Though some loose ends remain to be tied, the new library is expected to come in roughly $500,000 under budget, according to building committee officials.
“We’re looking at, confidently, not borrowing half a million, which goes against the debt,” said Library Building Committee Chair Clair Colburn. “That’s great news for the town, for the taxpayers.”
On Monday, the Select Board voted to transfer to the town the remaining $342,691 in project donations, bringing the total fundraising to $5.3 million.
A grand opening weekend is scheduled for Jan. 17 and Jan. 18.
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Some of the construction savings will be donated to benefit the rehabilitation of the Beech Street Center, where a portion of the library moved in late 2023, according to Colburn. In particular, the Library Building Committee approved $23,000 to help fund plans to repaint and recarpet areas used by the library. In addition, Town Administrator Patrice Garvin proposed a plan Monday night to use $9,900 from the senior center donation check-off, which would require approval from the town treasurer. The plan would also use $10,000 from the Senior Revolving Fund and $27,000 from recycling receipts, both of which would require Town Meeting approval.
“I also want to mention … an opportunity we had. We talk a lot about sidewalks in this town and we had an opportunity to get pricing from the site contractor who was mobilized to do parts of the sidewalk for the project,” Colburn said.
While replacing the sidewalk included in the frontage of the building was in scope, the portion of the sidewalk along the Golden Bowl was not, she said.
“It just didn’t seem good to have parts … where it was inaccessible,” she said. “We got a cost to cover that work and then we talked to DPW (Department of Public Works) and they said that’s a better price than our contractors will provide, so we’re able to save the town some money to get the sidewalk repaired.”
As for other exterior updates, the solar panels are installed, the sign is up, and the fences have come down, she said. Library Trustee President Kathy Keohane added that bits of the old building— particularly the granite from the front steps and curbing of the old building— have been salvaged and repurposed to be included in the landscaping of the property.
Staff, meanwhile, has begun the gradual process of moving in.
“At the moment, we’ve moved a couple of members of the administration … we’re ready to have our colleagues with us when we can,” said Library Director Peter Struzziero.
Plans are in flux, but over the next two weeks, the hope is to begin moving staff and materials from the Benton Library and Beech Street Center.
“Once we transition each space, we’re going to retain some minimal services – we didn’t want to shut service altogether – so as we move out of the Benton, we’ll … continue to let patrons come and pick up holds, or pick up museum passes or ask a question,” Struzziero said.
Keohane said library policies are also being reviewed, as many on file were outdated.
“It’s a time of a lot of change, but a lot of positive change,” she said.
