Great Neck Library trustees change air conditioning contract

John Santa

The Great Neck Library Board of Trustees discussed changes to its contract with the construction manager in charge of the project to replace the library’s cooling tower during a quick special meeting on Tuesday.

After convening in executive session, the trustees met in the community room at the Library’s Main Branch and agreed to change the type of documentation used for its contract with Park East Construction to manage the project to replace the cooling tower at the facility. The cooling tower is used for air conditioning.

Library Board Trustee Marietta DiCamillo made the recommendation to “reissue the contract” from its current American Institute of Architects contract form to a memorandum of agreement.

“I will take the proposal that Park East gave, that you all as a board voted on in December, and just add whatever particulars that we think are necessary to protect our interests,” Great Neck Library Director Jane Marino said.

During its December meeting, the board of trustees accepted a contract to allow Park East Construction to manage the project to replace the 170-ton cooling tower at the Main Branch for a fee of 7 percent of the final cost of the project.

The board received three bids from construction managers for the project, which will not exceed $400,000.

The unsuccessful bids were for $45,000 and $29,000, while Park East Construction’s bid came in at an estimate of $28,000.

Marino said during the December meeting that she believed the library would ultimately have to pay less than $28,000 to Park East Construction because work would likely come in under budget.

Tuesday’s discussion by the board did not change any portion of the agreement with Park East Construction. Marino said a memorandum of understanding would clarify certain portions of the agreement.

“As long as you’re clear on what you would like to do and you’ve made yourselves clear I will bring your suggestions back to the (village’s) attorney … and create a memorandum of agreement,” Marino said.

The library has been dealing with the replacement of its cooling tower since its original air-conditioning unit failed in June. The trustees previously voted to rent a temporary cooling-tower unit from June 30 until Oct. 7.

The funds to complete the project will be taken from the Main Building Special Fund.

Marino said she likely will have an “acceptable document” for the trustees to approve at its next meeting on Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the community room at the library’s Main Branch that will allow Park East to begin sending bids to the subcontractors, which will complete the work for the cooling tower project.

“If we’re not happy with the bids that come in, we don’t have to accept them,” Great Neck Library Board of Trustees President Janet Esagoff said.

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