Cole County approves $157,550 change order to lower rooftop HVAC units at law enforcement center

County staff and representatives from United Mechanical Services briefed commissioners on curb adapters for new rooftop HVAC units at the law enforcement center and recommended a change order to use a different adapter that lowers unit height and improves serviceability.

A county speaker explained that the originally specified adapters would leave new units 812 feet off the roof, requiring technicians to work on ladders on a rubber roof and increasing the risk of slips and roof damage. United Mechanical's representative George Clapper was present; staff said the recommended adapters would keep units lower and reduce the chance of roof penetrations during maintenance.

The change order added $157,550 to the contract. Staff emphasized safety and long-term roof preservation as primary drivers. Commissioners questioned whether the information should have been in the original submittal book and whether site verification should have been performed before bidding; the project team responded that the change followed engineering review after award.

A motion to approve Change Order No. 1 for the law enforcement center rooftop curb adapters was made, seconded and approved.

Next steps: staff will incorporate the change order into the contract and proceed with procurement and installation sequencing, with temporary cooling plans to maintain operations while work is done.