District Library works at cuts for Belleville, Sumpter facilities

The Belleville Area District Library Board at its regular meeting Feb. 13 discussed cuts in the budgets for both the proposed new library building in downtown Belleville and the satellite facility in Sumpter.
The board’s building committee has been meeting with the architect and O’Neal Construction and have worked out changes to bring the library construction and renovation budgets back into line.
Architect Dan Whisler said, as far as the new construction plan, there have been exterior changes, rotation of the elevator inside, shifting of the local history room, windows on the first floor and second floor have been changed and they eliminated a projecting bay window. Staff space was rearranged and one air conditioning unit was eliminated, saving $10,000.
A sunshade was eliminated and will be put back, if the money allows. A vegetative roof is considered an alternative and will be put back if possible. There are ten alternates.
He said the circular entry tower has been shortened considerably. The exterior has been changed significantly, but they are still using the same bricks and limestone materials. He explained other changes.
Then, Whisler said the Sumpter Township facility has a cost of $550,000 and just $450,000 is budgeted. He said changes have been made to bring the costs back into line. The library will be renovating the hexagon building across from township hall for the satellite.
He said under the building code, there should be two rest rooms and two drinking fountains. He said the library was planning 22 seats, but could provide an affidavit that only 15 occupants could be allowed in the building, which would allow for a single toilet.
They could save $7,000 on a drinking fountain, by possibly being able to use the one drinking fountain already in the building. A second fountain for wheelchair use could also be a part of the affidavit and they would not have to install it if they could offer bottled water to those who have physical difficulties that don’t allow them to use the regular fountain.
He said they could reuse the existing cabinets in the kitchen and get rid of the stove. They would recover the counter tops. As to the kitchen sink, code requires it to be 34″ high for handicap use, and for years the standard was 36″ like the one in the kitchen. Since it’s existing, maybe that could be considered a grandfather issue, he said. It wouldn’t meet ADA standards.
Building committee chairwoman Joy Cichewicz said they had a meeting planned with Sumpter on Friday, Feb. 16. Also, they will be getting a legal description of the property.
Whisler said plans are to start Sumpter construction site work in May and bid out the other work in June.
“Then we will know the cost for sure,” Cichewicz said.
In a related discussion, board member John Juriga said in the future he expects library staff to say of the new building, “What were you thinking? There’s not enough storage.”
Whisler said there never is enough storage and they can increase the storage, but then, “What do we give up?”
“It will force us not to store,” Library Director Mary Jo Suchy said.
In other business at the one-hour-and-35-minute meeting, the board:
• Discussed the proposed ground breaking for the new library on the Saturday of Library Week, April 14. The board’s marketing committee will plan the event. Mary Jane Dawson, a member of the committee, suggested t-shirts that read, “I’m digging my new library”;
• Heard Cichewicz say everyone is nagging DTE to get the power lines moved. “They have to do their business before we can start”;
• Approved changes to two bylaws: eliminating term limits for treasurer and changing the order of business for the agenda items;
• Heard Director Suchy announce that George Kelley has been hired as technology manager and will be on board within a month. Suchy said, “A new technology manager cannot come a moment too soon, as we begin to look in more depth at security and A-V systems for the new library and branch, as well as RFID and self-checkout; and
• Heard Cichewicz say that in spite of the cuts the building is something to be proud of. Juriga said, “Exterior beauty is important and we’ve cut so much.” Chairwoman Sharon Peters said, “Cutting has been very painful, but we’re doing what we have to do…We’re getting close now and it feels great.”