Gilmer County Commissioners have authorized an emergency expenditure of $685,000 to fix the control system for the HVAC system at the courthouse.
Gilmer County Chair Charlie Paris said the current control system installed during the winter of 2023 was installed by Runyan and Associates.
Commissioners were told during the March 28 special called meeting about issues with the system by Director of Facilities and Building Maintenance Eric Playford. He said there were problems getting the HVAC system to turn on and said in some instances the system would give feedback indicating units were on when they were not.
“My first question is, we were sold something that doesn’t work, what recourse do we have,” asked Post Commissioner Hubert Parker.
County Attorney David Clark said there were two contracts which complicated things. He said the county is sitting on some payments it could withhold.
“Even though we may have, by that second contract, waived the provision that it has to work with Trane, that doesn’t waive the provision that it actually has to work,” said Paris.
Clark said it could take two years down the road to see that the controlling system works.
On Monday, April 1, Paris said the current system cost in the neighborhood of $120,000 with Runyan and Associates.
“Their position is it is a good system and they can make it work,” he said.
Paris said he will be working with Runyan and Associates to get the system working before moving to the $685,000 contract with Trane to rebuild the system from scratch.
The control system unifies the various HVAC units which serves the different areas of the courthouse.
Short-term rental ordinance
Commissioners will be moving into version 13 of the proposed short-term rental ordinance following an hour of citizens comments at the March 28 meeting.
“They are making some good points,” Paris said of the public comments.
Comments varied from people who said the ordinance was a good compromise, to residents who said they were dealing with the aftermath of problem guests and short-term rental owners who said the ordinance was too restrictive.
As part of the process, commissioners will be creating a board made up of various stakeholders to help review and refine the ordinance.
Changes to the ordinance include an advisory board created by the ordinance to help review complaints and issues which may arise with short-term rentals.
Paris said the severity of penalties for the first complaint will be softened in the new version.
“But, there might well be a 14,” Paris quipped.
He also told audience members there would be more public comment meetings.
Other business
Commissioners appointed Diane Scheisser to the Joint Comprehensive Board.