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Council approves up to $8,000 for certified cost estimate of Mount Shasta Library renovation and expansion
Summary
The Mount Shasta City Council authorized a contract amendment to oversee detailed cost estimating for the library renovation and expansion (not to exceed $8,000). Staff said the estimate will give hard numbers to guide whether to pursue renovation-only or a larger expansion.
The Mount Shasta City Council approved a contract amendment to obtain a certified cost estimate for the Mount Shasta Library renovation and expansion, authorizing an amount not to exceed $8,000.
The motion to amend the architect agreement was made by Todd (Speaker 2) and seconded by the finance director (Speaker 1). The amendment would have the architect who designed the expansion, Nolan Tam, oversee the cost-estimating work with Sierra West, a construction cost-estimating firm. Council members voted in favor; the transcript records 'Aye' with no opposed votes noted.
Staff and council said the estimate is intended to provide a ‘hard number’ to resolve long-standing uncertainty about scope and financing. "What I've heard from everybody is the cost estimate is gonna give you sticker shock when it comes back, and that's designed to be that way," Speaker 2 said, arguing that a certified estimate frames the decision about whether to pursue renovation-only or expansion.
The finance director (Speaker 1) told council the two phases under discussion — renovation and expansion — could together approach $3 million to $4 million, and that the library currently has about $1.3 million in reserve. The transcript records discussion of using a $1 million down payment and potentially relying on quarter-percent sales tax revenues and financing to cover remaining costs; staff noted loan underwriting rules require sufficient surplus beyond debt service.
Council members emphasized that certified cost estimates will allow the city to issue a not-to-exceed procurement and solicit bids with realistic expectations. The council approved the contract amendment, with the motion recorded as "to approve a contract amendment with Knoll and Tam architects to oversee professional cost estimating for the Mount Shasta Library renovation and expansion project at a cost not to exceed $8,000," per the motion language in the transcript.
Next steps: staff will finalize the contract amendment and return with the certified cost estimate to inform budget and scope decisions.
