Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Noyes Library topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances $3 million supplemental for Noyes Children’s Library renovation
Summary
The Education and Culture Committee voted to send a County Executive–recommended supplemental appropriation to the full council to fund rehabilitation and ADA upgrades at the Noyes Children’s Library after staff described an 87% six‑year cost increase tied to rebidding and delayed project timing.
The Education and Culture Committee on Wednesday advanced a supplemental appropriation to rehabilitate the Noyes Children’s Library, asking the full County Council to appropriate $3,000,000 now and leave a remaining $81,000 in GO bond funding to be appropriated later.
County staff told the committee the County Executive recommended a $3,081,000 increase to the project over six years, driven by a second rebid and higher construction costs; “That’s an 87% increase over the 6 year period,” council staff said. The expanded scope includes ADA upgrades and interior rehabilitation to allow more programming for children and families.
Ms. Graham, director of Montgomery County Public Libraries, urged support for the branch, stressing its role in early literacy and community programming: “I would just like to advocate on behalf of public libraries for the importance of this children’s library branch,” she said, noting the facility serves families countywide.
Greg Assant from the Department of General Services explained the schedule implications and next steps: assuming committee and council approval, staff are finalizing negotiations with the selected contractor and “assuming approval of this supplemental will be ready to lock in both price and schedule,” and the department is cautiously optimistic construction could begin this summer on an approximately 18‑month timeline.
The committee’s packet described the recommended $3,081,000 increase as funded by $1,081,000 in GO bonds, $1,000,000 in federal funding and $1,000,000 in private contributions from the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation; the $3,000,000 supplemental before the council covers $1,000,000 from each of those three sources and leaves the remaining $81,000 in GO bonds to be appropriated at a later date.
Council members praised the Noyes Foundation and community advocates for long‑running fundraising and urged improved communication with stakeholders about schedule and cost changes. The committee agreed to advance the supplemental and associated CIP amendment to the full council without objection and asked DGS to provide a finalized cost and schedule for the public record before council action.
Next steps: the committee transmitted the supplemental to the full County Council for formal appropriation; a council date will be scheduled by staff.
