Northeast Texas Community College maintenance staff are working to restore heating to the campus †ahead of the Arctic blast that will bring freezing temperatures to the area this week. All campus heat was shut down Monday while temporary repairs were made on a chiller loop leak in the Learning Resource Center.
"Leaks like this†are becoming more frequent. The pipes beneath the campus are deteriorating and breaking at an alarming rate," Dr. Brad Johnson, NTCC President, said. "Each time this happens, it†costs us time and money.†We are not talking about easy fixes."
Tim Johnston, NTCC's Director of Plant Services sent out an e-mail to †employees Monday morning, apologizing for the inconvenience of having no heat:
"At this time, I cannot give an estimated completion timeline, but I will inform you as early as possible. We are going to try our best to get back on line before the colder weather sets in," Johnston, said in the e-mail.
This is not the first time the campus has lost functionality due to leaks in the chiller system. Over the course of a year, the college†experienced†as many as 16 major failures of the air conditioning/heating, water or sewage systems. †Several of these failures resulted in students and staff having to leave campus to find restroom facilities.
"Our underground infrastructure problems are disrupting the campus. We are now to the point where it is affecting our ability to fulfill our mission on a day-to-day basis. You cannot†operate†a college without reliable heating, cooling,†sewer†and running water," Johnson said.
The two bond-related propositions on the†November†ballot were the funding plan for a major campus repair and renovation.† Proposition One, to address the college?s tax cap, barely failed and proposition two is so close that the final outcome depends on the counting of provisional ballots.
"As soon as we know the results of Proposition 2, our board will†begin considering its next steps.†The college is seeking feedback from the community about the facility needs so decisions can be made that fit the needs and expectations of our district," Johnson said.
