1/20/2004 LIBRARY BUILDING COMMITTEE Minutes

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TOWN OF MASHPEE LIBRARY BUILDING COMMITTEE Minutes of the meeting OfJanuary 2 , 2004 Comma tee Attendees: Alla Attending: Bonnie Barrett Helene DeFoe Sheldon Gilbert John Rent Grace Talmage Mike Bailey 11ashpee Enterprise) David Burton Ed DeFoe Torn O'Neill Maureen Founds Diana Lannon Steven Cook Jane Dolan Acting Chairperson Bonnie Barrett called the meeting to order at 7410 PM. REVIEW IEW of 01!06104 MINUTES. The committee unanimously approved the minutes from,the meeting of January B, 2804. NEW DEVELOPMENTS. Bonnie Barrett announced that due to two major developments that occurred since ihe4last Library committee meeting, the decision was made to cancel the pre entation to the Selectmen at their 126/04 meeting. Engineering report from Randall Irai. Randall did a site plan on his computer, and discovered an overlay between the existing library and the proposed new building site. This would gate it impossible, therefore, to construct the new library without demolishing the current one. Joyce Mason, at an earlier meeting, had estimated relocation costs to be approximately$100,000. 2 Informal pulse-takings with Town Hall. These discussions have indicated that the Selectmen are holding firm at$3,000,000 for the library project. Therefore, the planned presentation to the Selectmen at this time would not be productive. These discussions also indicated that because the Town of Il ashpee currently has$8 million in capital requests, from an economic.standpoint, the timing for yet another construction project this year is not good. WHERE Do WE GO FROM HERE Bonnie Barrett opened the discussion to all the committee members, asking for their comments and suggestions as how best to proceed. Sheldon suggested two options: 1 tale the$3 million offered from the'Town and downsize the new library to 13,700 sq. ft. 2 keep the existing plan for a 17}300 sq. ft. structure and continue efforts to mace it happen The committee unanimously agreed that option one was not a good one. It would result in a inadequate library immediately upon completion, making expansion Tans a necessity in the near future} costing the Town more money in the long run. Varying opinions were voiced as to whether to table the project for a year, or whether to take ars optimistic view, exercise patience, and stag with the project. The committee ultimately concurred on the following steps -1 Deep the current design for a 17,300 sg:ft library 2 stag the course, continue on fund raising projects, and work toward uniting the Townspeople to rally behind building a new library