At last look, the city of Henderson was mulling a plan to fix an ailing air conditioning system at the Peabody Building estimated to cost $3.5 million.
But a proposal discussed at Tuesday’s Henderson City Commission meeting reduces that amount by $2.5 million.
City Manager Dylan Ward said the $1 million plan would first require the city to buy three pieces of equipment for about $400,000.
While the equipment is on order, work to complete deconstruction of the affected areas for the air conditioning system would need to occur during the winter, Ward said.
Also while the deconstruction is occurring, the city would need to award a contract to install the equipment, which if all goes well would occur in late winter and early spring before being completed in early May, Ward said. But he added early May is an “aggressive” timeline to meet.
The deconstruction and installation is estimated to cost around $600,000.
The board gave Ward a nod of approval to pursue the plan. The city manager said the next city commission meeting, a special called meeting on Dec. 16, will include a municipal order that would authorize the purchase of the equipment.
There is a sense of urgency to the plan.
Completing the work by May is important to city officials because they don’t want to find themselves in the same position they were in last year. Last summer, the malfunctioning air conditioning unit forced many city and county employees to move to the old Henderson Municipal Power & Light building at 100 Fifth St.
The city put in place an air conditioning support system but found it didn’t keep the building cool enough on really hot days, according to a July Hendersonian report.
City officials contemplated moving out of the Peabody Building and relocating, and last summer Mayor Brad Staton indicated that there were some opportunities to do just that. At Tuesday’s meeting, Staton said officials discussed purchasing another building, but the city’s finances didn’t support that.
“I like where we ended up,” Staton said. “I appreciate the fact that it saves 2 ½ million dollars of taxpayer money.”
But he cautioned that there’s little room for delays.
“I don’t want to get into a situation where we’re going into the heat of the summer and don’t have this in place,” the mayor said.
In other news, Staton pitched an idea that would ask the city government, Henderson Water Utility, Henderson Municipal Gas and Henderson Municipal Power & Light to each donate $15,000 to put into a utility fund “to get our people through the winter.”
All commissioners were in favor of the plan. Commissioner Kelsey Hargis, however, said she wanted to be sure the assistance goes to residents who truly need it. Staton agreed.
Staton said he will put together a final plan and bring it back for a vote in the December meeting.
Additionally, the city also recognized new employees:
- Kolten Lynn, Police Officer, Police Department
- Angelina Spies, Police Officer, Police Department
- Aaron Hamilton, Police Officer, Police Department
- Jason Hargitt, Police Officer/SRO, Police Department
- Bryan Trimbom, Police Officer, Police Department
- Michael McFadden, Safety and Training Coordinator, Safety
- Nick Paul, Utility System Worker I, Henderson Water Utility
With Hargitt’s hire at Holy Name School, every longstanding school in the county now has a school resource officer. That includes all the elementary schools, North and South middle schools, Henderson County High School and Thelma B. Johnson Early Learning Center in the public school system, as well as Holy Name and Henderson Community College. Holy Name has signed an MOU with the city of Henderson in which the school pays Hargitt’s salary.
The city awarded two Community Spotlight awards at Tuesday’s meeting. First, members of Jerusalem Masonic Lodge #9 were recognized for their work cleaning headstones at cemeteries throughout the county.
And four HPD officers were honored with the second Community Spotlight for their part in saving the life of Debbie Hein. The officers involved Zachary Wareyko, Austin Hatchett, Cooper Quinn and Colten Edwards.
On the night of Nov. 2, the officers rushed to the home of Joe and Debbie Hein on Millcreek Drive, where the building was engulfed in flames. Wareyko busted through a window, found Debbie Hein and then helped her get out of another window, where the other HPD officers were outside to help her get out. The Hein’s grandson, Kevin, was also in the home and got out. Joe Hein died in the fire.
“The actions of these four officers were a clear display of the selfless courage and commitment our community expects and receives from its police department,” said an HPD Facebook post. “We are incredibly proud of their bravery.”
