District Library Board approves new budgets, discusses building details

At its regular meeting June 13, the Belleville Area District Library Board unanimously approved its amended 2016-17 budget, its proposed 2017-18 budgets, and other budget details, following a public hearing.
Architect Dan Whisler xx said he and library Director Mary Jo Suchy and her Deputy Director Hilary Savage are conducting a room-by-room analysis of plans for the new building, deciding how many shelves are needed and how many books will be needed.
“We had developed a concept plan, that was not exact,” he said. “Now, it’s down and dirty.”
He said this should be wrapped up no later than mid July and he hopes to meet every week until then.
He said approximately 31,900 square feet was what had been planned and exactly it should be 32,357 square feet.
He said plans had been to move into the new library building in September 2019, but that is not likely. He said the exact date is weather-dependent, but the move-in date is more like March, April, or May, 2020.
He said he expects the Sumpter project to be done by July or August 2018. He said they could start work this summer and fall.
Board chairwoman Sharon Peters said she drafted a proposed letter to neighbors for board members to look over and make suggestions on.
She said she shared the letter with Carol Thompson at the Belleville Downtown Development Authority. She said she would wait for feedback and then share the letter with neighbors.
The letter is aimed at keeping neighbors up to date on library plans that will impact them and keeping good relations as the plans progress.
Peters said Whisler needs to hear from a couple of utilities – AT&T and Comcast – but he got a letter from DTE with a revised estimate for relocation of power poles to remove wires in front of the new library.
DTE requires payment in advance for the $205,027 project, with a lead time of about 6-8 months.
In order to get the overhead wires away from the front of the new library building, the wires will have to be rerouted and new poles installed through the backyard easements of residents fronting on Charles and Church streets. The poles will be put in the easement area that would be an alley if they had an alley.
Peters said the goal is to have the money budgeted for this cover DTE, Comcast, and AT&T and so the library doesn’t want to pay DTE until it determines that the budget will cover it all.
Peters said she talked with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and thanked her for her intervention with DTE and told her of the library’s problems with Comcast and AT&T.
“I’m glad to have her involvement in what we’re doing,” Peters said.
Peters said she knows Dingell, who was on the board of an organization when Peters was serving as CEO of that organization.
Whisler said the initial communication with DTE by Dingell helped the project.
He said they will set up another meeting with the city on ordinance issues and hope to have more information from utilities. Then would be the time to meet with the public.
“This building is the biggest thing to come to Belleville in 50 years,” said Peters. “The city manager was very positive with us.”
Peters said the city is short-staffed and has to handle the most pressing items first.
“They are just overwhelmed,” said building committee chairwoman Joy Cichewicz.
Whisler said he is changing features in the looks of the building to reflect changes. He said after there is a meeting with the city there will be a meeting with neighbors before formal submission of the site plan to the city.
When they were discussing all the contacts with surrounding building owners, board member John Juriga said they have to be sure to contact the churches because services, weddings, and funerals would be impacted by any water shut offs during construction.
Whisler said they need the site plan approval before they start sanitary sewer relocation. He said the underground utilities are on a different timeline than the above-ground construction.
Peters suggested public forums with Sumpter Township and Van Buren Township, as well as the neighbors to the library.
She said there should be a forum with the public officials of the tri-community. She said the bulk of the population is in Van Buren Township, so they have to be included.
Peters said Barbara Miller and Carol Thompson have contacted her about artists for the public art part of the library project.
“We don’t want people to think we have tons of room for art, but we do want some art,” Peters said.
She said they could set up a special meeting that would focus on art.
“I have approached a local artist and he agreed to chair a committee,” Juriga said, identifying that artist as Doug Peters.
“We have to know what we’re doing before we rush off,” Peters said, noting there also has to be private fund raising.
Whisler said they can be working on art during the entire building timeline and construction and have it ready to hang before the library opens.
He said they can give thought to where the art would go and, “to light it so the art really sings.” He said they don’t need to know what it is, such as a painting or sculpture or exterior art in the garden, but it’s a good time to start thinking about it – “Where you want blank walls and lighting.”
Peters suggested a meeting in late summer or fall.
Whisler said they have to decide who will select the art and fund raising to find out who will pay or it. He said maybe they can identify local artists they’d like to have.
Cichewicz said she would like to see a community project with kids.
Whisler warned there is a limited amound of wall area.
“… and floor area,” Peters added.
When talking about hanging art in the windows, Whisler said that stained glass benefits from being in a window, or maybe mobiles.
“We have two community quilts” on display in the present library, Juriga said, asking if there will be room for them in the new library.
“Sure,’ Whisler said. “We have a dedicated local history room … or elsewhere.”