AVON FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY RENOVATIONS & ADDITION PROJECT
BUILDING COMMITTEE MINUTES
MARCH 17, 2010
I. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM by Chairperson Diane Hornaday in the Avon Room Town Hall Building 1. Members present: Chairperson Diane Hornaday, Diane Carney, Janet Stokesbury, David Goldsholl, Scott Boos, Barbara Leonard and J. Tad Kuziak. Members absent: none. Also in attendance were staff member and Assistant Town Manager Blythe Robinson, Town Manager Brandon Roberston, Library Director Virginia Vocelli and Architect Peter Wells.
II. MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETING - March 4, 2010
Secretary Goldsholl motioned, Ms. Carney seconded and all agreed to accept the March 4, 2010 minutes as presented. Ms. Leonard abstained from the vote.
III. COMMUNICATION FROM AUDIENCE
None.
IV. COMMUNICATION FROM COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Ms. Stokesbury questioned recent newspaper articles regarding the Library funding pending the Bond Commission meeting outcome. Mr. Goldsholl asked where the reporter got the information for the article when the recent meeting hadn't provided it. Ms. Vocelli added that she'd spoken to a reporter asking about the Bond Commission question. Town Manager Robertson clarified that he was indeed the source of the correspondence. Ms. Hornaday reminded that the press would be interested in the project and to expect more articles and inquiries.
V. CONSTRUCTION MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Chairperson Hornaday requested that the members vote on a construction manager for the project. Mr. Boos, Mr. Kuziak, Ms. Leonard, Ms. Carney and Chairperson Hornaday voted to hire Enterprise Builders. Ms. Stokesbury and Secretary Goldsholl voted for FIP Construction. By consensus, Enterprise Builders was selected by the committee to provide the construction manager for the renovation and addition project at the Avon Free Public Library. Ms. Robinson clarified that the Library closing during the renovation was not a consideration. Based on the numbers the two firms had submitted, keeping the Library open during construction without moving to a temporary site determined that Enterprise Builders would be the less expensive of the two. Ms. Hornaday thanked the members for their careful time and consideration in making the
decision. Ms. Robinson will continue her communication with the Town Attorney in drawing up the contract for presentation to the selected firm. Mr. Boos requested that the draft of the contract be sent to the members for review.
VI. REVIEW - DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Mr. Wells presented several versions of the proposed parking lot and traffic flow plan he received from his civil engineers. He said access to the book drop drove the design options. He hoped too that the members would select a version soon so he could get back to the Town Engineer for final comments of the site plan, as this item needed to go to Planning & Zoning for site plan approval. Each of the proposals included extending the main island. The first design would allow 113 parking spaces, down from the original 114, but the engineer feared would create too much traffic congestion near the entrance. The second option would cut down the number of spaces to 110 and create a longer pattern to get around for accessing the book drop. The third version would revise the handicap parking area and create a wider drive
through to 22' wide. The three patterns would help to make people go one way through the lot to avoid traffic conflicts. Ms. Carney said that you'd have to go around the drive through to get to the handicap parking. Mr. Wells reminded that we needed to stay to the zoning requirement of 65% green cover and 35% impervious surface. Ms. Hornaday questioned whether the design would cause interference between delivery vehicles and people using the book drop. Ms. Vocelli said that she still thinks companies will mainly use the front door for deliveries. Mr. Wells sees a potential problem with the Planning & Zoning department because they require a 10' green buffer to the building and the area around the book drop would be only 2-3' for ground cover. Ms. Robinson questioned the location of the dumpster to which Mr. Wells answered they are still working on it. Mr. Kuziak questioned potential snow plowing problems. Mr. Wells cautioned that he felt the design engineer was treating the
book drop like a bank drive through which would have far more traffic than the Library. Ms. Vocelli felt the residents would love a 24/7 drive-up book drop. Ms. Carney questioned whether a stand alone book drop like the one in West Hartford would be an option. Mr. Wells said that this would create a situation where staff would have to go outside and empty the bin often. Times that the Library was closed and the bin was used could either create an overflow situation or warrant the need to use staff to monitor it during off hours. The members overwhelming liked the first version Mr. Wells presented. Ms. Hornaday said the handicap drivers preferred a straight shot to a parking space.
Mr. Wells discussed the building layout plans he had distributed at the last meeting. He said there were really few changes but that he wanted to go over the designs for questions or clarifications. He said he rearranged the basement a little to accommodate the geothermal system. The direction of the staircase was reversed to facilitate the Friends' needs. He was pleased that the basement re-design will eliminate the need for costly underpinnings to the existing part of the building. Ms. Vocelli said the repair room (for computers etc.) will be a little larger. Mr. Kuziak offered to donate three racks he had to which Ms. Robinson gladly accepted. The sprinkler room is used essentially to hide the valves. Planning a space for the future RFID system was considered as well. Location of where the electrical service will come
in the building is still being discussed.
The first floor had little changes. Ms. Stokesbury questioned whether the smart board was still included in the budget. Ms. Vocelli answered that it was. Mr. Wells continued that the projector location in the community room is still under discussion. He reversed the location of the closet that holds the folding room partition to allow an entire wall to be used for projector screens etc. The second floor story time partition was adjusted to allow more wall space for where the AVON MARKET scene will go. Ms. Vocelli reminded the members that the young adult quiet study areas serve as community meeting rooms as well; a theme she said keeps coming up that emphasizes the continuing need for more meeting space in the community. She added that 450 space reservations were made last year. Mr. Goldsholl hoped for an eventual
central coordinator who would oversee meeting space/time availability throughout the town whether it is at the Library, Town Hall or the Senior Center.
Mr. Wells continued that he raised the roof in several locations to create much needed storage space. He was able to include child size windows as well. Ms. Stokesbury questioned the location of tutor space. Mr. Wells showed quiet study areas scattered throughout the first and second floors. Mr. Boos questioned the need for mechanical space on the second floor. Mr. Wells said the geothermal system would take up very little room and that most of the mechanical space would be in the attic. Mr. Boos said a stairway to the attic would be great. Mr. Wells is still working out this design. Mr. Boos also mentioned the two kitchens: one for community use on the first floor and one on the second floor for the staff. Members questioned the need for a fully appointed kitchen for the staff to which Ms. Vocelli said could certainly be
modified.
Mr. Wells explained the floor construction he'll be using in the addition. He proposes using a 4" concrete slab on steel framing on the first and second floors which will help to minimize noise. The roof will be pitched along the perimeter, the center filled with low pitch which will eliminate the need for internal drains, and covered with a membrane material, not shingled. He also said the entire roof will be re-done. Mr. Wells said we were moving into the working drawing phase. He'll be using the same trim details that exist now, keeping trim to a minimum. Mr. Boos added that trim can be extremely costly. Glass walls will serve to partition rooms and allow the flow of light and help staff monitor activity. Ceramic tiles used in bathrooms from floor to the ceiling will help to cut down on maintenance. Ms. Stokesbury
questioned the lack of more windows on the community room wall facing the parking lot. Mr. Wells said that it provides a wall that can be easily darkened with fewer windows to cover and also cuts down on distracting lights from cars in the parking lot at night. Mr. Wells added that the otheer side of the room provides lots of light, opening to the outdoor reading and gathering area. Ms. Hornaday reiterated that the more information the members received the more they would be able to respond to the resident's questions about the project.
VII. STATE GRANT STATUS
Ms. Robinson provided a handout detailing information about proceeding with the project in relation to receiving or not receiving the State Grant money as the Bond Commission continues to delay meeting. She discussed four items: cash flow, Mr. Well's suggestions for savings, recommendations to be presented to the Town Council at their April 8th meeting and the budget to date. Mr. Well's suggestions for project cost reduction included lower furniture costs than anticipated, stability in the fuel costs thus eliminating a fuel surcharge, and staying in the Library during construction. The committee has spent $60,345.85 so far which includes all of the schematic design and 30% of design development. Preparing construction documents to go to bid would cost approximately $376,183.50 which could be funded from fund 2, capital
projects fund, with a Town "intra-fund" temporary financing arrangement until more substantial financing is needed. The transfer would require Town Council and Board of Finance approval. Ms. Colligan, Director of Finance, recommended this internal financial strategy as a backup plan to implement in case the Bond Commission approval is further delayed and until the initial bond anticipation note issue is in place. Payment would be expected to be put back into the budget up to sixty days past the closing of the fiscal year. The question is whether to wait for the Bond Commission to issue the money, take the architect's suggestions for savings and not depend on the anticipated grant money, or put the project on hold. Ms. Vocelli questioned whether the committee would have to go back to the voters in another referendum. Ms. Robinson said no that you'd go back only if the scope of the project changed dramatically or to approach the Town Council for more money.
Mr. Robertson summarized the predicament. He really couldn't predict where the Governor was going with the agenda, that maybe we would be included on it for April. The Council would require feedback as to how far we wanted to continue on the project while having the Bond Commission issues. He added that pricing is very favorable and interest rates are low. If Mr. Well's reduction suggestions were taken and the grant money did come in, then the Town would have to bond less money for the project. Ms. Hornaday questioned whether the Town goes for the full amount to bond. Mr. Robertson said that one can get anticipation notes short term and then combine them into one long term (20 year) note. Ms. Robinson added that the construction manager helps with a cash flow analysis, to determine the shorter term amounts. She added that
the final bond issue amount for the high school was not determined until a year after the project was completed.
Ms. Hornaday said the committee's work is to make recommendations to the Town Council. She hoped the committee would present a strong rationale for why we're recommending going forward with the project and the Town Council would be receptive to that. Mr. Kuziak added that the reason he switched to Enterprise Builders as his choice was to present a strong recommendation to the Council and hoped the members would also present a strong recommendation to them to continue moving forward with the project. Mr. Goldsholl expressed his concern in explaining to the residents that the project could still move forward without the million dollars. As a businessman, he was having trouble explaining missing the number by that large of a percentage. Ms. Hornaday agreed that we need to keep the residents in mind when explaining the
seeming discrepancy. Mr. Wells explained that an estimate is made initially and as the plan gets better the price gets more refined. Factors such as reduced costs for materials, labor and fuel were unanticipated when the number was first initiated. He also said that the money is not coming out of the construction figure alone. Mr. Boos added that this is where the construction manager goes to work: here are the plans, here is the number, now build it.
Ms. Carney and Ms. Stokesbury agreed that we wait for the grant money in hopes to get as much money for the project as we can. Ms. Stokesbury continued, that given this budget climate, we'd be hard pressed to let that money go. Ms. Hornaday cautioned that publicly admitting that the project would move forward, despite the uncertainty with the Bond Commission, would jeopardize Avon's chances of receiving the money. Mr. Wells interceded to say that his impression is that we were not going to be included on the Bond Commission's agenda anytime soon. Ms. Robinson added that if the Town Council waits until another Bond Commission session, which could possibly be another year from now and the scope of the project changes, we'd have to pay the architect for another re-design which would be costly. She also added that she didn't
know what the Town Council would decide. Ms. Hornaday said at least we could go to the Council with the status of all this. Mr. Robertson asked Mr. Wells if he could get the State's Library guidelines for the grant and e-mail it to him to clarify their procedures. Mr. Wells strongly suggested continuing the project as planned to take advantage of today's construction prices. Mr. Goldsholl felt the economy was in no hurry to catch fire and prices would only increase slowly. Ms. Robinson reminded the members that the letter the Finance Director wrote to continue to fund the project will be included in the Town Council's agenda for the April 8th meeting. Mr. Robertson summarized that the Town Council will be given the information and that basically wait to see what will happen with the Bond Commission and then go back to the Town Council for their recommendation. Ms. Hornaday said this method will maximize our opportunity to get the grant and if we don't we'll hope to have very good
figures by then. We'll continue to move forward as planned and hope the Bond Commission appropriates the money. Mr. Wells wished to have some confirmation from the Town to continue to move forward as he needed to pay his consultants. Mr. Robertson assured him that the Town would borrow the money internally until the project was financed with a bond. Ms. Robinson explained that the Town would pay itself back just that the timing was a little off schedule.
Ms. Hornaday said the committee would recommend Enterprise Builders as the construction manager, include the supplemental request to transfer internal funds and update the Town Council at their next meeting April 8th.
Mr. Robertson mentioned that State Representative Kevin Witkos would attend the April Town Council meeting, discuss the State Bonding Commission information and talk about the prognosis going forward.
VIII. TEMPORARY LIBRARY UPDATE
Ms. Robinson expressed the urgency of making a decision on the temporary site. Given the uncertainty of receiving the grant, she added that lacking these funds would solidify the decision to remain in the Library during construction. Mr. Kuziak said he recommended bringing in someone to test the runs for the Ethernet at the site and that it'd save a lot of money. Mr. Wells made some sketches of the layout for the building. Ms. Hornaday felt it not fair to the landlord to continue and suggested contacting them to say, for a variety of reasons, the committee would not continue to pursue a temporary site for the Library. She posed this to the members and they all agreed this would be the best course to take. She asked Ms. Robinson to handle this.
IX. OTHER BUSINESS
Ms. Hornaday suggested inviting Enterprise Builders to the next meeting to be held April 7th, 7:30 AM in the Avon Room Town Hall. The committee members discussed eliminating the morning meeting as the weather warmed. Mr. Kuziak wanted to say for the record that he and the committee members wanted to thank Ms. Robinson for all of her hard and dedicated work, the commitment she had given this committee and wished her the best fortune in her next endeavor. All vociferously applauded.
X. ADJOURNMENT
Mr. Goldsholl motioned, Mr. Kuziak seconded and all agreed to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 PM. None opposed.
Recorded by:
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Susan Gatcomb, Staff Person
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David Goldsholl, Secretary
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