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Trustees press town on persistent HVAC, building issues at Southborough Library
Summary
Trustees spent significant time on June 9 discussing ongoing HVAC and facility problems, including inconsistent temperatures between upstairs and downstairs, and directed staff to invite town facilities management to diagnose and respond.
The Southborough Library Board of Trustees devoted an extended portion of the June 9 meeting to building and HVAC problems that trustees and staff said have recurred for years.
Library staff reported wide temperature swings between the library’s upstairs and downstairs spaces. "It was 65.5 in the children's room today," the director said, adding staff and patrons had complained the upstairs can become hot while the downstairs is very cold when the air conditioning cycles. Trustees described past repair work and said the issue persisted after a recent system update.
Trustees and staff discussed possible fixes, including better zoning, ceiling fans and, as a longer-term option, installing mini-split units on one level. Several trustees said the contractor who installed the HVAC system (Renard, named in the meeting) should be asked to return and diagnose unresolved issues. "If they redid the HVAC system a couple years ago... they are the ones who need to come back and fix whatever they did wrong," one trustee said.
Members asked the chair to invite John Parent (town facilities) or his manager to the next trustees meeting to explain what steps have been taken and what remains to be done. The director said he would invite the facilities representative. Trustees also discussed whether capital improvements would fall to the town's capital budget rather than the library operating budget and asked staff to pursue escalation if repairs are not completed.
No formal action was taken at the meeting; trustees requested follow-up and said they want a facilities representative to attend a future meeting to provide a diagnosis and timeline for repairs.
