For those wondering why there is a massive crane and other heavy equipment behind Bridgeport High School, there are roughly 500,000 reasons. It’s all part of multiple air conditioning units being placed on top of the school.

According to Harrison County Board of Education Clerk of the Works Neil Quinn, there are seven units being installed. He said the cost for the units comes in at $500,000.

 

“It is part of a contract Harrison County has with the ESG (Energy Systems Group) that is doing all the work throughout the county with our schools,” said BOE Assistant Superintendent of Operations Anthony Fratto. “The contract is for $6 million and we hope to have all the HVAC work done throughout the county by fall.”

 

Fratto said the agreement is beneficial on multiple fronts for the county. Not only does the arrangement allow the school board up to 15 years to pay the $6 million cost off, but ESG guarantees levels of savings with the new HVAC units as well as the new lighting that has been put in place. The lighting, Fratto said, should be done across the county by the end of summer.

“The theory is that if you had, and I’m just using numbers for an example here, a $500,000 energy bill then it should drop to $350,000 with the $150,000 in savings going toward the debt. They actually guarantee the savings so if it’s not met, then we don’t pay,” said Fratto.

 

One other group isn’t paying as a result of this project – the City of Bridgeport and its taxpayers. Part of the half a million dollar project involves new air conditioning for the cafeteria and commons area, which the City of Bridgeport had offered to cover the cost of air conditioning for. Bridgeport, which is allowed to use municipal tax dollars on school-related projects as part of their Home Rule designation, argued that the benefits would be to the school as well as the community, which uses the cafeteria and commons area for multiple public events.

 

The argument proved to be moot as the BOE moved forward with the plan at BHS without the city stepping in financially. Not only are those areas that the city was going to adress now going to have air conditioning, but the auditorium will have its 20-year-old unit replaced, Quinn said.

 

“There are several older units being replaced and this will assist in providing air conditioning in classroom settings as well in the area around the cafeteria,” said Quinn.

 

Quinn said the process to install the air conditioning units is not an easy one. He said it will take at least a day or longer just to get the crane in position and stable to lift the units. He said it’s a lengthy task. However, Fratto said it’s one that’s worth the time.

 

“This is a giant upgrade for Bridgeport High School because it provides needed air conditioning to areas that didn’t previously have it and puts in new units in much-needed areas as well, including instructional areas,” said Fratto. “When you raise the air quality then you raise the ability to get better work by students and teachers. I think this will be an addition that will be welcome by those at the high school.”

 

Editor's Note: Prep work is shown being done early Wednesday afternoon in the student parking lot behind Bridgeport High School.