Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Renovation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Library shelving project waits on final invoices and Friends' donation
Summary
City library staff told the council they have ordered shelving and furniture but are awaiting remaining invoices and confirmation from Friends of the Library that roughly $18,000 will be transferred to fund shelving; delivery will be palletized and require volunteer assembly.
A library official told the City Council of Blackduck that the library's renovation is close to completion but that staff is waiting for final vendor invoices before asking the council to approve a shelving purchase.
The official said GHI finished its original contract and is compiling additional billings for full flooring and counters that were not part of the first bid. "It's my understanding that the Friends of the Library will be giving that to the city for shelving," the library director said, referring to a CD returned by the regional library system that the Friends intend to dedicate to shelving. The transcript noted the returned amount was a little over $18,000; the director said they had budgeted about $12,000 assuming that contribution but would not finalize the purchase until they had all invoices.
Why this matters: the shelving purchase and furniture are the last visible steps before the renovated space can be fully used; delivery logistics and volunteer assembly will affect when the library can reopen areas to patrons. Staff described palletized shipments that will need staging in the children's area, assembly of multiple shelf units and coordination to move books back into place.
Library staff described arrangements for delivery and installation. The director said the order will arrive on pallets and require assembly, likely staged in the children's section, and that municipal staff (including Mike) and volunteers will be used to unload and assemble the shelving. A new exterior door with an opener is expected to arrive in the coming weeks and will be installed when weather permits. The director said she would wait for final numbers from Gustoson and other vendors before requesting council approval to spend from the project budget.
The council did not take a formal vote on the shelving at the meeting. The library director encouraged volunteers to help with assembly when delivery occurs and said contingency plans are in place for snow or other weather delays.
Next steps: staff will return with final vendor invoices and a request for formal approval once the Friends' donation and outstanding bills are confirmed.
