Library Trustees Face $49,898 Masonry Quote With Only $14,000 Available

HUBBARDSTON -- February 5, 2026, Hubbardston Library Trustees confronted a $49,898 masonry repair quote against only $14,000 in available CPC funds at their February 5 meeting. Library Director Christine Barbara reported a string of heating-system failures repaired by Royal Steam, including a pinhole pipe leak, a broken water-shutoff mechanism, and a failed reservoir float, all attributed to the extended cold spell; the heating system dates in part to 1929. Trustees voted 3-0 to approve the January minutes and agreed to seek a more detailed, line-item breakdown from Murray Masonry before requesting additional bids, with one member noting the quote covers roughly 10 percent of the building's exterior. The board set a virtual policy-review working session for February 26 and tabled a draft town warrant article to the March 5 meeting, with Trustee Krista Goguen reporting progress on both the Massachusetts Historical Commission review and Verizon wiring evaluation needed to unblock the lower-level renovation.