Bonds could boost NW maintenance
ELIZABETH GOLDEN/DAILY FORUM
Northwest Missouri State University is in the process of qualifying for $6.8 million from the state dedicated toward deferred maintenance needs. The power plant, pictured here, is one of three areas identified as needing improvement in addition to window repairs and electrical system repairs.
The Missouri legislature is in the process of deciding to approve bonds, which would finance various long-delayed repairs and renovations at Northwest Missouri State University.
Senate Bill 723, approved during the 2014 state legislative session, increased the state’s bonding capacity to $600 million, including a $200 million increase for projects at the state’s universities.
In the 2015 legislative session, Nixon is planning to introduce a supplemental appropriation bill to authorize the issuance of bonds to fund $200 million in higher education maintenance and repair projects, which would be allocated proportionally between two-year and four-year institutions.
“We have a backlog of deferred maintenance needs,” said Stacy Carrick, vice president of finance at Northwest. “These are things you don’t see, they’re behind the scenes and not often funded by donors. These repairs go unfunded in a lot of situations since they’re ignored when the money gets tight.”
Out of the $200 million, Northwest’s share of the bonding funds is currently projected to be $6.8 million, Carrick said.
“One of the challenges we’ve had over the years is having funds to be able to address many deferred maintenance needs,” Carrick said. “Protecting our infrastructure while addressing life safety and energy efficiencies continues to be a priority in addressing our repairs.”
In 2011, Northwest completed a study, which identified the campus’s deferred maintenance needs, and it was estimated that more that the university needed more than $120 million in deferred maintenance repairs.
If funded, Northwest has requested to utilize the funds for a variety of projects, including electrical system repairs, physical plant chiller/absorber repairs and window replacements.
“We are going with the most critical areas,” Carrick said. “We are appreciative to get the funds, but it’s a small amount of what we need to do.”
As for the repair of electrical systems, Carrick said the purpose of those funds is to address safety issues regarding the system.
“Our electrical systems as our power distribution system is at its life expectancy with no additional capacity,” she said. “Deferred maintenance repairs are needing to address electrical distribution panels, transformers, switchgears, distribution lines and wiring needs.”
In addition, the physical plant operating system has exceeded its life and is in need of major refurbishment, Carrick said.
The repairs would include an overhaul of chillers, towers and absorbers as well as repair and replacement of the tanks, lines and electrical panels, and installation of variable frequency drives and computer software upgrades to manage the operation and efficiency of the plant.
As for window replacements, Carrick said the purpose of those funds is to replace windows in some academic and support buildings that do not operate properly, resulting in air and water infiltration.
“Replacing these windows will help address damage to the building interior structures as well as allow for continued improvements in energy efficiency,” Carrick said.
Without the funds, Carrick said the deferred maintenance needs could go untouched.
“More than likely, without the funds we only deal with the issue when we have a failure,” she said. “We’re not able to come up with $7 million on an annual basis to fund these deferred needs.”
Although the funds are minimal compared to the need, Carrick is grateful to receive the amount.
“I’m excited and hopeful,” she said. “We’re appreciative of any funding we can get, and we hope it will help us address some of our deferred maintenance needs.”
