Milford Public Library authorized to spend up to $87,000 from its reserves for repairs

Milford Public Library Director Carl Stutzman and Board President Mindy Brooks asked the Kosciusko County Council for permission on July 9 to spend up to $87,000 from the library’s own improvement reserve and rainy-day funds for facility repairs.

Stutzman said the request would cover work on HVAC, an elevator, IT upgrades and lighting; he emphasized the requested sum was a maximum and the library would pursue the most economical fixes after vetting proposals. To illustrate variable repair costs, Stutzman said a vendor once estimated a $40,000 pump for the elevator while a small amount of hydraulic oil solved the problem, telling the council: "The elevator... was a $40,000 new pump. And then somebody else... Spent a $120, dumped it in the pit..." (paraphrased).

The council noted the library had saved funds for capital maintenance and that no additional taxpayer appropriations were requested; the motion to approve the additional appropriation up to $87,000 from the library’s reserves was carried by voice.