Date: Fri 11-Jul-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

library-construction-Lavery

Full Text:

Library Work Should Be Completed In August

(with photo)

Construction at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library is about 90 percent complete and

- if progress continues at the present pace - the Main Street facility may be

completed within about two weeks of its August 4 target date.

That was the assessment of William Lavery, chairman of the Library Board of

Trustee's building committee, at the board's meeting Tuesday evening.

"There's still a lot of work to be done," he admitted, "but progress really is

being made. I'm not sure about August 4 but I expect it to be reasonably close

- within a week or two."

Mr Lavery said the next payment that the contractor, Building Technologies,

Inc, of Prospect, receives for its work is contingent upon getting a

certificate of occupancy.

"That's a big motivator," said board member Joseph Humeston. "The contractor

won't get any more money until we get the CO."

Chris Spiro pointed out that despite the delays in the project, it is still

within its original $4.1 million budget. "That's something that many people

don't realize," he said.

"We are close," Mr Lavery said. "We are owed money - (for example) the town

provided the fill for the backyard. We also owe money. We had to move a

chiller and we approved a change order for the roof. That will all be sorted

out at the end."

Mr Lavery said a settlement offer had been made to Petco Insulation Company of

West Haven, which abated the asbestos but, because Petco failed to remove two

large Dumpsters, the town hired another company to do that job and reduced its

offer to Petco by $6,000. "We haven't heard a word from Petco," he said.

Mr Lavery said the board is bringing in an independent consultant to evaluate

what type of materials should be used to enclose the chiller to muffle the

noise made when the cooling system operates at top capacity on very hot, humid

days. He said the sprinkler system in the building also must be tested before

the carpeting is laid and the painting completed.

Once all the work is completed and the certificate of occupancy is issued, it

still will be weeks before the library can re-open on Main Street. Library

Director Janet Woycik said it will take the staff about a month to install the

furniture, equipment and books, most of which are in storage, in the library

before it can be opened to the public.

Some board members, staff and members of the Friends of the Library toured the

Main Street building before the board's annual meeting was held at Shelton

House. The new addition appeared much closer to completion than on previous

tours. Many walls were painted and white enameled woodwork had been installed

and painted. Most of the unfinished work was in the old section of the

building where the construction delays have occurred.

During the board's annual meeting, Chris Spiro reported that 1996-97 income

was $87,237 less than budgeted but spending was down $95,718 so the budget

finished in the black. Circulation was down about 50 percent because the

library was open for only five months of the fiscal year and with only about

30 percent of its collection available. Most of the books and materials are in

storage awaiting completion of the construction/renovation project which is

tripling the size of the library.

The board elected Kevin Tepas, Kathy Geckle, Joe Humeston and Merlin Fisk to

serve as trustees for three-year terms expiring in the year 2000. At the Board

of Selectmen's meeting Monday evening, the selectmen reappointed Gordon

Williams and Paula Hopper to the 18-member library board and appointed Donna

Howard to the board as recommended by the Democratic Town Committee.

The library board elected Gordon Williams as president for 1997-98; Kathy

Geckle, vice president; Chris Spiro, treasurer; and Karen Schultz, secretary.

The board expressed its appreciation to outgoing trustees Jeanne Honan and Pat

Denlinger, both of whom have served the maximum of three consecutive

three-year terms on the board.