Jefferson Library trustees weigh masonry quote, boiler repairs and lower-level renovation plan

The Jefferson Library Trustees spent significant time addressing building repairs and planning renovations, after the library director reported both an expensive masonry estimate and recent boiler-room leaks.

Director Christine Barbera presented a quote from Murray Masonry for brick repointing that trustees flagged as substantially higher than expectations (a figure discussed in the meeting was approximately $49,080). Trustees asked the contractor for a detailed line-item backup and agreed to seek additional bids and, if needed, issue a request for proposals rather than committing trust funds based on a single quote. "Per their quote it is accounting for just 10% of the building being repointed," one trustee noted, prompting requests for a clearer scope and prioritization of work.

Barbera also reported emergency repairs after two recent incidents in the boiler room: a pinhole leak and a separate pipe failure that led Royal Steam to install brackets and jury-rig a temporary fix to a reservoir float until replacement parts arrive. She said crews will schedule pipe replacements when temperatures warm and that interim measures (insulation, a temporary oil-filled heater in the boiler room) were used to prevent freezing. Trustees emphasized the need to prioritize infrastructure and not focus solely on cosmetic improvements: several members urged that future renovation or grant requests include infrastructure repairs so underlying systems are not simply covered over.

On renovation planning, a working group has prepared a draft RFP for lower-level work and will assemble photographs and a cover letter to submit for review to the Massachusetts Historical Commission before posting an official RFP. Trustees discussed coordinating with the town building-inspection resources and noted that a building permit and occupancy approval will be required at the appropriate stage.

Trustees did not take a final funding vote on repairs or the RFP at this meeting; they agreed to collect additional contractor detail, refine the RFP with historical-commission input, and return to the board with more precise cost estimates before authorizing major expenditures.