News

Council backs library expansion
Trustees concerned
By Elizabeth Prata

Gray--At Monday's meeting, Vice-Chair Andy Upham presented information to his peers on the Council regarding the proposed library expansion. The Library Director, Trustees, and Gray Public Library Association, which is a non-profit corporation separate from the Town, all have advocated for more space at the library, citing heavy use and space needs. Above, the Councilors review the Library blueprints. L-R: Vice-Chair Andy Upham, Denise Duda, Skip Crane, and Gary Foster. Seated is John Welch. The Monument: Prata photo

At Monday's meeting, the Council took up the Library expansion issue in their Capital Improvement discussions and pored over the building's blueprints, plot plan, and draft cost figures. The Library has empty space in the basement ready for completion and would offer 3,200 square feet of additional space to satisfy Library programming needs and stacks space.

The cost would be substantial but minimal in the face of other proposals that the library has put forward, namely, either building a new building or renovating historic Pennell institute. Both those options would cost about 1.5 million dollars, while finishing the basement would cost roughly $160,000. As Council Chair Gary Foster said, "one tenth the price."

The Council would install an elevator, bring all the space up to code, increase the parking lot, and install all lighting, HVAC, and ceiling and floors. The Council would pay for increasing the size of the parking lot, as well. As the Council said Monday night, decorating and outfitting would be up to the GPLA. The Council proposed that the expansion be funded in the 2006-07 budget and that the bids be ready to go out immediately after Town meeting in May. The construction could begin this summer and be completed a short time after that because the contractors would be working in an empty space, which is more efficient to convert. The Council was favorable of the proposal and designated Mr. Upham to relate the Councils plans to the Trustees the next night.

Mr. Upham told the Trustees Tuesday night that "Council will fit out the space to bring it to usability and up to code. We offer a base project and the GPLA would design and outfit the space itself." Mr. Upham said that there is just not a lot of money to be using to add many bells and whistles. "I use the word 'cheap' while others say 'frugal.' Mr. Upham specified the Council's contribution, the timeline, and the fact that the Trustees would have a completed space within 8 months ready to use. Above, The Gray Public Library

The Trustees expressed concerns with the Council's choice. Trustee Claudette Simms asked Mr. Upham what his experience was in building construction, and also said she did not like the word cheap as applied to their project. Trustee Ray Clark said that he would prefer an engineering and architectural study prior to the work being done and asked Mr. Upham how many libraries he has constructed.

Mr. Upham said, "It wouldn't hurt my feelings to have you say, 'this guy's a dummy and we do not accept his opinion.' So there are three ways to approach this: you can advocate your case to Council, though there is not a whole lot of flexibility there, you can go through me, or you can pay for an engineering study yourselves." He strongly suggested that the Trustees funnel their money toward a Library designer to help them lay out the interior to meet their space needs.

The Trustees thanked Mr. Upham for his time and continued with the rest of their Trustee meeting.