As the Herkimer County Community College Library project nears its completion, the library will be seeing some upgrades.
The Herkimer County Legislature voted 16-1 on Wednesday to award bids to three different companies for audio visual equipment, digital signage and furniture for the library.
The contract for the audio visual equipment was awarded to ComTech, Inc., 434 Wormer Road, Voorhesville, N.Y. in the amount of $102,058.81.
The contract for the TV digital signage was awarded to Imperatives, Inc., 2818 Curry Road, Schenectady, N.Y. in the amount of $71,595.
The contract for the furniture for the project was awarded to Hummel’s Office Plus, 114 W. Albany St., Herkimer, in the amount of $215,609.08.
The only legislator who voted no was Helen Rose, and she said it was because she was not happy with the bid process.
Rose said there was only one bid received for the audio visual equipment and the digital signage.
Both Hummel’s Office Plus and Staples put in bids for the furniture contract, according to budget officer Bernie Decker.
Decker said with the cost of the furniture and installation costs Hummel’s bid between $15,000 and $20,000 less than Staples for the contract.
“I don’t have a problem awarding the contract to Hummel’s and supporting the local business because there was competition,” Rose said. “The other bids did not see competition.”
In other county news Wednesday:
• The legislature voted 9-8 in favor of releasing funds for 41 ballot marking devices with disabled capabilities to be used in each of the 34 polling sites in Herkimer County in connection with the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The cost is $471,500, with 5 percent local matching,  funds in the amount of $23,575. The 5 percent matching funds is higher than originally estimated. Decker requests that a previous adopted resolution is amended to authorize matching funds up to $24,087.50, plus 5 percent of whatever additional funding is required for training.
• Isabella Crandall and Timothy Dunn were appointed as new trustees for Herkimer County Community College.
• Legislators passed a resolution establishing a standard workday for elected and appointed officials and certain positions under salary schedules No. I and No. II. The following officials will work five-day, six-hour work weeks: Legislators, Administrator of the Indigent Defender Program, County Attorney, Assistant County Attorneys, Part-time Social Services Attorneys, Sheriff, District Attorney, Part-time Assistant District Attorneys, County Treasurer, County Clerk, Sewer Board members and Coroners.
• A public hearing was set for the next meeting, May 14 at 7 p.m. on Local Law No. 1 for 2008 which would provide for an exemption from real property taxes for real property owned by veterans who rendered military service to the United States during the Cold War.