Voters approve money for library roof supports
By Karen Mann JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT

The Forbush Memorial Library will receive two makeovers, one temporary and one permanent.

About 50 residents voted Tuesday night at a special town meeting to appropriate money for a temporary fix to the roof in the Eloranta Room, as well as appropriate money to pay for the design work of permanent repairs to the roof.

"I think we are moving in a positive direction," said Library Trustee and Library Building Repair Committee member Dana Altobelli after the meeting. "I am extremely appreciative of the town's willing to help out and for residents' continued support."

The money appropriated for the temporary fix was $39,000 and this sum will come from the free cash account. This money will be used to put shoring in the Eloranta Room, because the roof above is sagging.

Currently the room is closed to the public and even town officials, according to Selectman Nick Hay.

"The structural engineer looked in April and noticed cracks across the ceiling. In May (when the engineer returned to the library) the cracks were larger and wider in a month," Architect Maury Wolfe told the room of voters.

The weight of the roof itself causes it to sag more, he said. The shoring will push the walls out, which will keep the roof from sagging.

According to Wolfe, the weight of the shoring would not cause the same problem to the level directly below the Eloranta Room.

Wolfe said the temporary fix needs to be done just to buy enough time to design the plans for the temporary fix.

"We are not sure what the permanent fix will be. We need time to design in. We can't do that while the room is sagging," Wolfe said.

Immediately after approving this article, residents approved an article to appropriate $55,800 from free cash to hire an architect/engineer to develop plans for permanent repairs to the roof and ceiling.

"This is for the permanent solution to a hornet's nest of problems," Altobelli said to the audience.

This money will be used for the design and estimate of a permanent fix to the roof of the library. Money was already appropriated for a design to be drawn for the building envelope and overall repairs to the building. The next time voters take up the issue of the library at a town meeting they will be presented with the full package as one project, said Wolfe.

Advisory Board member Keith Harding questioned whether Wolfe's fee was appropriate, comparing it to what they paid in the past for other library projects and said without an outside, third opinion, he could not say he had done due diligence to his constituents.

After another resident questioned the $55,800 amount, former selectman Lorraine Emerson took the microphone.

"This is the same architect we used for our $5 million town hall project. We held him to a high standard so he knows what we require as a town. He is a great architect. Put your faith in him and move forward," Emerson said.

After the meeting, Hay reiterated this support for Wolfe.

"We have someone in here who has a repertoire. He is willing to step up and help us fix the disasters we have brewing," said Hay.