WHEELING – Ohio County Schools will continue its heating, ventilation and air conditioning maintenance contract with Siemens for at least another year while the school district takes measures to bid out the contract in 2027.

Representatives from the H.E. Neumann company of Wheeling earlier this month made a presentation to board of education members telling them a contract with their company could save Ohio County Schools $2,799,277 over the next decade, or more than $200,000 annually, over what they are currently paying with Siemens.

This was possible because of the use of “Purple Swift” software – crafted by former Siemens engineers with ties to Martins Ferry – that would take over the proprietary controls over the system presently held by Siemens.

The contract being offered by H.E. Neumann would cost Ohio County Schools $535,000 in the first year, compared to $720,700 Siemens would charge.

H.E. Neumann provided a breakdown showing that over the next 10 years, Siemens would have charged the school district a collective $9,192,832, compared to a proposed $6,393,555 by H.E. Neumann.

After discussion this week, board members voted 3-2 to maintain the contract with Siemens but look further into bidding out the contract next year. Voting “yes” were board president David Croft and members Andy Garber and Ann Hercules. Those voting “no” were Molly Aderholt and Bernie Albertini.

David Crumm, director of operations for Ohio County Schools, had advised board members that in other areas where a “Purple Swift” takeover of Siemens controls was initiated it wasn’t always successful at first.

He suggested the school district take time and do the research first to make sure the technology will do the job in Ohio County Schools.

Plans now are to start assembling bid criteria, contact potential contractors, and have bids ready to go out in January, according to Croft.

“(Crumm) thought it was a high risk to try to switch vendors without being able to test systems in a fair manner,” he said. “It also makes sense if we do change vendors we do so by July 1 (of 2027) rather than during winter break.”

Croft acknowledged he really would like to save money for the school district.

“I’m leaning in the way, if we can save $200,000 a year and have the same level of service,” he said. “We can save that money to buy more buses and start schools later.”