Date: Fri 25-Aug-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Booth-library-expansion-bonds

Full Text:

Selectmen Approve Bonding For Library Plan

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

The Board of Selectmen Monday night unanimously recommended the issuance of

$4.1 million in bonds to finance the renovation and expansion of the Cyrenius

H. Booth Library.

But the selectmen agreed that their intent in voting for the project was to

move it to action by the Legislative Council and ultimately to a town meeting.

"I'm voting in favor of this because I think the real voters should be the

people of Newtown," Selectman Gary Fetzer said. "To some extent it's a

subjective issue. I think the library is a necessity. If you don't have it, a

lot of people will have hardships.

"But one of my biggest concerns is the amount of bonding the town faces over

the next 10 to 15 years for projects like the library, schools and sewers," he

said. "This is something for the people to decide. They need to understand the

issue, both pros and cons."

The total price for the project is $4,098,070. This includes $3,169,500 for

renovation/construction; $316,000 for contingency (10 percent of the

construction cost); $168,000 for furniture; $113,000 for shelving, $81,870 for

architect/engineer fees, plus a variety of other costs such as soil and

concrete testing, security and telephone systems, and computers.

The library board has been promised a $350,000 state grant as long as

construction begins by next May. The grant will be used to reduce the total

amount of bonding that is needed to $3,748,070. But Benjamin Spragg, the

town's finance director, recommended that the Board of Selectmen vote to bond

$4.1 million.

"We changed bond counsels recently and their preferred method is that we vote

to appropriate the entire amount (of the project) and recommend that it be

borrowed," he explained. "That way, if something unexpected should happen ...

and the grant isn't received, we wouldn't have to go back to a town meeting

for the rest of the funds."

Selectman Jim Smith questioned the expenditure for furniture, asking whether

the trustees planned to replace furniture in the existing building. William

Lavery, chairman of the library's building committee, said the library

furniture will be refurbished and kept. Most of the expenditure will be for

large, specialized furniture that is needed for the new addition, such as

circulation and reference desks, plus chairs and tables, lamps and other

items.

The only objection to the project, which will more than double the size of the

library, came from Edwin Baumer who lives next door to the library and has

filed lawsuits to prevent its expansion.

"Libraries are a good thing," he said. "I only ask that if something is to be

done with regards to the library, it should be done in the right and proper

way."

Mr Baumer recommended that the library be moved to buildings at Fairfield

Hills, specifically Plymouth and Stratford Halls. He said that expanding the

library on Main Street will intensify traffic, create a hazard for pedestrians

and result in drainage runoff which will contaminate the wetlands area behind

the building.

Mr Lavery responded that the plans have been reviewed and approved by many

governmental boards and agencies to make sure that this won't occur. He said

the property also will be planted with bushes and shrubs to provide a buffer

for neighboring properties and the 80-car parking lot behind the building will

be fenced and locked to prevent its use as a hangout for teenagers at night

when the library is closed.

"This has been a long road," he added. "We've done our best to accommodate all

neighbors. The project has come in at a price that we would never be able to

get again.

Mr Baumer alleged that the library board's attorney had "threatened" to run

the public driveway access "down my right of way, my driveway, and within four

feet of my house." Mr Baumer's driveway is on town-owned land but the plans do

not include using any portion of his driveway for the library expansion

project.

While not responding directly to the allegation, Mr Lavery said that in his

discussions with Mr Baumer, "he said he wouldn't be as opposed to the library

project if he could get title to his driveway."

"I explained (to Mr Baumer) that the land is not ours - it is owned by the

town - and he must pursue this with the town," Mr Lavery said.

Mr Baumer expressed concern about the cost of removing asbestos from such

spaces as the library attic. He said that 50 to 90 percent of the asbestos has

already been removed from the buildings at Fairfield Hills. Gordon Williams,

president of the library board, said the asbestos removal costs at the Booth

Library will be minor, "$10,000, plus or minus."

The library expansion project is expected to be on the agenda for the next

Legislative Council meeting which will be held on September 6.