Editorial: Library project delayed by storm, contract approval

The electrical power outage at the Belleville Area District Library March 8 caused a delay in approving a contract with selected construction manager O’Neal Construction of Ann Arbor.
At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the library board, chairwoman Sharon Peters explained that the power outage delayed a meeting concerning the contract and then the library attorney John Day had an emergency and had to leave town.
The library board expected to have a proposed contract to approve with O’Neal at Tuesday’s meeting, but it didn’t. Three O’Neal representatives attended the meeting anyway to introduce themselves to the board and to say they would be willing to attend any special meetings set.
The board expects a building committee meeting with its attorney and O’Neal representatives. A special board meeting was set for 7:30 p.m. April 4, to finalize the contract so they can get started.
It’s mostly an AIA standard contract, but Day wanted to figure out which AIA version was best for Belleville.
“I’m the last one to try to slow things down,” said chairwoman Peters, “but we have to take our attorney’s advice.
She said they were “just a half step behind where we intended to be.” Architect Dan Whisler said he expects the ceremonial groundbreaking to be in early 2018, but there will be digging around before then. The $14 million bond sale is April 10. The project is inching forward.