What's missing from your editorial on the fight over the lack of air conditioning in some Baltimore city and county schools was any validation of the costs and timelines put forward by the two sides ("Board to Hogan and Franchot: Do your own dirty work," May 18).
Based on years working in the management of educational facilities in Maryland, both private and public, I think that the budgets put forward by both sides are off by a great deal.
The $27 million to air-condition 2,000 classrooms suggested by Baltimore's school CEO — some $13,500 per classroom — is almost certainly excessive.
Likewise, the $10 million to air-condition 4,000 classrooms suggested by Comptroller Franchot is laughably low.
Considering the age of the buildings and the fact that most of the work to install window units would involve electrical work, a cost of $6,000 to $7,000 per classroom would be more realistic.
However, what do you get for that expenditure? Window units would be maintenance nightmares once they have a bit of age on them. Window units also do a very poor job of evenly cooling large spaces like classrooms, and they use far more electricity than properly designed central or zoned air-conditioning or heat pump units.
An adult approach would have the county and city school systems get the design and mechanical engineering work done by a reasonable deadline and for all parties to stop wasting time with this silly game of chicken.
William Bell, Columbia