MEEKER | The Meeker Regional Library Board held a work session last week in the community room of the Meeker Public Library. All board members were present.
The session began with an update on the HVAC and roof replacement projects.
Board President John Moffitt informed members that the library had received feedback from 2H Mechanical, though much of the information was already known.
“It just outlines the two units over the primary library — one is 20 years old and the other is 15 years old. They all have issues. Obviously they’re down right now because we have an issue. The blower motor on one of the units is bad and there’s a control module,” Moffitt said.
Library Director Kirstina Selby added more details about the current situation.
“In Unit 1 and Unit 2, the inducer modem pressure switch needs replacement, so we don’t have any air on this side of the library. We do have AC on the other side but no heat on the main part,” Selby said.
Selby noted that the estimated cost of repairs would be under $6,000.
Board secretary/treasurer Toby Leavitt voiced concern about the timing of the repairs and a recent gas leak incident.
“I was a little bit concerned about the timing of this, and then there was the gas smell. She [Selby] called, they [2H] took their time getting here, and when they got here they found a gas leak,” Leavitt said. “Where does that fit in here? Because they had already been here and didn’t detect it. She called them back and they kind of took their time getting here and found them.”
In response, Moffitt explained the possible reason for the delay.
“Saying they took their time is probably not quite accurate. They are short on help like a lot of places and were actually busy doing work for us out at Natural Soda. They’re up in Aspen working on a hotel, and the managers are all out doing work, and that’s why they didn’t respond,” Moffitt said.
Leavitt added that when Atmos Energy was contacted about the gas leak, the library had to be cleared for safety.
“When she called Atmos, we had to clear the library,” she said.
The board concluded this discussion with several follow-up tasks, including: Selby will contact 2H Mechanical to confirm when the HVAC units can be repaired. Selby will call Kim’s Plumbing to inquire about replacing the gas line on the roof if 2H cannot come soon enough.Selby will request 2H to add shutoff valves for each HVAC unit when the gas line is replaced. The board’s attorney, Glory Schmidt, will compile a list of architects for the board to review by the next meeting.
The board then moved on to discuss its Patron Behavior Policy, which is currently in development. The library does not yet have a formal policy.
Selby said she has been working closely with Schmidt on the draft.
“Currently, if anyone misbehaves in the library or does something we don’t like, we want to talk to them, but we don’t have anything to fall back on. It’s more just that we can say we don’t like it,” Selby said.
Schmidt explained that the draft policy outlines guidelines for addressing inappropriate behavior by library patrons, including disciplinary measures up to a permanent ban, with an appeals process to the board. The board agreed to keep the policy as drafted, though Schmidt will revise language related to sexual harassment, which will be moved to the personnel policy.
For the Unattended Children Policy, the board discussed age requirements for supervision, ultimately considering lowering the required supervision age from 10 to 8, while setting 14 as the minimum age for unaccompanied library visits.
Later in the meeting, the board discussed implementing a new policy for unscheduled library closings. Members agreed to establish specific temperature thresholds for closing the library, with Schmidt suggesting a range of 60–80 degrees Fahrenheit. The board also proposed adding documentation requirements for emergency closings to track when and why the library was closed and discussed the need for staff training on emergency procedures.
The session concluded with discussion of the 2026 budget draft. Selby and Paul explained that they had filled in audited numbers from 2024 and estimated year-end numbers for 2025 to create a forecast for 2026.
They noted that the proposed budget of $993,000 is higher than the previous year’s $864,000, but emphasized that the budget should reflect planned initiatives and accomplishments rather than simply increasing the previous year’s figure.
Paul said the current forecast predicts finishing the year at $88,000, representing a 30% increase from previous estimates, and discussed adjustments to part-time employee compensation caps and cost-of-living adjustments. The board also discussed the need for a separate public hearing if the budget is amended.
Moffitt suggested a target range of $5 million to $10 million for cash reserves, while others considered the current $14 million level to be too high. The board adjourned the meeting, with its regular meeting scheduled for Oct. 29 in the community room at the Meeker Public Library.