Big doings slated for Ericson Public Library

Thanks in part to allocations of funds from Boone City Council, there are several big happenings slated for Ericson Public Library, from roof replacement to a tuck point and painting project.

The librarys boiler and chiller replacement is among the citys many Capital Improvement Projects for the next fiscal year, which city staff expects to get funded by a $3.1 million bond proposal it will put out to bid possibly in late June.

Council approved $203,000 for the librarys three boilers and a chiller with two compressors, which were installed in 1991. Very little maintenance was done from 2000 to 2008 and the equipment has been failing during the last five years. Instead of making continual repairs, council decided to save money and allocate the $203,000 for new equipment.

Theyve all kind of outlived their life expectancy, library director Jamie Williams said. Well get a newer system for better efficiency.

Another highlight for the library is councils approval of carrying over the Local Option Sales Tax funds, totaling $18,000, for a tuck point and painting project for the building.

The original plan was to paint the first floor stairwell coming in, but there was a lot of chipping paint, Williams said. And also paint the first floor and the second floor. There has been no painting since the remodel in 1995. But there were issues with the chipping and it would require a lot of plaster repair.

It was discovered that moisture was getting in through the buildings brickwork, Williams said, which is the obvious reason for first doing tuck point work before painting. The majority of the tuck point work needs to be done near the main entrance, the windows above it and near the Ericson Public Library sign, Williams said.

Im waiting to hear back on tuck point estimates, she said. A lot of contractors have come and looked at it.

Williams said she hopes the tuck point work can be done in April so the painting and plaster repair can be done in June or July.

The first priority is getting the stairwell painting done, she said, then proceed to painting the first floor.

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Big doings slated for Ericson Public Library