Library board approves up to $100,000 from reserves to cover renovation shortfall

The Port Washington Library Board voted to approve using up to $100,000 from library reserve funds to cover costs not covered by a Flexible Facilities Grant for the library renovation project, the board said at its meeting. The motion passed after discussion about contractor bids, asbestos removal and which building costs are paid from separate city funding sources.

The item matters because the library must fulfill grant deliverables to receive the grant payment, but the low-bid construction package exceeded the grant allocation. Staff described a multi-source financing plan that includes the grant, city capital borrowing for HVAC work and the library's own reserve and donation funds to cover gaps.

Staff told the board that Dufek Construction of Waukesha was the contractor chosen for the renovation. A bid presentation showed the total construction bid split into an HVAC portion and the library renovation portion; staff later described the contractor bid as roughly $1.16 million, with about $203,000 for HVAC and roughly $962,000 for the renovation portion covered under the grant. The grant amount cited by staff was $1,093,348. Board members discussed a remaining difference (identified in packet materials as about $52,350) and other line items such as computers, furniture and appliances that were not fully covered by the grant.

An asbestos survey identified additional asbestos-containing flooring under carpet in the community room. Staff said the kitchen asbestos tiles had already been removed, and recommended coordinating abatement timing so work in the community room could wait until after the summer reading program; staff and the city project manager said abatement contractors must perform the tile removal because city maintenance staff are not certified for asbestos removal. The board discussed delaying community-room abatement until after summer reading (the summer reading program was described as running through roughly the second week of August) so the room could remain available for youth events during peak months.

Board discussion also clarified that HVAC costs are being funded separately through city capital borrowing (bond proceeds) and are not drawn from the Flexible Facilities Grant or the library reserve funds. Staff described using discounts from TechSoup (a Gates Foundation–affiliated nonprofit reseller) for computing equipment and noted the library has approximately $100,000 in carryover/reserve funds accumulated from insurance savings, lighting savings and staffing changes; board members asked that future uses of the reserve be placed on the agenda as an approval item.

After extended discussion about contingencies and the risk that abatement or renovation contingencies could increase, a board member moved to approve using up to $100,000 from library reserve funds to fulfill items included in the grant package and cover contingencies tied to the renovation; a second followed, and the motion carried. The board and staff said any unused reserve funds would be returned to reserves and that staff would continue to pursue value-engineering opportunities to reduce construction costs.

Votes at a glance - Approve March meeting minutes: motion passed (vote recorded as 'Aye' by members present). The transcript does not list individual vote names. - Approve revenue/expense report: motion passed (vote recorded as 'Aye'). - Table item/amendment on a finance report for next month: board agreed to table that item to next month for clarification. - Approve use of library reserve funds up to $100,000 to fulfill the grant requirements and cover contingencies: motion passed ("Motion carries"). - Adjourn: motion passed.

Board members and staff said they will report back to the grantor as required and that project kickoff and scheduling will include coordination to avoid major disruption of summer youth programming.