Bid Process and Bond Rate

Two items of interest as the new library project gets closer to the actual start of construction:

The bid process for the new library has come to a close and the Permanent Building Committee voted to enter negotiations with the low-bidder TLT Construction of Wakefield, MA. The Library’s project manager firm, Design Technique, made the recommendation in favor of TLT. TLT is currently the contractor for the new public library in Walpole.

The Town’s Financial team led by Treasurer Jim Gavin and Finance Director Pam Dukeman were able to secure a highly favorable rate on the twenty year bond for the library project. The compound bond rate is 3.78%, which is much lower than the 5% figure originally used to estimate the cost to Town residents. The Library Trustees and I applaud the Town’s success in getting such a low rate.

Public Bid Process Begins

We are mid-way through the public bid process for the new library. All pre-qualified sub-contractors submitted their bids on February 8. We received 88 bids that day for trades such as plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling, etc. It took the team (project managers, architects and town officials) almost three hours to open, read and record the preliminary results. At this point, it appears that we have at least met figures developed by the project cost estimators for these trades. The general contractor bids are due on February 18 and the resulting numbers will allow us to take the project budget from an estimate to an actual working total. One last note, all firms who submitted bids were pre-qualified by the team listed above and no firm that did not successfully complete this process was allow to participate.

Bid Opening Dates & Colburn School

Plans and specifications for the library project have been made available to qualified contractors. The following project dates have been set: January 6 – Contractor walk through and site visit; February 4 – bids due from sub-contractors; February 18 – bids due from general contractors.

Geddes Building Movers has completed the re-location of the Colburn School to a rear portion of the site. There are now approximately 25 parking spaces available for public use. We ask all library users to show caution when entering the parking lot and to carefully observe the new traffic pattern. This parking arrangement will be in effect until full construction commences in the spring. At that time there will be no public parking until the project is completed in 2012.

New Library - Colburn School Update

Since my last post, planning for the new library has moved from early schematic designs to 75% completion of the final design. The architects, project manager, Permanent Building and Library Building Committees have all contributed to this effort.

Our timeline to complete plans and prepare bid documents remains on schedule. We expect to receive bids in late January 2011. Independent consultants have reviewed project costs as the plans have been developed. The last estimate was completed in late October and show the project is on budget.

Work to clear the expanded library site began in August by the Department of Public Works. Bids to move the Colburn School were advertised and Geddes Building Movers of New Hampshire were awarded the contract. They expect to begin work on November 15 and to complete the Colburn move in December. During this time parking next to the Main Library will be reduced by half to insure a safe and secure work site. More information on library parking is available at www.westwoodlibrary.org

New library to feature efficiency

Along with plans for the new library’s mechanical systems, green design features, public and staff areas, we are investigating new technology that will make using the library easier for our customers and more efficient for staff.

Many of you already know that the children’s area will be located on the ground floor next to the main circulation area. So, it was an easy decision to have only one service point to check materials in and out. To help with the increased number of transactions there will be two self-check computers located on the first floor. These machines give the customer the easy option of checking out their own materials. Of course, the circulation desk will still have library staff ready to perform this and other borrower’s services.

Another development will be the introduction of RFID or radio frequency identification technology. Those of you that have a transponder in your vehicle to make the highway toll process faster and more convenient are already using RFID. We plan to insert RFID tags into each item and use the same technology to make the half million circulation transaction much more efficient.

New libraries in Milton and Norfolk have adopted RFID with great success. They use an automated sorting machine to reduce the number of times staff must handle each item. The libraries in Brookline, Sudbury, and Wellesley use RFID to speed the checkout process, provide a security system, and make inventory procedures more efficient. Many larger urban libraries have also embraced RFID.

I believe the use of technology will permit Westwood to meet the expected increase in usage that comes with a new library without a corresponding increase in staffing. At the same time, we hope that reducing the number of repetitive tasks the staff now performs will allow us to focus their time and expertise to giving our users even better service.

The Annual Town Election gave final project approval for the new main library by a vote of 1,480 to 850.

The next steps will focus on finalizing architectural plans (schematic plans are on the Library website at www.westwoodlibrary.org) and writing bid specifications and documents; developing plans to move the Colburn School (sometime in the fall); arranging for project financing through the state grant and a town bond; coordinating meeting and reporting procedures with the Permanent Building Committee; continued fund raising efforts; deciding on interior furnishings and colors; getting final approval from Town boards.

During this phase, the architects, Finegold, Alexander & Associates, and the project manager firm, Design Technique, Inc., will continue to play an important role along with the Board of Library Trustees and Town employees.

The anticipated ground breaking will be early in 2011. The exact date will be announced later. The library staff will start to formulate plans to provide services during the construction phase when there will be very limited parking at the Main Library.

The Library Trustees and I were pleased with the approval of the new library project at the March 8 Special Town Meeting. As always, we were glad for the opportunity to discuss details on the needs, plans, and financing. Jim Alexander from Finegold, Alexander Architects gave a very informative presentation on the development of the schematic plans.

We have participated in five public meetings on different aspects of the project since January 1 and, by my count, more than forty public meetings since January 2009. When the Finance Commission mailed their Special Town Meeting warrant book to every Westwood household at the end of February, people called, emailed, and visited the library to ask me questions about the project.

It is a challenge to reach each Westwood resident with the information necessary for them to form an opinion on the merits of the project. Between now and Tuesday, April 27, the date of the annual Town election, the Library Trustees and I will hold more public meetings with time for questions and comments. Please watch this space for the details.

Don’t forget you can contact me through this blog; by phone at 781.320.1041 or email: tviti@minlib.net