Special Membership Meeting 6/13/2010 Agenda: Roll Call, Minutes Officers' Reports Nonprofit Application Update
Construction & Design Update:
Announcements:
MINUTES Special membership meeting of the John Trigg Ester Library June 13, 2010 Call to Order: 6:45 pm (note: meeting start delayed until quorum present) Attendees: Kate Billington, Greta Burkart, Nancy Burnham, Amy Cameron, Tania Clucas, Emily Decker, Roy Earnest, Eric Glos, Judie Gumm, Melinda Harris, Deirdre Helfferich, Merritt Helfferich (via proxy), Rick Kruse, Hans Mölders, Mali Noreen, Margaret Rogers, Trey Simmons, Mark Simpson President announced dues and requirement to be current member in order to vote. Officers’ Reports: President’s Report: (attached, read to membership) Treasurer’s Report:
Nonprofit Application Update: President updated membership on status of application for federal nonprofit status, assignments of board members and brief explanation of some of the parts of the application. Bylaws Amendments: President explained purpose of meeting (vote on bylaws, quick updates). A few copies of the bylaws amendments (attached) were passed out to the members. President read amendment #1. Minimal discussion.
President read amendment #2.
President read amendment #3. Some discussion.
President read amendment #4. Extended discussion.
Revised amendment to read:
Construction & Design Updates: President updated membership: On status of appropriations: federal appropriation in Senator Begich’s request, now (apparently) in committee; state appropriation granted, but not yet known whether it will be a pass-through via the Fairbanks North Star Borough or a direct grant from the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. Information is pending from Senator Thomas and/or Representative Guttenberg’s office. On status of design: JTEL board decided to simplify, if feasible, the building design by eliminating the second storey. According to the architects, this is easily done and will reduce the cost by 30–40%, and will increase the area for the collections and make possible a more aesthetically pleasing structure at less cost. Considerable discussion ensued at this point. Mark Simpson raised several concerns relating to cost inflation due to working with architects, time span during fundraising and construction, and the design itself. He urged the membership not to go the route that the Ester Volunteer Fire Department followed, which resulted in a significant cost increase over the ten years it took to design, raise funds for, and finally construct the expansion; he urged that instead the JTEL follow the pattern set down by the park, of coming in under budget and under time constraint (Simpson received applause from the members at this point), and recommended going for a smaller, cheaper, quickly built structure such as a log house kit. He cautioned against the strings associated with federal grants in particular, describing how there were many builders from the community willing to work for free or cheaply on the fire station, but that they couldn’t volunteer due to the constraints associated with the general contractor and the federal grant strictures. He said that many more in the community would be willing to support the library if it was more modest, and that “Ester needs a $1.7 million library like a fish needs a [expletive] bicycle.” Hans Mölders said that design meetings had been going on since 2006, and that during that time is when these anonymous people with concerns about the design should have participated. Simpson said that he had raised his hand and said the building was going to be expensive at every ECA meeting where the library committee reported on the design progress. Deirdre Helfferich said that with the revised design would come a new estimate, and the board had decided to go through it and figure out line by line which items could be obtained for reduced price or for free, so as to get an accurate assessment of the true dollar cost of the building. Apparently part of the reason we received the state grant is that we had a green (sustainable) design. Eric Glos reminded the membership that nothing was in stone at this point, it was all only on paper, but that, as construction worker, he could attest that even with simplifying the design and reducing costs, the library was going to cost bucks. He said that a kit would not be sufficient—the building had to meet the needs of the community, but that some kind of middle ground could be reached. As to contracting, the JTEL could contract parts out, such as building the shell, and then others could come in to help finish the library as volunteers after the contractor was done. The contractor would want their own crew for their part. On the status of the fire marshal’s review: the older design is in the hands of the fire marshal, but not actually in the review process yet, so can be switched out with the revised plan. Once the review is completed, the library has six months to start construction, with a six-month extension possible. On site preparation: the JTEL could go ahead with general site preparation right now without waiting for the state grant. The state appropriation is for design and early construction, not just design. On the gazebo: the only construction project we are in a position to finish this year is that of the gazebo. Work parties will be announced. Announcements: The next library lecture will be in July, rather than June (too much going on this month). The Li-Berry Music Festival is August 21, Saturday, volunteers are needed. Mali Noreen volunteered to help emcee again. ADJOURNED: 7:45 pm | |||||
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