Letters to the Editor
Q&A on library project
To the Editor:

Dear Westminster Citizens:

The Trustees of the Forbush Library would like to encourage all voters to come out and support the Tuesday, April 1, ballot question regarding repairing the library. To help answer some questions regarding the project, the trustees would like to offer this information.

• Is this project going to require an override vote?

To finance repairs to the library, the town will be asked to approve a debt exclusion of $490,000. This will not result in a permanent increase to the tax rate. Once the bond is paid off, five years, the tax rate will lower by the amount of the bond.

• How is the project going to be paid for?

The total cost of the project is $2,040,000 for repairs to the library, and $65,000 for the temporary facility. All but $490,000 will come from free cash.

• What impact will this project have on my taxes?

According to town officials, the owner of a house valued at $141,500 will pay a total of $78.99 over the five years of the bond.

• Is this project paying for the damage from the recent flood?

The town's insurance company is paying all the costs related to the flood. The requested financing will be applied only to the repair project.

• Where will the library relocate to while repairs are made?

We are going to move both children's and adult's services to a portion of the old Digital building along Route 2.

• How long will the library be closed?

Once the voters grant final approval of the project, the library will require about 3-4 weeks to move into our temporary home. During that time, the library will be closed.

• How long will the project take?

Assuming the project begins as planned this spring, we are hoping to be back in the Forbush for the Christmas season.

• What happens if the project fails at the ballot?

Essentially, the Building Committee will have to begin again addressing the building problems in a piecemeal fashion. This will result in a more expensive project taking a much longer time to complete.

Forbush Library Board ofTrustees Dana Altobelli, Julie Bedard, Cindie Hastings-Brutvan,

Beth D'Onfro, Walt Haney and Leola Leger