The Carroll City Council stuck strictly to the agenda and addressed all questions that had been brought forward by the public on the library and city hall projects at their Nov. 27 regular meeting. City Manager, Mike Pogge-Weaver, says that everything, including a fee proposal and contract with OPN Architects, was tabled and these answers were provided to move the projects forward. The first questions raised regarded the fundraising progress of the Carroll Public Library Foundation. A letter was submitted prior to Monday’s meeting, answering three questions: How much money has the foundation raised? What is still owed in pledges? And what are the terms and schedule of the payments?
The schedule of payments will take place between now and 2022, with the majority of pledges by 2020. Council member, Carolyn Siemann, asked foundation members present if there were any conditions attached to the gifts. Foundation Vice President, Doug Burns, said the only conditions were that a room or portion of the library be named for the donor or a person of their choosing. Siemann’s follow-up question, about the foundation by-laws being up-to-date in providing an out for donors in the event of extraneous circumstances, was not as well received by Burns.
Another question was on the programming costs for both the library and the city hall. Pogge-Weaver explained why there are ongoing charges for this part of the project.
The preliminary cost model presented initially showed the high range, worst-case scenario. The city and OPN worked together to bring back the range of estimated costs, that now place the projects coming in between $6,546,551 and $6,807,124. Pogge-Weaver stresses that they will continue to work to reduce costs as much as is feasible during the design process. Before going to a vote on motions to enter into a contract and fee agreements with OPN and to approve the lease arrangements for the temporary housing of the library and city hall, councilman, Jerry Fleshner, asked Pogge-Weaver about the timing of the bond issuance. He said they would work with PFM, their financial advisor, for the exact timing on that. This would likely be late 2018 or early 2019. The council voted on all motions presented, which were approved on a vote of five in favor and one, Carolyn Siemann, voting against all.
