at the third year, the district would have the option to extend the plan.
“It’s reasonable to think that this would take longer than a couple of years,” Thissen said. “It might take three summers to get this all done at the high school.”
Thissen noted the proposal can be changed to fit what the board thinks is important, but wants to be able to work with the Integrated Consulting Engineers draft.
“This is not final. This can be changed. But keep in mind we want to be able to work with this when we go out and see who is interested in taking on the overall planning of the project for the high school,” Thissen said.
The board will take its notes and present questions to Dwayne Vaughn, principal/mechanical engineer for Integrated Consulting Engineers Inc. at the next board meeting. Vaughn was also the engineer who spent time at HHS and delivered the proposal.
Though it might seem the plan is moving quickly, Thissen said, the process will allow the board to retain its options.
“Whether it’s this year or the next, this doesn’t press any of us that it needs to be done this summer, but it still allows us the timeframe that it could be done,” he said.