Update On The Greenburgh Library's Heat Issue

On Saturday the Greenburgh Library was closed due to heating problems. (Saturday) the sprinkler system broke down. The following is a current status report.

The Greenburgh Town Board will discuss initiating legal action against parties involved in the construction of the $20 million dollar library–which opened in 2009. This is not the first time the library experienced heating/air conditioning problems. I have asked for a report detailing how many failures we have had at the library since the library opened and the cost of the repairs. We need to be reimbursed. We need the problems to be corrected.   

I met with the Town Comptroller, Town Attorney and Commissioner of Public Works earlier (Monday.) We discussed putting funds in the capital budget for a backup boiler system to prevent this type of incident from occurring in the future. I would also like to see a new heating system placed near the entrance of the library. It's very cold –everytime the doors open and closes freezing air creates cold conditions for library staff working at the checkout counter. 

The library provides residents with important services–we have to correct the problems. Which we will do. As of 4:30 p.m. (Monday) the fire sprinkler system and alarm system is functioning, the mechanical systems are back up and running and the wetness from the sprinkler system discharge is cleared. The library can open.  

On Sunday, one fire sprinkler head discharged water. We think it may have froze during the cold weather and when the water froze, it activated the sprinkler. When we reset the fire sprinkler system Sunday, a second head failed causing additional flooding. Then early (Monday) afternoon, after again resetting the system, a third head failed. This left the facility temporarily with no fire protection system As a result, the Town Fire Marshall asked the building be closed until full fire protection could be restored.  

We are investigating the cause of the multiple failures. We do suspect the cold as the obvious factor and are focusing on the any possible sources for the outside cold to be introduced into the concealed areas in this section of the building. This is in the original section of the building. However, the sprinkler system is new and was not in the original, older library building.   

Our insurance company is notified of the problem. The heating system was not repaired (Monday) due to the icy conditions on the roof. The repairs are now scheduled for Tuesday. Sorry for any inconvenience.

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