District Library approves contract with architectural firm

The formal agreement with Daniels and Zermack Architects, LLC, of Ann Arbor was approved by the Belleville Area District Library Board at its regular meeting May 9.
The agreement goes back to Sept. 15, 2015 and the architect’s representative is identified as Daniel E. Whisler, AIA.
The stipulated sum of $804,250 is based on the project scope in the library’s preliminary budget dated May 30, 2016. This does not include the Sumpter project, which will have a different contract.
Additional services beyond those prescribed in the agreement are available at hourly rates and, if the library wants to hire the firm for design services, for Furniture, Furnishings, and Equipment Design Services the price is $103,675.
The 25-page agreement says the architect will use his reasonable professional efforts to interpret applicable ADA requirements and other federal, state, and local laws and to conform the construction documents to the requirements of such laws. But, he will not warrant or guarantee that the project will comply with interpretations of ADA requirements and other codes.
When asked about that, Whisler said, “The ADA is civil rights legislation and anybody can sue the library.”
The board also approved Environmental Testing and Consulting (ETC), with an office in Romulus, for phase 1 Environmental Assessments at the present library site and 360 Charles Street at the low bid of $5,500. Lead testing was not specifically noted on the bid, so if the total is more than $7,000, the library will choose the next highest bid.
Board members did not want to delay the selection because they wanted to move forward as quickly as possible.
Library board member John Juriga lobbied for ETC, pointing out it is a local business that did work for Juriga on his house. It is owned by a woman and she served on the Boys and Girls Club board in Romulus, he said.
ETC was the low bidder and so they gave the job to it and will find out about the lead. The credentials were impressive.
The board then voted to hire G2 Consulting Group, LLC of Troy for the rest of the geotechnical work at a cost of $5,525.
Matthew Ratzow of O’Neal Construction, the senior project manager for the library project, said all of the bidders were good and the prices were similiar, but if he had a vote he would vote for G2.
In other business at the almost two-hour meeting, the board:
• Heard board president Sharon Peters report on the meeting she attended at the DTE facility concerning relocating of wires that would have been going across the front of the new library building. The proposal is to bury lines in front of the library and relocate two poles in the new parking lot. The wires will go down the alley, if they had one, behind houses on Charles Street;
• Heard Peters tell of the library’s meeting with the city and they seem to be OK with what DTE was proposing. Library Director Mary Jo Suchy said the city’s Building Official Rick Rutherford met with the library representatives about rerouting the sewer, water, gas to keep service to the old building while it is still being used. Ratzow said it was a very productive meeting and discussed traffic patterns, street closing, and staging. More information is needed before finalizing the site plan for approval and the legal contract with the city; and
• Heard Peters give a report on marketing since the chairwoman of that committee, Alma Hughes-Grubbs was ill. The committee met May 4 and the library is working on a blog to notify neighbors and businesses around the library about what’s going in. Carol Thompson suggested a letter to be sent to neighbors. Also, an arts and amenities committee will be set up as a citizens’ committee and others will be invited to volunteer on this.