2/20/2007 PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE Minutes

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r r designing onstr'ucting a building to meet current needs only, reducing the size ofthe " rt" building by the % allowed by the MA Board of Library Co=issioners, and designingcohstructg the grant"building. A complete list of the options examined is shown in Appendix 1. In-its exammation of the various options, the Planning & Construction Committee considered whether each design would satisfy existing programmi-ng needs, whether potential cost savings 'i which might be realized by renovating the existing building or utilizing different construction materials, whether the design allowed for future expansion, and what additional funding' that night be required. RECOMMENDATION By unanimous vote, thel nnm' g & Construction Committee recommends that the Board o Selectmen propose a bond authorization to the Town for an additional 2 million for the design and construction of a neer library. The-additional funding would allow the Town to move forward by Sumner 2007 with one of two options. The number one recommended option of the Committee is the design and construction of a 20,880 square foot library(the % allowable reduction of the "grant'building). This option is contingent upon the Torn receiving the grant under the Massachusetts Public Library Construction Program.- l ash ee is currently at the top of the list of new.projects for funding. decision on the appropriation for the Library Construction Program for FY08 is expected by July r August. Because of the possible grant, this option delivers the rriaximur ng for.the Town's buck"by providing-the largest library with the least amount of additional funding from the Town. The larger size of this library will accommodate the future prograrn needs of the Town, based on the anticipated population growtb. No expansion of the building in the foreseeable future would therefore b required. If the Library Construction program grant is-not received in Summer 200 ,'the second recommended option of the Committee-is the design and construction of a one-story, 14,655 square foot library. with the continuing escalation of construction costs, if design and construction of the library were postponed beyond August pending receipt of the grant, the Town 4 could be facing ars even greater shortfall in project costs. This-second option would be funded-entirely by the Town (the existing $3.5 Tnillion appropriation and, as noted above, the additional$2 million). The design of this o tion provides pro grarn to meet the existing needs of the'Town and the single stony design allows a more efficient use of interior space as well as construction funds as compared to a two story design. An expansion of this building at some bine in the future, however, may be'necessary, depending on population growth.