Building issues again topped the Moniteau County Library's monthly Board of Trustees meeting.
The board discussed options for repairing the aging facility Sept. 21, along with providing updates on operations, such as the Summer Reading Program and printing issues.
Paul Bloch, board treasurer, explained a proposal to members from Mid-Continental Restoration Co., Inc. (MCR), of Fort Scott, Kansas. The proposal addresses five areas of work, including:
- Inspect exterior elevations, clean and repair mortar joints and replace 90 damaged bricks.
- Remove and replace a control joint. According to Concrete Construction, a trade publication, a control joint is a type of joint filled with mortar that allows the masonry to contract without cracking.
- Clean and repair exposed joints and replace bricks in the interior west wall near the basement stairway.
- Remove rubble stone and displaced brick on the northwest corner of the interior basement wall, then replace brick and repair mortar joints as needed.
- Remove displaced bricks on western corner of the southern wall and replace the bricks.
Bloch said the proposed project addresses two of his three concerns -- stabilizing the northwest and southwest corners of the building. A third concern, regarding the grade to the south of the building so it slopes away from the building, would be dealt with separately.
The estimated cost of MCR's project would be $68,000, with the estimate valid for 30 days. Library officials received a revamped proposal prior to the meeting, which is still under review.
Despite the steep price tag, Bloch said the fix would only be temporary.
"It needs to be done, but it's not a long-term solution for the building or for what we want to do," he said.
Bloch recommended soliciting bids and proposals from other companies, which the board is legally obligated to do under Missouri statute.
The MCR proposal was obtained after a report from All-State Consultants in July revealed the condition of the building's structure. The engineers discovered damage to masonry and floor joists, water intrusion in the basement, and more. The full report can be found on the library's website.
Despite the concerns, All-State Consultants said the building is safe and not a threat to occupants.
Connie Walker, library director, reported on the Summer Reading Program. She said 858 students participated in the program across multiple age groups.
The library received federal funding for the program through a Library Services and Technology Act grant for more than $7,900. While the grant only covered nine weeks of programming, Walker said it offered 11 weeks so summer schools that started in May could also participate.
She said preschool and beginning readers read 1,537 books in the program. Independent readers read for 12,530 minutes, and "tween" (an age group between children and teenagers) readers read 96,800 pages. The statistics only account for students who registered for the library's Summer Reading Program and do not include statistics for daycare students younger than 5 years old.
During a circulation report, Walker said the library welcomed 152 new patrons and now contains 19,247 items in its catalog.
In other action:
- The library sold two refurbished surplus computers. Three additional surplus computers will be sold in the near future.
- The board discussed finding a new handyman to complete basic maintenance tasks.
- The board also discussed current WiFi issues that prevent patrons from printing directly from their phone.
The meeting adjourned into a closed session to discuss real estate matters.
Democrat photo/Garrett Fuller — A vertical control joint is seen connecting the facade to the side of the building at the Moniteau County Library at Wood Place. The control joint prevents cracking as the masonry naturally contracts over time.