Library board ponders drainage pipe work before next flood

By NEAL RENTZ

The Pound Ridge Library Board of Trustees is debating whether or not to have drainage pipes installed or repaired before another flooding event.

Pound Ridge Library Director Jennifer Coulter announced that she had received proposals to deal with the March 6 flooding of the new sensory room at the April 24 Board of Trustees meeting.

Coulter told the trustees last week the library received an estimate from Connecticut Basement Systems of $16,515 to create waterproofing with a trench pipe system for the sensory room.

In addition, following the flooding there was an underground drainage inspection conducted and subsequently, “all exterior drains were flushed,” by Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup at a cost of $2,300, Coulter said. 

A Roto-Rooter technician later told her one of the curtain drain pipes located at the back of the Schaffner Room was blocked because it is impaled by another pipe, Coulter noted. “They can correct that by rerouting it at a cost of $13,700,”

Both proposals could be eligible for state aid, which would cut the cost in half for either project, Coulter said. 

Board President Valerie Nelson asked Coulter, “In talking with both providers, is this an either or, or should you do both?” 

“This is just opinion, but it seems to me that every five to 10 years there’s an anomaly,” Coulter said. “The ground froze, and the water flooded in. Is that worth a $13,000 investment or do we vacuum up the water once every five to 10 years?”  There has been no water in the basement since she began working at the library seven years ago, Coulter added. “So, it’s up to you,” Coulter told the board members.

“So, your recommendation is to let it ride,” Nelson told Coulter. Not taking additional action could potentially lead to a future flood, Nelson said. 

Trustee Lexie Gallo-Cook said the library should try to prevent a future flood in the room.

“We are inviting patrons to use the room and encouraging use of the room. I don’t think we should have a known flood risk,” she said. 

Anne Benefico was among other board members who also expressed concern about potential future flooding.

“The other thing we have to worry about is mold,” she said. “Jennifer, you reacted very fast last time, got everything out of there, put the fans in and did what you had to do. But we might not be so fortunate the next time.”

Nelson said she understood the proposal from Roto-Rooter to unblock the pipe. 

“But we don’t know for sure if that will solve our issue,” she said. “We don’t know if it caused the water.” Trenching and piping could be the solution, Nelson said.

Nelson said a group of library board members should meet with representatives of Roto-Rooter to obtain additional information about their proposal, and the trustees came to a consensus to do so.

Nelson said she did not want the board to also meet with representatives of Connecticut Basement Systems. “Based on the trustees’ views, I’d rather fix a known blockage than create the French drain system,” she said.

Library hours change

Also at the meeting, the trustees voted unanimously to change the library opening on Thursdays from its current 10 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Coulter made the change request because she wanted to conduct the Rock ‘N’ Rascalz program at 9:30 a.m.

Rock ‘N’ Rascalz, which is designed for caregivers and babies under 12 months of age, seeks to connect caregivers through music and conversation. The program could only be held at 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays because of current programs already being held, Coulter said. “The room is limited to 20 people,” she noted. 

Rock ‘N’ Rascalz will end at 10:15 a.m., and a yoga class will use the room afterwards, Coulter said.