The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly enacted an ordinance through consent agenda that would appropriate supplemental funding to complete the Air Conditioner Unit Replacement Project located in the emergency response center server room. The FY22 budget includes an appropriation in the amount of $25,000 to replace the air conditioning unit in the server room of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Emergency Response Center. Additionally, the total costs of the project exceed the estimate in the amount of $3,000.
KPB Mayor Charlie Pierce tells the Finance Committee:
“This is a project that has been appropriated and funds are there. The lead time on this item, it’s been some time and the contractor has come back and said that the item’s going to cost another $3,000. What Brenda’s doing is shoring it up before refrigeration shows up. It’s because of the time period between the time they offered the price and the availability of the item. The item’s ordered. It’s still not anticipated to be here until August, but it’s going to cost us an additional $3,000.”
In enacting the ordinance, the supplemental funding is approved to complete the project as, according to Brenda Ahlberg, Emergency Manager, it’s in the best interest of the Kenai Peninsula Borough to replace the failing A/C unit to maintain a temperature-controlled environment for vital communications equipment that supports emergency management functions.
According to the ordinance, the $3,000 increase is due to an increase in costs for the new equipment, which includes the cost of labor to remove the old system, site preparation, and installation of the new A/C unit.