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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-03-26-BFC-min.pdf TOWN OF LEXINGTON AD HOC BUILDING FINANCE COMMITTEE Minutes of Meeting March 26 1996 at Cary Memorial Library, as approved April 8 , 1996 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Kelley at 7 10 a m with all committee members except Moore present Also attending were Capital Expenditures Committee members Karen Dooks , Ron Grammont and Cary Library staff Carol Mahoney and Julie Triessl Concerns of Committee and Chairman regarding the proiect were aired not as objections but as questions regarding the process and the project ' s relation to the overall needs of the town as well as the fact that S2 5 million of bonded indebtedness is being considered Kelley raised these questions (1) Is the process appropriate? and (2) How will the building satisfy Town needs and be maintained Regarding the process he express concerns that the library addition/renovation be well discussed and to ensure addressing the needs of all citizens Library Director Mahoney responded that the library trustees and advisory committee had already discussed the library' s building needs extensively and had envisioned the basic plan before Jay Lucker and the architects were brought in (Mentioned in Minutes of 3/22/96 was a survey sent to every household as the architects began their work ) Chairman stated that his concern as a citizen was that all town needs should be evaluated before voting the appropriation for the library project Mahoney explained that the Town' s financial commitment to the project would be required by nine months after the state library board's approval scheduled in September of this year That requirement would have to be met just before the 1997 Town Meeting Pierce noted that the appropriation requested of the 1996 Town Meeting would be contingent on award of the state 's grant Several committee members expressed favor with the project and the way in which the library staff and committee had been advancing it Clarification of "Deferred Maintenance Analysis" was requested by the committee, who questioned the basis of many figures were the numbers based on present or proposed expanded building? They suggested having representatives of the architects and engineers at the next meeting Costs and numbers for windows , roof , sprinklers , carpeting and elevators were questioned Also asked if any general construction costs were included in the "Deferred Maintenance" list Other questions on the proposed renovation/addition ADA requirements? Full ADA requirements would have to be met , Director stated All at once or a little at a time improvements? (unanswered) Will placement of the heating/cooling structure at the corner of the parking lot cause problems because the library is in a residential zone? Heating system costs were questioned closely, especially conversion to dual system versus upgrade of present system (radiant heating is planned Ad Hoc Building Finance Committee Minutes 3/26/96 - Page 2 in the floors of the new addition only) Committee members urged that future possible savings from gas deregulation be considered as well as need for oil tanks to conform with regulations to come by 1998 Funding Challenges At the outset of this discussion, that the only built-in furnishings will be funded by the state grant All other furnishings will also have to be purchased from fund-raising This will add to the already-acknowledged challenge to the Library Trustees to match the amount they are asking Town Meeting to appropriate Pierce reviewed the broad outlines of cost estimates The original cited amount for the addition/renovation was $9 1 million, which has been trimmed to $7 6 million This amount will probably be presented at $7 5 million - $3 2 million being applied for in a grant from the state, $2 4 from private sources raised by the trustees and $2 4 to be the request for appropriation from town meeting Dooks asked about the apparent difference of $700 ,000 between the breakdown of these three sources and the cited totals Would the amount be used to reduce the town' s portion of the funding? Grammont asked what would happen if the town failed to appropriate Mahoney said there might be a request for a special town meeting if the state grant was approved She pointed out that before March of 1997 all funding must be pledged or appropriated, including the fundraising from private sources All the necessary cost data and funding request figures are now being fine-tuned by the library forces Dooks reminded that the Capital Expenditures Committee must have these more final number to incorporate in their report by April 4 (next week) to go to Town Meeting members Agreeing to meet again Tuesday, April 2 at 7 a m , the meeting adjourned at 8 35 a m Respectfully submitted, Erna S Greene, Secretary