Friday, January 25, 2013

library repairs needed-long term: 2ndary boiler

The Greenburgh Library had to close early yesterday and today because the heating system failed. We have experienced other problems with the mechanical systems at the Library since the library was built a few years ago. Problems this season have included the failure of an electronic control part, failure in a control valve, and just recently failure of another compressor. Experience has shown that a failure of just a single component creates significant problems maintaining adequate heat in the building. Repairs (a new part) will take place on Monday. Hopefully, the library will be much warmer on Tuesday.
We need to come up with permanent solution (more than replacing broken parts) so we don't experience heating and air conditioning problems every time the weather gets very cold or hot. I met with Genie Contrata, head of the library today, Victor Carosi, Commissioner of Public Works and Rich Fon, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works. Have been advised that the best solution is to appropriate funds in the capital budget for a secondary boiler to work during these excessive temperatures. I support the request and will ask that this solution be pursued. The next step: to engage a consulting engineer to design a solution to this problem.
The library is only a few years old. I believe the town should seriously consider taking legal action against the designers/contractors of the library. We paid $20 million for the library and our residents and library staff should not have to put up with lack of heat at a new library.
PAUL FEINER

1 comments:

theKman said...

I agree that we should not have to foot the bill to repair something that is just a couple of years old. I can understand a bad thermocouple, or stuck vent flap, but a failed boiler ? Millions were spent on that library already. And now there are also problems with the fire sprinklers ? As to the second heating at the front door, that would seem to be a waste of town money. I use the Ardsley Public library almost exclusively, since that is only a mile from my home, but their double doors are only about 5 feet apart compared with Greenburgh's 12 or so feet. The Ardsley checkout counter face the door directly, while Greenburgh is around the corner. Are we going to put a heater in Ardsley Public library as well ? What about the other libraries in Greenburgh ? If we were in Wisconsin or something, then perhaps, but we've had mild winters the past few years, and several days of winter air is not going to kill anyone. If you can't stand the cold, Northeast is not the place for you. Providing each a library logo sweatshirt to wear would be way cost effective than running a second heater at the front door that could constantly be closing and opening. This would be another piece of equipment that needs to be maintained, serviced, repaired, etc.