COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Board of Commissioners plans to meet with the architect and the construction manager sometime in the future in an attempt to find a permanent solution to the ongoing problems with the heating, ventilation and air conditioning at the Burnside Senior Center in Coldwater.
A new HVAC system was installed as part of a major renovation to the facility which was completed in March 2017, but it has not functioned properly. At one point, there was such a strong pressure imbalance that the membrane of the flat roof was damaged after it inflated.
The Commission on Aging and the County Commissioners have tried to get the problem fixed for nearly a year.
Commission on Aging Board of Directors Chair Gordon Gentry told Commissioners that Executive Director Amy Duff and her staff have been forced to reset the units when they stop working. He said they had to climb ladders outside in order to access the control panels and they were concerned about their safety.
Commission Chair Ted Gordon said there have been many meetings but it seems like there has been one step forward and two steps back. Gordon felt it has become a real issue to have Duff and her staff climb ladders to reset the units.
A letter detailing the problems was sent to Carrier’s corporate office in Connecticut. While the letter does not say anything about possible lawsuits, commissioners have discussed legal action in the past if the problems were not fixed. While the warranty was extended for a year, its time will run out next March.