At the council meeting tomorrow (April 19), a resolution will be presented asking the City to add an additional $100,000 to the Project's contingency funds to cover additional costs for maintenance to the existing structure and some other costs to bring the project fully to completion. If you visit Library Director Teresa Jensen's Project webpage you can get up to date images and a budget counter (http://guides.mynpl.org/
Below please the rationale in favor of this request, and we hope that you will share your views on this resolution with your city councillor and the mayor, whatever they may be. Also, it would be wonderful to have you attend the Council meeting tomorrow evening, 7-9 pm, and express your views at the public comment period.
Thank you, as ever, for being a Friend and for supporting our Library and lifelong learning in our community!
Rationale for resolution
- Our original contingency funds (contingencies are funds set aside to cover additional work not specified in the original contract, but due to, for the most part, hidden and undiscovered conditions) were set a 5% of the construction budget. This is fairly low for a renovation project, where the range would be from 5% to 15% contingency. Our goal was to come in at our under our contingency budget, and until the end of March we were on track to meet that goal. The April Change Orders, which have been approved, get us to the $119,000 plus project. In order for us NOT to go over budget, we are asking for an additional $100,000 to successfully close out the project. This still brings us to a 9.2% contingency, which is still pretty low. We are asking for City Council to identify the funding mechanism for those additional funds—general fund or operating are the logical choices.
- This project has been very value-conscious. Even with the additional contingency, costs per square foot are $94, compared with an average cost of new library construction range between $161 psf to $250 psf—and it is generally acknowledged that renovation costs run higher than new construction. We have what is basically a new building—all new mechanicals, every surface touched—at a very economical price.
- Actual costs to the City of Northfield have been considerably less than the full price of the project, with the citizens of Northfield not only contributing with their taxes, but with their additional donations to fully fund the project. 45% of the project has been funded privately. This has been a very economical construction project for the City.
- There has been widespread support throughout the city, with over 500 donors contributing to the Capital Campaign, raising funds in little more than a year. This is a very important point to note. Consider it a mandate from the citizens to do this project.
- Please take the long view of this building project for the community. This is a building over 100 years old, and with the renovation, it could last another 100 years. In any building project, either commercial or residential, the mantra should be “build it right”. We do not want to cut corners at the end of the project, only to have the outstanding issues come back to us a few years later, at greater cost. This includes the repair and painting that we are asking for City Council to approve as a recommended option. We have the contractor now, on site, with a proposal to do the work this summer. Delaying the repairs and painting will cost the City more in the future.
The City Councillors may be contacted by email or phone. Consult the website for details:
- All the best,Bill North
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