Library board discusses HVAC, carpet schedule and $350,000 generator estimate

The West Bend Community Library board reviewed multiple building and equipment items Tuesday, including a correction to the minutes about a chiller replacement date, an update on carpet delivery, and a $350,000 budget figure for a full-site emergency generator. Board members said the minutes will be corrected to fix the Train chiller date. Library Director Steve said flooring deliveries were expected first to the basement and that matching carpet for the main area had a production date of Oct. 16 but could arrive sooner. “They won’t have the matching carpet for the main area until well, later in October. The production date was set for October 16,” Steve said. The board also discussed larger mechanical work that had previously been budgeted. Steve said the library would defer a major replacement for what he described as a “mammoth” unit estimated in the million-dollar range and instead have an engineer inspect the equipment and suggest targeted repairs. “Building maintenance is going to have an engineer come and look at the map and see what needs to be replaced or what we should expect out of it,” he said. Separately, Steve reported the library has received a company estimate of about $350,000 to replace the facility’s small backup generator with a unit that could power the entire building in an outage. Board members noted the library serves as an emergency shelter under a recent agreement and discussed whether county emergency funds or capital-improvement allocations might help pay for a larger generator. One board member said the county’s capital contribution could cover such an investment over several years; the director said he would raise the question with county contacts but did not promise additional funding. The board also heard that routine maintenance and part replacements have extended the life of some systems: Steve described past replacements of blower motors, frequency drives, and a Tecumseh compressor. No final capital- improvement decision was made; the board indicated staff should continue planning and seek cost details and potential funding sources. The board approved the consent agenda earlier in the meeting with the single correction to the chiller date in the minutes. The board scheduled continued budget and CIP review ahead of upcoming city budget discussions.