Water Authority Awards Bid for Air Handling Work at Community Building

The Effingham Water Authority has awarded furnace and air conditioning work at the Lake Sara Community Building.

Merz Heating and Air Conditioning of Effingham was awarded the work for $11,985.  Trustee Jim Boos said the Merz bid was slightly higher than the low bid, but said the bid included an additional furnace, which he said is worth the extra money.

We were contacted by another heating and air conditioning vendor Thursday afternoon, who did not wish to identify himself.  The vendor said other vendors were directed to bid a furnace and air handler, not a second furnace.

Boos said the vendors were told to bid a furnace and either a second furnace OR an air handler.  He said he expected the bids on the furnace to be considerably higher than an air handler, but when the Merz bid on the second furnace came in "just a couple hundred dollars" higher", the Board decided to award the bid to Merz. 

Boos said a second furnace unit will give them a backup should the first unit go out.

Boos had indicated that there might be additional cost for electrical work to upgrade the service, but Lake Superintendent Gene Arnold responded that Norris Electric has agreed to do the upgrade at no charge.

In other business, Arnold said he would follow up on cleaning out the ditches in Schafer Estates as discussed at a special meeting earlier this month.

Trish Gronlund of the Good Neighbors of Lake Sara presented the Board and employees with a 2013 calendar that the Good Neighbors put together and is selling.

Arnold was directed to issue a building permit for construction of an office building for Anthony Acres Motel, since there are no building guidelines for construction on commercial property.

Trustee Chris Kabbes said plans to move The Stage at the Marina were tabled since owner Brian Larson could not attend the meeting.  Larson has proposed moving The Stage across the road, behind the maintenance shed, facing north.

Tom Ryan reported that the 2012 erosion project is complete, with the exception of a small amount of work next year.