HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-03-18 Board of Library Trustees MinutesOFRi
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Town of Reading
Meeting Minutes
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Board of Library Trustees
Date: 2014 -03 -18
Building: Reading Public Library
Address: 64 Middlesex Avenue
Purpose: General Business
Attendees: Members - Present:
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Conference Room
Session: General Session
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OWN CLERK
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David Hutchinson, Acting Chair; John Brzezenski, Cherrie Dubois, Andrew
Grimes, Vicki Yablonsky
Members - Not Present:
Alice Collins
Others Present:
Ruth Urell, Director, Amy Lannon, Assisant Director, Jim Martin, resident
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Amy Lannon
Topics of Discussion:
I. Call to order
David Hutchinson called to order the regular meeting of the Board of Library Trustees at
7:00 p.m. on March 18, 2014 at Reading Public Library Conference Room.
II. Public Forum
Q: Why is this so rushed and why isn't it going before the whole town and the
annual Town Meeting in April?
A: The Trustees and Library Building Committee have specific deadlines and time
constraints predicated by the grant of $5.1m issued by the State. They considered waiting
until April Town Meeting, but both the Trustees and LBC voted to present the updated
budget to a Special Town Meeting on February 13, 2014.
Q: Why is the increase so much?
A: The increase is attributed to hard construction costs and related contingency. These
increases are based primarily on data and information that was not available until the fall of
2013 and a more detailed and thorough design. The scope of the Library Building Project
has not changed.
Q: What was the scope of the original design and cost estimates?
A: The architects engaged in 2010 were contracted for a conceptual design for the purposes
of the grant application. The cost estimates in 2010 were based on the conceptual design
and further updated in January 2013 to reflect economic climate changes to the 2010
estimates.
Q: What is the greatest part of the budget?
A: $13 million will be construction costs ($10.2 million direct construction + $2.9 million
overhead contingency).
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Q: What about technology
A: The scope of the project requires updating the power and data infrastructure of the
building to accommodate 21s' century information and educational tools. There are no plans
to reduce or scale back technology plans.
III. Discussion of future meetings.
The Trustees discussed the possibility of additional information sessions to address
questions about the building project from the public. The Trustees all agreed they would
like to be available to answer questions. However, with the low public turnout (1) the
Board felt that they should consider alternatives that would be a more economical use of
their time and town resources.
IV. Adjournment
• Motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:32 p.m. (Cherrie Dubois / Vicki Yablonsky)
• Vote: Unanimous
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