Library Board selects construction manager, votes to issue bonds

The Belleville Area District Library Board’s Building Committee said it spent more than 26 total hours in studying information and interviewing five firms before recommending O’Neal Construction, Inc. of Ann Arbor as the construction manager for the new library.
At its regular meeting on Feb. 14, the board voted unanimously to approve O’Neal and enter into negotiations with the firm for a contract.
Joy Cichewicz, chairwoman of the Building Committee, said in a memo to the board, “The decision was based on many factors, including the firm’s experience working on other libraries and on similar projects; the experience, knowledge, and qualifications of the project team; the completeness and clarity of their proposal; their attitude and performance in the interview; their ability to communicate clearly; and their expertise in site logistics.”
She said prior public libraries in their portfolio include the Dexter District Library, the Chelsea District Library, and the Ann Arbor District Library, Traverwood Branch.
The committee evaluated proposals from seven firms and interviewed five. Those not interviewed were Davenport Brothers Construction Company and J.S. Vig Construction Company. Davenport’s figure was the highest of the seven and J.S. Vig was “in the middle of the pack.”
Architect Dan Whisler said the firms were first reviewed based on qualifications and cut the list down to the top five. Then they opened fee proposals, but you couldn’t really rank them by fees and costs because the proposals from the different companies had costs in different categories and it was difficult to rate “apples to apples.”
Juriga said the Building Committee was unanimous in selection of this one company. “It was amazing,” he said.
The board also unanimously passed a resolution authorizing the issuance of not more than $14 million in bonds.
CPA Ron Traskos was present to explain the bond procedure and he said the bonds will be issued in $5,000 increments and will be put out for bids for companies for the entire portfolio of $14 million.
Board member John Juriga asked how much an investor could make if he bought a $5,000 bond and Traskos said it depended on the interest, but if there was a maximum of 5% interest and if you had a $5,000 bond, you could make a total of $250 interest.
Board attorney John Day said the board would sell bonds and have $14 million and that would be paid off with taxes from the three communities.
Library Director Mary Jo Suchy said the bond is structured in such a way that the first levy will be placed on the December property tax bill.
In other business at the Feb. 14 meeting, the board:
• Heard Board Chairwoman Sharon Peters announce appointments to six committees;
• Heard Suchy report they are sending as many staff members as the library can spare to the TLN Integrated Library System vendor demos over the next three weeks. She said they need more staff computer workstations but do not have places to put them, so they plan to purchase one or two laptops foruse in the building by staff. In addition, they are identifying areas where they can add some network switches in the staff areas;
• Learned Nakenya Lewis-Yarbrough, who had been a substitute librarian, has been promoted to the part-time librarian position. She will concentrate on reference and youth services. Jo Lebron has been promoted to the full-time library assistant position. Shannon Pingle joins the custodial team replacing Sintra Cury; and
• Heard Suchy say the Belleville Central Business Community Valentine event at the museum and downtown businesses on Feb. 4 encouraged higher book sales at the used-book sale that day. The library helped kids make their own Valentine Day cards and reprised its popular “blind date with a book” program where readers can check out a wrapped up book labeled with a brief description.