Indian Prairie Dist. 204 approves air conditioning for 19 schools
Nineteen elementary schools in Indian Prairie Unit District 204 will be getting partial building air-conditioning systems under a $2.7 million contract the school board approved 5-2 Monday night.
While the topic was air conditioning, the discussion was heated. School board members talked over each other at several points, and they disagreed about the wisdom of taking on the $2.7 million expense when the timing of state payments is uncertain.
Jay Strang, chief school business officer, said the state is likely to be late on the four major payments due to the district this year.
If only three payments come in during this budget year, the district stands to lose $4.5 million, and if only two payments are made, the district could lose $9.5 million.
Board President Lori Price and board member Mark Rising, both of whom are running for re-election in a field of four candidates seeking three seats, voted against the air-conditioning contract.
“I'm not ready to take that gamble at this point,” Price said.
Rising said he opposed the contract because of a desire to maintain a balanced budget. That won't be the case — with or without the air-conditioning contract — if the state makes only three of its payments to the district this year. But if the district didn't spend on air conditioning, the deficit would be less than the projected $4.5 million.
“As much as I want air conditioning, I'm having a hard time saying, 'Let's go and spend this money when we're going to find areas to cut,'” Rising said. “It seems counterproductive to me.”
Board members who voted to approve the contract with a contractor called Commercial Mechanical and allow installation to begin said it's time to provide relief to students and teachers in 19 elementary schools that don't have full cooling systems. Those schools will receive air conditioning, on average, in four more rooms for a total of 100 more classrooms to be air-conditioned across the district, which serves students in Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield.
“Those kids were in the worst possible conditions last (school) year,” board member Maria Curry said about a series of hot days in September 2013. “I as a parent, if my kid was in that elementary school, I would hold us to the fire about doing something about this situation. It is untenable for us to continue year after year allowing these kids to go to school and endure the discomfort that you and I would never endure on our jobs.”
The district agreed last August to move forward with partial air conditioning after it was recommended by a focus group.