Lincoln Elementary School in Ottawa won’t be getting air conditioning for now. School District Architect Bill Taylor told the school board Tuesday that the school needed to get an electrical upgrade before window units or geothermal energy could be installed at the school. But because of supply chain issues, getting electrical equipment could take between six and ten months. He says if the district had gotten bids out in June this year, the project could have happened if everything arrived on time.
He also says the future of getting electrical equipment isn’t looking good either.
The school board later voted 5-1 to rescind a vote from last year that would have allowed Supt. Michelle Lee to look for bidders for the project. Board Pres. Brendan Donahue says it would have cost the district a half a million dollars just to go out for bid. Board Member Mary Ganiere was the one no vote because she still believes that geothermal energy would be the best for student because it will heat and cool the school while keeping the air clean. Lee says the district will do the best it can.