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Fayetteville library asks city for $66,522.70 toward full HVAC replacement
Summary
Library director Megan Murr told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen the library's 16-year-old HVAC has forced 25 closures and $90,000 in repairs; the lowest replacement bid is $153,045.40 and the county has approved splitting the cost.
Megan Murr, Fayetteville library director, asked the Board of Mayor and Aldermen during the work session for the city to contribute $66,522.70 toward a full replacement of the library's aging HVAC system.
The request follows an April 21 sealed-bid opening in which the lowest bid to replace the library's system came in at $153,045.40. Murr said the library has closed the building 25 times since a first reported HVAC incident in February 2017 and has spent more than $90,000 on repairs since February 2015. She told the board the current unit is about 16 years old and that “it’s not financially prudent to keep pouring money into a system that’s broken.”
Murr said the Lincoln County Commission approved its half of the replacement cost and that the Friends of the Library have a donation already allocated to the library basement and cannot reallocate it. She said the library recently received a $20,000 donation and that after applying that gift the requested city share falls to $66,522.70.
City staff and aldermen asked questions about timing and whether the donation could be reallocated; Murr said the Friends’ gift is locked in a certificate of deposit and not available for reassignment. Kevin Owens, city administration, told the board staff would follow up with the library during the city’s budget sessions.
No formal motion or vote on funding was recorded at the work session. Mayor’s office and the finance committee plan to discuss the request during the upcoming budget meetings; Owens said city staff will contact Murr to coordinate timing.
If the board approves the city share, the proposal would cover one half of the $153,045.40 bid after applying the $20,000 donation; the county has already approved its portion. The library and city plan further follow-up during the budget process.
