County discusses cost of moving books

Two things most residents are familiar with were discussed at a county committee meeting Monday: the cost of moving and the cost of fuel.

"It will be a lot of (movers) and a lot of books,'' Columbia County Procurement Manager Greg Woodlief told Columbia County Commission members at the meeting, referring to the process of moving books from Gibbs Library to the new Evans Library near the Evans Government Complex.

The library is 95 percent complete and is set to open March 20.

Woodlief told the committee how much it would cost to move the books: $20,392.

Committee members favorably forwarded the cost and the name of the company that will undertake the move, Florida Library Designs.

The issue now must go before the full county commission Tuesday.

In other action, committee members received a report on a county fuel economy initiative.

Because of the higher cost of fuel from the past several months, the commission has directed the county's fleet department to look into downsizing certain vehicles.

Fleet Services Manager Clayton Galloway told the commissioners that he recommended phasing out certain vehicles for smaller versions during a four-year span.

"It allows us to not overbuy into any one technology,'' he said.

Committee members favorably forwarded the recommendation.