Library goes out for bids for construction manager

The Belleville Area District Library Board voted unanimously to immediately go out for bids for a construction manager so the architect can work with the firm as details are made to construction drawings.
At the Jan. 10 meeting of the board, a detailed Request for Proposals for Construction Management Services for the New Downtown Library was presented by architect Dan Whisler.
Building committee chairwoman Joy Cichewicz said the committee decided to reach out for RFPs by invitation and local subcontractors will be included.
Whisler said the board’s building committee met three times since the last board meeting and he made a list based on his past experience with the companies.
“I have not reached out to see if they are interested, but a $10.5 million project is appealing,” Whisler said.
“We’ve included those who have been involved in building libraries,” Cichewicz said. “We’re including Davenport because they’re a local firm and done a lot of local work.”
Harlan and Steve Davenport were in the audience for the entire meeting, but did not offer any comments. Building committee member John Juriga has been a vocal supporter of having Davenport build the library.
Whisler said there will be a two-step selection process. He said they should ask for qualifications and make a list of who they want based on qualifications. Then, turn to separate sealed fee proposals and look at the proposed fees.
Whisler said he expects completion of the library in late 2019.
He said they don’t have the site survey complete yet, but in a week or so it will be ready. He said if it is ready it will be included with the call for RFPs.
Whisler said construction management service firms they plan to contact are: Frank Rewold & Sons of Rochester, The Christman Company of Lansing, McCarthy & Smith of Farmington Hills, Phoenix Contractors of Ypsilanti, O’Neal Construction, Inc. of Ann Arbor, Granger Construction of Lansing, The Dailey Company of Lake Orion, J.S. Vig Construction Company of Taylor, and Davenport Brothers Construction of Belleville.
He said from the nine firms, they should pick three to five to interview and give them two weeks to respond. He recommended strongly that the members of the selection committee sit in on all interviews together.
“This is a big deal … a big decision,” said Board President Sharon Peters. “It’s very important we do this and do it right.”
After discussion, the board decided to have the building committee do the selection. Currently on the committee were Cichewicz and Juriga. She appointed Mary Jane Dawson to make it a committee of three.
The committee was directed to review the nine RFPs, make a short list of three to five, interview them, and make a recommendation to the board at its Feb. 14 meeting.
“This is intensive,” Whisler said, adding he doesn’t want them to kick the decision to March. “The earlier we have a construction manager working at our elbow, the better.”
Peters told the board members to take home the RFP written by Whisler and if they have any questions on it within 24 hours to let the committee know, otherwise Whisler will send out the RFPs.
In other business at the Jan. 10 two-hour meeting, the board:
• Elected Sharon Peters chairperson for 2017, Mary Jane Dawson as vice-chairperson, LaChelle Caver as secretary, and Tanya Stoudemire as treasurer;
• Approved the financial advisory services contract with PFM Group, Paul Stauder, managing director, for the 2017 Library Facility Bonds;
• Approved the investment advisory agreement with PFM Asset Management LLC, Michael Barry, Sr., managing consultant, so when they get $14 million they will know what to do with it;
• Approved a resolution to join the Michigan Liquid Asset Fund Plus to assist them in investing surplus funds in certain investment pools;
• Received legal information on former board member Mike Boelter’s proposal to offer stipends to board members and tabled the item until the next meeting when it will be discussed. Boelter had proposed $40 a meeting for board members and $60 a meeting for the chairperson. Michigan Compiled Laws allows for payment of no more than $30 per board member per meeting, and they shall not be compensated for more than 52 meetings a year. Peters told board members to think about it and talk with members of the bylaws committee. “It has financial implications,” Peters said; and
• Received a budget report for July-September from Treasurer Stoudemire, who reported a $350,000 fund balance. She also recommended a budget amendment of $14,000 for the 2016-17 fiscal year for additional staffing, as requested by Director Mary Jo Suchy, which was passed unanimously. The total is for addition of one 20-hour per week librarian at $9,000 and a promotion from part-time to full-time library assistant at $5,000.