La Verne library to replace fire alarm panel after brownout; emergency purchase, budget amendment planned

La Verne library staff told the Library Board on March 10 that a recent brownout damaged the library’s fire alarm panel and that city administration authorized an emergency replacement.

Library representatives said the existing fire panel is original to the building and that city administration, including City Administrator Bruce, designated the replacement an emergency purchase so work could begin immediately. Staff said the new work will replace the panel, strobes, sirens and related sensors, and quoted two equal initial payments: a 50% deposit of $10,968.46 and a second payment of $10,968.45, with an itemized 12‑page payment schedule included in the vendor proposal. Installation was scheduled for March 24–28.

The board was told the purchase will be funded by a budget amendment to the library’s current‑year general fund allocation and that the Board of Mayor and Aldermen will be notified; the ratification will be placed on the BOMA agenda in April. Library staff said Turner Security provided the quote and that city staff had previously used Turner for interim work to restore service after earlier outages.

Board members asked whether the quoted surge protection would protect the building’s power supply; staff clarified the surge protection is for the new fire panel only and not whole‑building power conditioning. No formal roll‑call or voice vote on the replacement was recorded in the transcript during the board meeting; city administration had already marked the purchase as an emergency procurement to allow immediate work.