Thursday, April 18, 2024
There are two developments regarding the Hood County Library expansion project.
One is that the Commissioners Court agreed Tuesday to spend almost $30,000 to contract with a company that will handle the onerous move back into the library building – a move that involves not only shelves of books at the library’s scaled-down temporary location next door, but also from a county-owned building in Acton.
The other is that architect Alan Magee said that work crews have been able to make up time that was lost after days of heavy rain in early autumn.
The downpours caused county and construction officials to predict a spring reopening for the library, but now the plan is for the moving company, Rentacrate Enterprises, to start the job on Jan. 14.
Library Director Karen Rasco presented the court with three bids from which to choose. The county judge and commissioners opted to go with Rentacrate, the most expensive option, because of extra services the company will provide.
It was noted during the meeting that moving books, furniture and other materials out of the library was a difficult process that had burdened county employees.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Steve Berry stated that “librarians and shelvers” were not hired to be movers, and that the move-out had been “a huge undertaking.”
“We’re lucky we didn’t injure an employee on the move-out” resulting in a workman’s compensation claim, he stated.
The contract with Rentacrate will involve six phases spanning 17 days – from Jan. 14 to Jan. 31.
Work will involve moving 1,500 boxes of books stored in Acton, installing shelving, unpacking and re-shelving books, relocating and placing furniture, and removal of debris and empty boxes.
Rasco said that the company also will provide an on-site project manager.
County Judge Darrell Cockerham stated that the reason Rasco recommended the company was because “they can put us back in the library a lot faster, and some of the patrons are anxious for that to happen.”
The expansion project got underway in January – almost one year ago.
Modern Contractors, Inc.of Bedford was awarded the $3.3 million construction contract to add 10,000 square feet and a second story to the back of the library.
The total amount paid to Rentacrate will be $29,874. The other bids were approximately $20,000 and $10,000, Rasco told the HCN.
In discussing the Rentacrate cost at the Commissioners Court meeting, Magee noted that there is currently about $78,000 remaining in the expansion project’s contingency fund.
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