Editorial: Library Board ratifies bond sale, OKs O’Neal

The sale of $14 million worth of bonds and the phased agreement with O’Neal Construction was approved at Tuesday’s meeting of the Belleville Area District Library Board.
“This is the first lap,” said library attorney John Day, as board members expressed relief at this milestone in their journey toward a new building.
Six firms bid on the bonds Monday and the low bidder was Bank of America Merrill Lynch, New York, NY with a bid of 3.279% interest. Library Director Mary Jo Suchy said the sale upped the library’s bond rating from A+ to AA-.
The agreement with O’Neal Construction of Ann Arbor will be in two phases, to make sure when they dig into the earth there are no expensive surprises.
The first phase covers the underground site work. The library also needs to work out an agreement with the City of Belleville on site acquisition.
Architect Dan Whisler also got approval to send out a request for proposals for soil borings and also said he would help Suchy, but couldn’t be a part of, environmental work that might be needed for the old library building, the house next door, or the city parking lot.
He said library board member John Juriga’s contact with Congresswoman Dingell’s office got the library an email from DTE to discuss the cost of putting electrical lines underground. Surprise.
Step by step the library is coming.