[0:11] Chair Swearengen Washington: Psalms 37 verse four.

[0:15] It says delight yourself in the Lord

[0:18] and he will give you the desires of your heart.

[0:24] We are delighting ourselves in him.

[0:28] August 4th meeting of the Libraries and Neighborhood

[0:32] Improvement Committee of Memphis City Council is hereby called

[0:36] to order.

[0:39] Call the roll, deja.

[0:45] [Roll Call]

[0:53] Councilmember Cooper-Sutton: We have

[0:55] an update on facility conditions and maintenance

[0:57] at the Benjamin Hooks library, district five, super district

[1:02] eight, requested by chairwoman Jana Swearengen Washington.

[1:21] >> We want an update on the facilities.

[1:23] They needed to address power washing, cleaning

[1:26] of the windows, and carpet.

[1:28] We want to make sure it is inviting.

[1:30] It is in East Memphis in a stellar location.

[1:35] We want to be welcoming to our constituents and community

[1:39] members and make sure it is representative.

[1:43] That is our main library.

[1:45] It sets the tone for the other libraries.

[1:48] We wanted to see what the progress was.

[1:52] >> Melvyn Jameson, director of Services 125 North Main Street.

[1:59] >> Eric Ayers, libraries.

[2:05] >> Gerald Spencer, deputy director.

[2:21] Melvin Jameson: Quick update on building and mechanical systems.

[2:24] At the central library, 3030, I want

[2:29] to talk about three major building

[2:31] systems, including the sewer, boiling system,

[2:36] and cooling towers.

[2:39] We put a new cooling towers at these locations.

[2:45] They are in great shape.

[2:48] We've been doing preventative maintenance.

[2:49] They have over 12 years of life remaining.

[2:54] With good maintenance, it should last longer than that.

[2:58] The other two I want to talk about

[3:01] is the water cooler chillers.

[3:06] They are more than 20 years old.

[3:08] One chiller is operating in fair condition

[3:12] and the other one is being repaired.

[3:15] These chillers have between 2 and 5 years remaining.

[3:19] We have to start planning to get those chillers replaced.

[3:25] There are four boilers.

[3:30] Those are 25 years old they are in fair condition

[3:36] and operating fine.

[3:37] We have to start the operating budget

[3:42] to change those out in the next 2 to 5 years.

[3:49] I was at the site yesterday.

[3:52] I go to the site frequently.

[3:55] I was thinking about what you said.

[3:57] We need to really make this a building that

[4:01] is inviting and esthetically pleasing for the citizens.

[4:07] Before I got out I pulled this out to look at the grounds.

[4:17] I pulled up and I saw grass that was too tall.

[4:20] I saw debris laying there that should have been picked up

[4:23] a while back.

[4:25] It wasn't kept the way I wanted to see it.

[4:31] I got on the phone and took pictures and sent text

[4:37] to my folks.

[4:40] We agreed that we will do better and we will make this work.

[4:47] My teams are here right now providing these grounds

[4:50] maintenance things that need to happen.

[4:53] We are getting things back manageable the way

[4:57] they should be.

[5:00] Eric had a vendor come out this weekend

[5:05] and provide pressure washing around the front areas

[5:08] of the library.

[5:10] While they did do the pressure washing,

[5:14] they didn't get enough done.

[5:18] We are going to do something deeper and coordinate

[5:22] with the vendor to provide sandblasting

[5:30] to remove the underlying dirt that is in the paved areas.

[5:40] We have a licensed window cleaner.

[5:44] We will engage them to provide cleaning to all of the glass.

[5:53] We are getting cobwebs, dirt and debris removed

[5:58] to make it look like it should.

[6:00] The escalator project is scheduled for completion

[6:03] on August the 30th, this month.

[6:06] We will bring that in.

[6:07] There are a couple items remaining .

[6:13] The elevator will begin immediately

[6:17] after the escalator is complete.

[6:19] That is an additional 12 weeks.

[6:22] That will be completed on November 30th, 2026.

[6:26] Is there anything else you would like to add, Eric?

[6:48] Dr. Eric D. Harris: We are meeting with ServiceMaster

[6:50] this afternoon.

[6:52] Carpets are contracted every six months to be cleaned

[6:56] but there is such heavy use in the meeting room,

[6:58] that we need more frequent cleaning.

[7:01] The carpets are scheduled to be replaced

[7:04] this year with our CIP funding that started at Central.

[7:10] During the fiscal year 27, we will replace the carpet.

[7:14] Until then we are meeting with them

[7:16] about getting some cleaning done.

[7:19] It is not where it should be by any means.

[7:24] >> Whose responsibility is it to spot check these places so it

[7:29] doesn't get in this condition anymore?

[7:31] Dr. Eric D. Harris: It is all of our responsibility.

[7:40] We have so many different people in the library

[7:48] Councilmember Carlisle: Do you have a manager there?

[7:51] Dr. Eric D. Harris: Yes, Ma'am, we have several managers.

[7:55] We have maintenance and building departments.

[7:58] We've made a commitment to redo how we do things.

[8:01] Before I go on too far, I want to say

[8:05] that I appreciate you turning the heat up on this

[8:09] and opening our eyes.

[8:11] From a library's perspective, there

[8:14] were things we were doing that I wasn't seen.

[8:19] Now we are looking at it.

[8:27] There's a comment sheet for our service master and janitorial

[8:32] crew.

[8:33] If anyone on staff sees things that need corrected,

[8:36] they enter it onto a notebook and the supervisor

[8:41] is notified of it at least that day and a correction

[8:44] is made the same day.

[8:46] We've implemented this and it's already made huge gains.

[8:50] We implemented that after the last time I spoke.

[8:54] We are taking full responsibility for it

[8:55] and we need to do better.

[8:57] We are doing better because we were told we need

[9:01] to look at things differently.

[9:02] Councilmember Carlisle: I appreciate you all addressing it

[9:06] and we want to be consistent, not just this one time.

[9:10] We want to spot check and make sure our facilities are

[9:14] welcoming, inviting, and representative of Memphis.

[9:18] I had a meeting over there and I was embarrassed.

[9:24] We don't want to be embarrassed.

[9:27] This is distracting.

[9:30] We couldn't even enjoy the meeting.

[9:32] We were looking at the dirty carpet.

[9:36] I like things clean and in order.

[9:39] If we can continue to be consistent and make sure

[9:43] we are doing what we need to do and have

[9:46] teamwork between general services, service

[9:50] masters, and everyone.

[9:53] We appreciate your response and are looking forward

[9:57] to the consistency.

[10:11] Dr. Eric D. Harris: One complicated piece

[10:13] is the sidewalk restoration.

[10:15] They did a good job pressure washing the best they could

[10:19] but they discovered something we didn't know of.

[10:23] I explained this to my wife this weekend at the nail shop.

[10:33] When the building was built in 2001, they put in the sidewalks

[10:38] and they looked new.

[10:40] They came back three years later and added an artsy material

[10:45] that was black and metal flake glitter to the sidewalk

[10:50] to make the sidewalk look shiny.

[10:52] It looked really nice.

[10:54] If you ever go to a nail shop and get something

[10:57] done to your nails, they strip it down

[10:59] and will put a color on it.

[11:02] Then they put a sealant on top of it to keep it from chipping

[11:05] and to keep the pain from going away.

[11:10] I'm saying all this on record.

[11:12] That wasn't done when they added the extra layer to the sidewalk.

[11:18] You are looking at 25 years of dirt and grime

[11:22] getting onto the sidewalk and going deep into the cement.

[11:25] We did the first pressure washing

[11:29] and it looks better but is nowhere

[11:31] near where we expect it to be.

[11:33] We are looking to do things deeper.

[11:37] We need a deep treatment to get everything out and get

[11:41] it resealed so we can make it look like what we

[11:45] want the library to look like.

[11:46] I want the community to understand that the sidewalks

[11:48] are more complicated.

[11:49] We will work on it consistently until it

[11:51] is acceptable to everyone.

[11:52] Thank you.

[12:01] Councilmember Cooper-Sutton: Councilwoman Logan.

[12:05] Councilmember Logan: I would appreciate

[12:07] if you can send the maintenance plan for all the libraries.

[12:12] A couple years ago and last year,

[12:15] we were here talking about that.

[12:19] I mentioned the type of garbage can liners.

[12:22] We had an event and they were trying to take out the garbage,

[12:26] and the liners were so thin that all the garbage spilled

[12:30] on the floor.

[12:31] The managers and myself were trying to pick up

[12:34] the trash from the event.

[12:36] I mentioned this at a meeting earlier this year or last year

[12:40] Premaku determines the quality of the product ? --

[12:48] Who determines the quality of the product?

[12:52] There was a mention about restaining and pressure washing.

[12:57] When something is made of wood they look old and rotten

[13:02] and not kept.

[13:05] This isn't just a main library.

[13:08] I understand the need and that is why I mentioned

[13:12] it is the central Library.

[13:14] That is where most people go.

[13:18] I like to see that level of maintenance and manicure

[13:22] for all of them.

[13:25] Moving forward, which we talked about before,

[13:29] this should be put in the budget for maintenance.

[13:33] If you cannot get something new this year or next year

[13:36] at the library or at our public amenity places,

[13:40] this needs to be implemented for --

[13:50] implemented first and then we can do maintenance.

[13:54] There are older buildings.

[13:56] We just have to have that or they will deteriorate fast.

[13:59] I know you know this, but we don't always

[14:04] factor this into the budget season

[14:06] and we are back at square one.

[14:08] If we could put together a maintenance plan,

[14:12] what does it look like?

[14:14] What does it cost, what would be included, how often,

[14:17] and what is the yield?

[14:19] How would that improve the life and quality

[14:22] of our public amenities?

[14:24] That is what people see when they walk up.

[14:27] That is what they experience, regardless

[14:29] of what we have in our minds.

[14:46] Melvin Jameson: Yes Ma'am, I have a draft in

[14:50] and we will get back to the landscaper and architect.

[14:54] I look forward to bringing that to you soon.

[14:59] We will have the -- maintenance plan and also one that will bid

[15:07] to cover all exterior services.

[15:16] Councilmember Logan: Do you have a list

[15:18] of when you will rebuild libraries in certain buildings?

[15:21] For those who are older and may not be able to be redone,

[15:28] like the library in Cordova and Ferguson, there is black stuff.

[15:36] Two pressure wash this you don't need to be on the list.

[15:43] That is not what we are looking for.

Libraries and Neighborhood Improvement

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