Bentworth settles lawsuit
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Bentworth School District has settled a lawsuit with an architecture firm that built the high school in 2005, winning $135,000 from three different entities after the school’s heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system failed to work properly.
Bentworth Superintendent Charles Baker said the district had a geothermal HVAC system installed to help curb costs and to be more environmentally friendly. However, Baker said the system never worked properly.
“(The system) consists of numerous wells in a well field. Water is drawn from the earth and then brought into the system. The water is either heated or cooled, depending on the season,” Baker said. “But it never worked right. The pumps were undersized, and the pumps at the end of the system weren’t getting enough water.”
As a result, Baker said the pumps at the end of the system would freeze. The pumps would then burst, sending water into the ceilings and dripping onto the gym floor. In 2008, the district sued the architecture company, Hayes-Large Architect LLP, along with Tobey King Sales Agency Inc., the sales representative, and Aaon Inc., the manufacturer of the geothermal unit.
With the help of a mediator, the lawsuit was settled May 1. On Monday, a copy of the agreement and an order approving the agreement from Washington County President Judge Debbie O’Dell Seneca was entered in the Washington County prothonotary’s office. In total, the school district was awarded $135,000, with $115,00 coming from Hayes-Large, $20,000 coming from Tobey King Sales and $10,000 coming from Aaon.
Baker said the money will be used to replenish the district’s account after it made the necessary repairs last summer.
Baker said August will mark a full year with the properly working system.
“Our electric and heating bills were much higher than what they should have been,” he said. “We are already starting to see reductions.”
A copy of the settlement agreement will be presented to Bentworth School Board at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting May 12.
Attorneys for the three companies could not be reached for comment.