If everything goes as planned, things will cool down at the Cowley County Courthouse this spring.
County commissioners approved 2-0 a motion to purchase a chiller from Winfield Heating and Plumbing for $259,000. The courthouse has been without air conditioning for more than a year.
Commissioner Alan Groom abstained from voting to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest because he often does welding on Winfield Heating and Plumbing’s projects, said county administrator Lukas Goff.
The bid price includes installation of an outside chiller and electricity and plumbing for it. Included in that price is $75,000 that could go toward a courtyard wall to enclose the chiller. Additional costs are $10,300 for temperature controls from Five Star and $3,230 to get an in-stock chiller. Goff said getting a chiller the company already has on hand instead of waiting for them to build it will cost a bit more but will make it available faster.
Time is short to get the project done before the hot weather sets in, Goff said, so they want to get the project under way as soon as possible.
(Read more: The Arkansas City Traveler)