Orchard board addresses concerns during special meeting

Orchard village trustees discussed concerns about buckling gym floors and heating and cooling systems during a special meeting held July 25, at 6 p.m., at the former school site.

Edges of the floor have been buckling from humidity, due to asbestos tiles below. In the past, Tony Tabbert, the school’s janitor, cut the floor, flipped tiles to relieve pressure, then glued it back down. Trustees discussed blocking edges of the gym for laser tag during Orchard Celebration Days, to prevent people from tripping on buckles. Village maintenance man, Bruce Horstmann, will fix the floor once the weather cools.

Discussion segued to the building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. Board chairman, Stephanie Cleveland, spoke with James Loutzenhiser from the Nebraska Public Power District, who he said it is a “very good system and it should hopefully be able to be fixed.”

When Cleveland spoke with NPPD, officials told her they would hate to get rid of it if the system would work. NPPD contacted an Omaha company that said since attempts to fix the system have failed, they are not sure it would be feasible to continue spending money on the system.

According to Cleveland, after exhausting warranty and insurance claims, school officials paid a “large amount of money to Trane on top of that.”

Trustee Curt Mitteis said Mel Alexander, who designed and sold the HVAC, thinks it is a communication problem between parts inside to the parts outside. The three-story school HVAC works, so Alexander mentioned connecting some of those units to the gym.

Leaking freon was one culprit experienced with the system. Mitteis suggested Mike Kratz, from O’Neill, to make repairs.

Trustee John Ferguson said the village needs to continue getting bids while still having people look at the HVAC system so that could move the process along.

According to Cleveland, bids would need to be specific about what rooms will be rented and for what use.

Initial bids to heat the gym ran $75,000.

“I guess my thoughts are when we bought this, this was our big deal … the community center,” Mitteis said. “That outta be our priority, getting it to be a community center.”

After further discussion, trustees said two sets of bids could be placed - one for individual rooms and one for the gym. Cleveland added that an engineer would not be needed for this project because the unit would not need to be hung up. Part of the parking lot could be fenced off for it to be kept in that area.

Ferguson said Force Equipment in Omaha is taking over Samsung and Mitteis said he would call to continue trying for more information.

“I don’t think we should just walk away without trying,” Mitteis said.

He asked how this HVAC would be paid for. Orchard Young Men’s Club raised money for the community center, and Cleveland said she would look into it.

Several fundraiser suggestions have been made, including dueling pianos, where the Orchard Community Club, The Den and Dusty’s would work together. Proceeds from alcohol sales from that event would be earmarked for the community center. Hosting fundraisers would be a continued process to raise money.

Trustee Glen Cheatum asked about using LB840 funds. Cleveland said there would be “a lot of questions to ask the auditors” to see whether something could be done.

Currently LB840 receipts are split between the village’s general fund and the economic development fund. The economic development fund has more than $100,000 at this time.

Designation of where the money should go could be changed by a public vote. For example, the economic development funds could be split, with 25% going toward the community center.

Cleveland emphasized, again, two points about using sales tax funds, noting this process still needs to be discussed with auditors to make sure the fund could be there and changing the designation of funds would require a vote by the public.

We’re not asking them for more money,” Cleveland said. “We’re not increasing sales tax; we’re just adjusting where it goes.”

If the village decides to change the split of funds, a special election, via mail-in ballot, would take place.