Sidewalk replacements are coming at the Warren Public Library.
Bids were approved for the $24,000 job during Monday afternoon's meeting of the library board of directors.
Board member and Warren County Commissioner John Eggleston made the motion, noting that "it seems like a lot of money and it is but we're talking about a lot of work." He emphasized that the work was needed, citing that some of the sidewalks have 2.5 to 3.5 inch gaps.
He added that the roots of a locust tree are currently deforming the sidewalk and will need to be removed as part of the project.
Library Director Patty Sherbondy said that two bids were received for the tree removal, one for $350 and the other for $550, both of which include stump removal. "It's not a real healthy tree," she said, noting that it will be replaced once the work is done.
Only one bid was received for the sidewalk work and that drew some concern from board members.
Sherbondy said that they "tried to get a second estimate on the sidewalk. Eggleston said that he and his committee contacted three or four other contractors but no one else expressed interest in bidding for the work.
"The sidewalks have reached a time" that they need to be replaced, board Chairman Robert Kaemmerer said.
The sidewalk work will be done by Marv Ross and the tree removal bid was awarded to Tremblay's, who was the low bidder.
The board also moved to replace the complex floor mats in the entrance of the building.
Eggleston said that they were designed to clean shoes when people entered the building and noted that they have done a good job. He also said they were installed in 1985 and are in need of repair.
The cost of the replacements will be $4,750. "So it's more than just a mat per-say," Kaemmerer said.
Eggleston noted that when you divide that cost by 25 years that doesn't seem as expensive. Kaemmerer said that the funds for the replacements will come from the capital expenditures account.
"These are two good visible projects," Kaemmerer noted, emphasizing that they both need to be done.