Electrical upgrade approved for Dellwood Childcare

CLINTONVILLE – The Clintonville Board of Education approved an electrical upgrade for Dellwood Childcare Center to allow for air conditioning units to be plugged directly into electric receptacles.

The board approved the electrical upgrade at a cost of $3,535 when it met Aug. 24. The funds for the electrical upgrade, which will be done by Krueger’s Sign & Electric, Inc. of Clintonville, will come from Fund 80.

During the discussion, Clintonville Superintendent Troy Kuhn told the board that the district was recently notified that Dellwood Childcare Center is not in compliance regarding its air conditioning units. He said there is an 80-degree limit requirement by the state because Dellwood is a childcare center.

The air conditioning units at Dellwood Childcare Center have been running with the use of extension cords, and that was flagged during a recent walk-through inspection of the building, Kuhn said. He added that the units must be plugged directly into electrical receptacles without the use of extension cords.

Kuhn said the district received a bid for $3,535 from Krueger’s Sign & Electric, Inc. to furnish and install seven 120 Volt receptacles with surface mount wiremold from the nearest circuit for powering the window air conditioning units.

While Kuhn acknowledged he has had conversations with some board members regarding only one bid being requested by the district, he said if the electrical upgrades are not completed, childcare can not be done at Dellwood Childcare Center when it is warmer than 80 degrees.

Board member Jason Moder said the district must get into compliance and not run extension cords throughout the building.

“But at the same time, we need to do our due diligence and not just take somebody’s word for granted every time that that’s a good price,” Moder said.

Kuhn said he would take responsibility for soliciting only one bid.

Stephen Reinke, director of Buildings and Grounds for the Clintonville School District, told the board that the Clintonville Fire Department would give the district time to correct the issue.

Moder asked how long extension cords have been used for the air conditioning units.

Board Clerk Laurie Vollrath said extension cords have been used since Dellwood Childcare Center opened.

“I’m wondering why all of a sudden its against fire code now, when it wasn’t for the last five, six years?” Moder asked.

Reinke said it depends on who the fire inspector is doing the inspection.

Moder added, either way, the issue needs to be fixed.