Library renovation project funding returns to town meeting floor
By Karen Mann Journal Correspondent
Voters will be asked at a Jan. 10 special town meeting to appropriate an additional $90,000 for the Forbush Memorial Library renovation project.

The repairs on the exterior of the library would affect the back of the building to make it watertight. The funding for the architect will be voted on at the special town meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Journal Photo/Caitlyn Kelleher

The money will be used to hire a new architect. Andrew Barr, of Russo Barr Associates, was originally hired for the project. After presenting the trustees with a different plan and cost estimate than he presented in the spring, trustees fired Barr last month.

Town Coordinator Karen Murphy said some of the money would come from library trust funds, money left over from articles appropriated at previous town meetings, and the rest will come from existing funds in town accounts.

At press time, Murphy had not received a dollar amount regarding how much would come from library funds.

She said selectmen and advisory board members would discuss funding sources at an upcoming select board meeting.

According to Murphy, it is still under discussion with town counsel whether any money paid to Russo Barr Associates can be recovered.

"It will take time," said Murphy. "I don't think it would come in time to roll into this project."

Town officials had paid $43,900 of the $50,000 contract. Library trustee and member of the Library Building Repair Committee Dana Altobelli said the committee has not chosen a new architect yet. The committee received some responses to a Request for Proposals this week, and will start looking at them at their meeting next week.

Altobelli said this would not happen before the special town meeting, but said an architect could be chosen by the end of that week.

Voters will also be asked to appropriate $6,000 to hire a consultant to look into the effects of allowing retail businesses larger than 25,000 square feet to be built in town.

This topic has been has been floating around since an article was brought to special town meeting in November allowing for big-box stores to be built. The article was passed over, however the Board of Selectmen and Planning Board wanted to further explore this idea.

Murphy said Town Planner Alicia Altieri has been talking with someone about doing the work, but no decisions have been made yet.

Along with hiring a consultant, selectmen would also like to form a committee

to study the issue. Since this does not

require any money, no town meeting vote is needed.

According to Murphy, the money for this article would come from the free cash fund.

The Special Town Meeting will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Westminster Elementary School.