Air Conditioning in 109 Schools Gets Closer

Air conditioning at the Village’s elementary and middle schools got closer to reality based on a committee report given Monday at the Deerfield Public Schools District 109 Board of Education meeting.

The committee discussed a number of proposals and will have a complete presentation for the Board at its January meeting. The project will likely be completed over two summers but could be done to start the 2013-14 school year, according to Board member Steve Schwartz.

“It’ a two-year plan but there is a chance it can be done in one. We’ll start with the two-story buildings,” Schwartz said. “We’ll present a proposal to the Board in January and we anticipate it will go through.”

The cost of the air conditioning will be approximately $10 million and will be part of an overall $15 million project upgrading electrical systems and other facilities, according to Schwartz and Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Finance Greg Himebaugh. “The cost includes electrical work we would have done anyway,” Schwartz said.

Though a push for air conditioning in the schools came after a late August heat wave, the District has been marshalling its assets for such an occasion.

“A lot of this has been set aside a part of our seven year capital project,” Himebaugh said. “These are items this Board has progressively saved for over the years.” Schwartz indicated there is no decision yet how to finance the project.

After discussing three plans—one was cost prohibitive—the committee settled on an idea removing existing univentilators from rooms which have them and installing larger units to cool a designated area. Removing the existing units also leaves more room for classroom space, according to Schwartz.

London Updates Superintendent Search

Candidates to replace retiring Superintendent Renee Goier have been reduced to three ahead of announcing her successor in January, according to Board President Ellen London. Six people were initially interviewed.

“Each will be seen this week,” London said of the three finalists. “(We’ll do this) Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings and we’ll meet Saturday to discuss.” The three remaining contenders will also appear before a community committee.

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