Lakeville Library approves $19,720 AV upgrade funded by Chase Fund

The Lakeville Library Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to accept a $19,720.60 proposal from East West Associates to upgrade the library's audiovisual system, with the money to come from the Chase Fund.

Board members said the trustees compared two proposals before the vote: East West Associates at $19,720.60 and a higher local bid from Oakhurst at $26,176.27. Board members noted the Oakhurst proposal included a brighter projector (roughly 6,000 lumens in discussion) while the East West package used a 5,000-lumen model; trustees asked staff to request a 6,000-lumen quote from East West before installation if that upgrade was available.

The motion to approve the East West Associates proposal was made by Trustee Patrick Marshall and seconded by Chair Ruth Gross. The board approved the motion by voice vote.

The board discussed warranty and service terms: East West offers 180 days of on-site service coverage included in the price and referenced standard manufacturer warranties, while the other bidder proposed a 90-day on-site workmanship warranty plus multi-year projector warranties. Trustees also considered vendor procurement sources: East West is on a state bid list used by the board, while the Oakhurst price came through a higher-education consortium bid.

Board members said they will contact East West to confirm equipment availability and scheduling and to request a quote for the brighter projector option. Trustees said they aim to coordinate the AV installation so related items (projector and rack placement) are done in a single work period to avoid piecemeal installs.

The board noted the rack will be placed near the meeting room light switch and may require rearranging easels and cabinets; staff will confirm exact placement and any space needs before installation.

Action items from the vote include contacting the vendor and scheduling installation and training.