MAHOPAC, N.Y.—Twelve years ago, when Hurricane Sandy hit, Mahopac Public Library played a vital role in the community’s recovery. It provided a respite for residents looking to get warmed up, recharge their phones and tablets, take advantage of the Wi-Fi, or simply use the restrooms.
“Our library has been designated by the County Department of Health as a cooling station and as a heating station,” said Joe Tock, who was on the library’s Board of Trustees at the time of Sandy.
Tock said they realized that a backup generator for the library was critical if it was to keep functioning during a blackout.
“The cost of a generator for a 33,000-square-foot building was simply not in the budget of the library,” he explained. “When Putnam County received $19.1 million in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act monies) post-pandemic, we applied to the county for funding for the generator. Our application was denied (by two different county executives).”
Tock said Library Director Michele Capozzella didn’t let the idea die and sought grants from other sources. Her persistence paid off with a green light on funding for the project.
Tock noted that – outside of schools and hospitals – Mahopac Library is one of the most utilized buildings in Putnam County, receiving as many as 20,000 visitors a month. During power outages, its ability to provide electricity (along with heat or cooling) is even more vital to the community.
Capozzella said during one recent power outage, a person even came in to charge their oxygen tank.
“We’ve had power go out for days at a time, and we set up tables and added more power strips to be accommodating and help people,” she said. “We can lose power for stupid things, and we don’t know how long it will last, and we [without backup power] have to close—and that’s inconvenient. And things can only get worse with climate change. So now we are kind of a community center and want to be there and try to help—distribute water and do stuff like that.”
The new generator was delivered early, a few months ago, and placed on a concrete slab. It just needs some final calibrating and testing by the manufacturer before it is finally declared “in service.”
Capozzella said nearly half the generator's $350,000 price tag was paid for with grant money.
“We received New York State Construction Grants for $168,987,” she said. “The balance was paid for by money from our capital fund. We had some money put away ever since this building was built. We’ve realized this building is getting older—it’s 21 years old. So, we have a plan for when things break; we have a way to cover repairs.”
Capozzella said the purchase of the generator will have no impact on the proposed 2025-26 library budget, which calls for a 0 percent increase in the tax rate. Residents will go to the polls later this month to vote on the budget and choose candidates for the Board of Trustees.
Capozzella said generators such as the one the library purchased are custom-built to order, so it entailed a six-month wait before it finally arrived.
“It’s been a long process, a lot of waiting,” said Capozella, who noted that the unit arrived in late February. “It was exciting when it came."
Eugene Boesch, the current Board of Trustees president, said he used to use the library to charge his phone during power outages before his stint on the board, so he is particularly happy about the new generator.
“It’s been a long slog,” he said. “The board was delighted and enthused to get it, and the public has been encouraging about it. It’s the 21st century and storms are more aggressive now. We have to have the ability to pick up the pieces. This is a great addition, not just for the library but for the community itself.
“Michele [Capozzella] and the Finance Committee have done a wonderful job keeping the tax rate down,” he added. “There is no [tax] increase; it’s the same as last year.”
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