A crew will make a full assessment of the overhang entrance and part of the ceiling and roof of the Macon County Public Library.
Macon County’s Project Manager Jack Morgan told the commissioners during the board’s Feb. 13 meeting that after he looked at it, the work is “above what he can do.” Morgan proposed paying Peter Looper, an architect with MHA Works of Asheville, up to $7,450 to design a plan to fix the entrance and parts of the roof, plus $2,000 to hire a company to test the wood. The motion to spend the combined $9,450 passed 5-0.
According to Morgan, some of what Looper observed was the timber frame shifting away from the main entrance, one hammer beam appeared to be sagging, exterior ceiling joints apparently failing, and he recommended a closer look through the stone columns. Additionally, Morgan said daylight can be seen through cracks in the vestibule and darkened wood at the peak suggests condensation buildup.
Morgan told the board that Looper suggested a three-phase approach: discovering and documenting the full problems, design and production of construction documents, and then bidding and construction. The $9,450 covers the first phase.
“In my opinion, we need to move forward with this,” Morgan told the commissioners.
Commissioner Paul Higdon asked Morgan to visit the Macon Early College building to look at those supporting columns, saying those are separating. Commissioner John Shearl said although those columns are not weight-bearing, the bases look rough. Morgan said maybe he could have the architects look at it as well.
Morgan said crews could start this week.
“You got two options with this, you can either spend this money to have it investigated further, or you take a bulldozer over there and bulldoze the place to the ground because it’s going to rot to the ground,” Shearl said of the library.
County Manager Derek Roland said this does not include the planned roof replacement for the library. Morgan said the flat parts of the roof are fine.