2002-05-14City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Public Meeting Minutes
Board:
Library Trustees
Subcommittee:
Date:
Tuesday, May 14, 2002 7:00 P.M.
Place:
Beverly Public Library
Board members present:
Joanne Avallon, Todd Balf, Edward Brindle, Lindsay Diehl, Neil
Olson, Joanne Panunzio, Helga Senko, and John Young
Board members absent:
Kevin O’Reilly
Others present:
Kathleen McMahon, Rob Valliere, Anna Langstaff, Thomas Scully
Recorder:
Anna Langstaff
John Young presided.
This was a special meeting to discuss the funding of the Farms Library project and the
construction bidding process.
Construction bids were opened May 9, 2002. Tom Scully presented a review of five bidders and
their alternates. The lowest bidder was M. O’Connor. Tom Scully also reviewed donations and
pledges made to the Beverly Farms Library Building Fund. Total pledges and donations:
$2,249,356.00. Total expenditures to date: $231,325.
Total estimate of probable project cost: $4,037,970 ($4,169,550 with alternates).
Procedural issue: The City Council approved a bond authorization of $3 million last fall and the
City will need to borrow more money to enable the project to move forward. The Mayor needs
to ask the City Council to raise the bond authorization ceiling.
Tom Scully pointed out that it will not cost taxpayers more money; the Library still expects the
City’s share to be $1.75 million.
There was a discussion on how to cover the $400,000 shortfall. John Young made the motion,
seconded by Neil Olson, to:
pledge to the City an additional $20,000 in state aid annually for the next 20 years
in order to balance the additional cost overrun of $400,000 for the Beverly Farms
Library. Motion passed.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:35 P.M.