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Port Washington library trims remodeling plans to fit budget; asbestos removal estimated at $15,000
Summary
Board heard details on a scaled-back remodeling plan, an open house for public input, a $15,000 asbestos removal estimate, and use of an invested WJ Unicorn Library Fund through the Greater Milwaukee Foundation for furniture.
Library staff and architects have scaled back parts of a planned remodeling to reduce costs, the director said, and the project will be presented to the public at an open house Wednesday evening in the library community room.
The director said last week’s meeting with the architects required cutting some items: the proposed quiet room with a fireplace will be replaced by two study rooms and a small conference room relocated to another part of the building to save on materials such as glass. The director described the architect as “really trying to help us to get the most bang for our buck.”
The director told the board the project will incur an unplanned asbestos-removal cost of about $15,000; she said she expects to use part of a grant to cover this expense. The director also indicated a need to pay for new kitchen fixtures and replacement flooring as part of the remodel.
Funding options discussed include the WJ Unicorn Library Fund, an invested account held with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. The director said the fund began the year at about $99,000 and ended 2024 at about $111,000, and suggested the board consider using fund earnings for new furniture tied to the remodel.
The director said the library is part of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s pooled funds and that the foundation provides grant opportunities; she noted she would double-check any stipulations on spending from the fund.
Planning and public engagement: the director said the open house is part of a grant requirement to involve the public; the architect will present options and the director will explain how the project arrived at the current plan. The director invited the public to attend the Wednesday evening meeting in the community room.
Study rooms and teen space: board members asked whether study rooms originally planned for the quiet room would remain in the teen area; the director said she believes the teen space can remain where it is and will be workable after the redesign.
The director also noted the project budget repeatedly in discussion as “the million dollars” and said the architect is managing changes and tariffs to keep the schedule; she did not give a single explicit dollar figure for the overall project in the transcript beyond referring to the fund balances and the asbestos estimate.
The board received the update; no formal vote was recorded on the remodeling plan during this meeting.
