Donor plans trust to convert Tappan House into Bicknell community library; town weighs long-term liabilities

Bicknell — Residents and council members at a June 26 work meeting discussed a proposal for the Tappan House to become a community library after a local donor, identified in the meeting as Wayne, purchases the property and places it and supporting funds in a charitable trust.

Laura (presenter) described the plan, saying, "Wayne is purchasing the Tappan House for the library. He is setting up a charitable trust for purchasing and making improvements, etcetera, including, at some point, a 2,000 square foot new library and back, and that's a big maybe." She said the donor could either keep the property in the trust or deed it to the town later and that the trust would hold funds for care, maintenance and utilities.

The prospect drew questions from councilmembers about long-term operating costs. Steve (council member) said, "I just wanna make sure that, you know, 10 years or even 20 years down the road, Vic will stop left with the tailing liability where we have to start hiring the librarian or fixing, making repairs or buying computers and that sort of thing." Laura responded that the library would draw county and state support through the Tri County Bookmobile service and existing library funding streams so long as it continued to operate as part of the regional system.

Financial figures referenced in the discussion were limited and sometimes not clearly attributed in the record. The transcript records a figure of $2,000,000 mentioned for the trust; the speaker is not clearly identified in the transcript. Laura said that, if all elements on the plan were completed, she estimated the capital work on the property at about $1,100,000. The discussion also included a reference to roughly $900,000 being intended to remain to support ongoing maintenance; Laura described additional fundraising and potential donors to supplement those funds.

Laura and other speakers described practical and design plans for the property: retaining the existing house for event space or portions of library use, gutting and upgrading interior systems (electrical, plumbing, roof), adding ADA access and a possible small new rectangular library structure connected to the Tappan House. She said volunteers and a prospective "Friends of the Library" group would help with fundraising and operations, and she proposed naming the facility the Nancy Noble Community Library at Tappan House.

Speakers discussed Tri County Bookmobile funding: Laura said the state provides about 60% of operating funding for the bookmobile and the three counties make up the remaining 40%, and she referenced a $33,000 memorandum of understanding that supports the local service. Jamie Monk, identified in the discussion as the Tri County librarian, was described by Laura as supportive of the plan.

Timing discussed at the meeting was provisional. Laura said she hoped to complete sale paperwork within one to two weeks of the meeting and to close by mid-July, with an uncertain schedule for work and public opening; she offered a range of possibilities including an optimistic six months and a more conservative one-to-two-year timeline for more extensive building work.

No formal town vote or binding direction was recorded in the meeting minutes provided. Council members asked for clearer, documented information on trust funding, water rights, any hazardous-material or site issues, and exact terms for transfer or deed conditions before the town would accept property or assume responsibilities.

The conversation also touched on property details and preservation: speakers noted original interior features and collections in the house, the presence of glass-block additions and other salvageable materials, and the potential to reuse the Tappan House for community events if a new addition were built.

Next steps discussed were informal: Laura said she would continue work with the family and legal counsel (Kathy Bagley was identified as assisting with paperwork) and would return when documents and clearer funding figures were available. Council members indicated interest but emphasized that any town acceptance of deeded property or responsibility would require formal documentation and review.

Ending: The meeting moved on after the library discussion; no formal town action or vote occurred on the proposal during the June 26 session.