Date: Fri 28-Mar-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Booth-Library-buildings

Full Text:

Booth Library Opening Delayed By A Month

The Cyrenius H. Booth Library probably won't re-open on Main Street until

after July 4, according to clerk of the works Ed Callo.

In a report to the Public Building and Site Commission Tuesday, Mr Callo said

construction delays have pushed the targeted June 1 opening back by at least a

month.

The asbestos problem in the old building has been resolved, however, so

workmen now have access to complete interior work there, he said. Two

dumpsters containing the asbestos removed from the building are still on the

site and must be removed before the parking lot can be paved. About two months

of site work still remain to be completed.

Town employees will receive training in asbestos and lead abatement so they

can do minor finish work, such as drilling small holes in inside walls and

painting small sections of trim when 36 windows are replaced. Two Board of

Education employees and two Public Works employees will receive 16 hours of

training to do this work.

Mechanical work is in progress in the new building, sprinklers have been

installed and the heating system has been tested and approved. Concrete on the

stairs must be repaired. The roof still has not been finished and, despite

repeated calls by the contractor to the subcontractor, only a few men have

been on the job, Mr Callo said.

School Projects

Rusty Malik, representative of Kaestle Boos, the architectural firm for the

expansion projects at Hawley School and the high school, said about two-thirds

of the newly poured slab at Hawley School must be replaced because it does not

meet the required four-inch thickness. Some sections of concrete are only two

to two and one-half inches thick, he said, so the contractor, ACMAT

Corporation, must replace it at its own expense. This has created a one-week

delay in the completion date of the project.

Mr Malik said that because of a mistake by the contractor, the gym and stage

at Hawley School will now be air conditioned. Two new heating units delivered

to the site for this part of the school contained cooling capability. The town

will not pay any additional charge for the purchase of these units, but $2,425

is needed for the extra electrical hookup.

At the high school, where an additional $24,000 to $25,000 in site work was

needed, some savings have reduced the contingency expenditure to about

$22,000, well within the $150,000 budgeted.

The concession stand shell at the sports stadium is being completed with

donations from Kaestle Boos, O&G and other businesses. There also has been a

donation for the sewer hookup to the concession stand.

A variance will be requested by the Blue and Gold Booster Club from the Zoning

Board of Appeals on May 7 because the four light poles at the stadium will be

70 feet high. The booster club is trying to raise $95,000, of which $51,000 is

for the purchase of twelve lights.

Frank Krasnickas, commission chairman, reported that the Board of Education

and the Legislative Council have approved the commission's recommendation of a

budget of $630,000 for the Head O' Meadow roof replacement. He said the bid

specifications were not made available to the commission until after the bids

had been received by the board.