Buildings & Grounds Committee Recommends HVAC Maintenance Pacts, Hears Property Grievances

Montgomery County Buildings and Grounds Committee | March 2026

Article Summary: The Montgomery County Buildings and Grounds Committee approved scheduled maintenance agreements for key courthouse HVAC equipment while facing public criticism over the county’s negotiation tactics for a neighboring property.

Facilities Management Key Points:

• The committee advanced $3,895 in annual maintenance agreements with Henson Robinson Company for the courthouse’s chiller and boilers.

• MCR Realty Professionals representative Brandi Lentz publicly criticized the county for a lack of transparency during property negotiations for 127 N. Main Street.

• The committee directed Maintenance Director Phil Ernst to research purchasing a new snow blower rather than modifying an existing side-by-side vehicle.

The Montgomery County Buildings and Grounds Committee on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, locked in preventative maintenance contracts for critical courthouse climate control systems while navigating tense public pushback regarding real estate negotiations.

Under the maintenance report, the committee reviewed Planned Maintenance Agreements from Springfield-based Henson Robinson Company. The contracts are designed to provide scheduled, preventative maintenance for the county’s heavy-duty HVAC infrastructure. The agreements cover two Lochinvar Knight XL high-efficiency boilers at a cost of $1,895 per year, and the Daikin AGZ Chiller at a cost of $2,000 per year. Connie Beck made a motion to recommend the agreements, which was seconded by Russell Beason and passed unanimously.

The routine maintenance approvals were contrasted by a pointed public comment period. Brandi Lentz of MCR Realty Professionals, who is representing the owners of the property at 127 North Main Street, addressed the committee to express profound dissatisfaction with the county’s ongoing purchase negotiations.

Lentz accused the county of a “lack of transparency” and questioned why the county had submitted three separate offers that fell below the property’s assessed value. She claimed the county’s process has actively restricted her client from considering other offers, reminding the committee that the seller had initially offered the property to the county before it was formally listed. Citing previous disagreements with Committee Chairman Mark Hughes, Lentz formally requested that another board member be assigned to handle the negotiations moving forward.

Later in the meeting, the committee entered a 15-minute closed executive session to discuss the progress of the 127 N. Main Street property purchase. Upon returning to open session, Chairman Hughes reported that another offer and counter-offer had been made, but no final agreement had been reached.

In equipment matters, the committee reviewed a proposal from Maintenance Director Phil Ernst to modify the Sheriff’s four-by-four side-by-side vehicle into a snow plow. While the committee agreed that Ernst’s current snow blower needs to be replaced, they preferred to purchase a dedicated machine rather than heavily modifying the existing vehicle. Evan Young made a motion, seconded by Beason, directing Ernst to search for a new standalone snow blower. The motion carried unanimously.

Meeting Briefs:

Historic Woodwork Restoration Approved for Board Room
The Buildings & Grounds Committee on February 3 advanced a proposal to restore the historic woodwork inside the County Board Room. The committee recommended a $10,750 bid from Cinric Painting to re-stain and refinish the room’s handrails, judge’s bench, and decorative moldings. The project will be heavily subsidized by the remaining $5,903.67 of a $10,000 DCEO grant, as well as a $3,000 personal pledge from Resident Circuit Judge Kit Hantla. The committee specifically opted for staining the wood rather than painting it to preserve its historic integrity.