Hatfield Public Library Building Committee

Meeting Minutes 1/11/12

2012-02-16T10:12:00.001-08:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved 1/26/12
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
1/11/2012

Present: Dodie Gaudet, Stephen Hale (architect), Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary), Harold Green, Bryan Nicholas, Mary Williams
Not Present: Not present: Jim Phaneuf, Susan Gaughan
Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 7:05

Approval of Minutes: Deferred

Rendering: The final version of the rendering will be available on Friday.

Cost Estimate: The cost estimate is higher than expected. Harold, Stephen and Bryan will review the cost estimate to see what is driving up the cost. A final cost estimate will be ready by Friday.

Schematic Designs and Site Plan: Stephen will deliver final copies of the schematic designs and site plans on Tuesday.

Grant: At least one copy of the grant needs to be ready by Friday morning to give to the Board of Selectman to review before their meeting on Tuesday at 10:30. The Committee reviews the grant in its current form, discusses final changes and the logistics of copying and collating the grant before the January 19th deadline.

M/S/V: Approve the revised MBLC Construction Grant with changes.

Meeting adjourned: 8:35PM
Next Meeting: To be determined.

Meeting Minutes 1/3/2012

2012-02-16T10:11:00.001-08:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved 1/26/12
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
1/3/2012

Present: Dodie Gaudet, Stephen Hale and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary), Jim Phaneuf, Bryan Nicholas, Mary Williams arrives at 6:30.
Not Present: Not present: Harold Green, Susan Gaughan
Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:01

Approval of Minutes: Deferred

Rendering: Stephen shows draft of revised rendering. Some concerns over connecting section between the old and new building. Harold requests that the rendering show proposed photovoltaic panels.

Floor Plans: Stpehen shows revised floor plans and sketch-ups (3-D models). The Committee discusses any final changes.

Grant: Susan and Harold will help Eliza check over and collate the grant and prepare it for approval at the next meeting.

Meeting adjourned: 8:00PM
Next Meeting: Wednesday, Jaunary 11th at 7:00PM at the Library

Meeting Minutes 12/20/11

2012-02-16T10:10:00.001-08:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved 1/26/12
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
12/20/2011

Present: Mary Williams, Susan Gaughan, Dodie Gaudet, Harold Green, Stephen Hale and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary) and Tim (landscape designer)
Not Present: Not present: Jim Phaneuf and Bryan Nicholson

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:00

Approval of Minutes: M/S/V Minutes approved from 12/13/11 and 11/29/11

Floor Plans: The Committee goes over the Circulation Desk area and discusses options for the Teen Area, Cafe and Technology Commons.

Landscape: The Committee goes over the site plan with Tim the landscaper. Discussion includes the placement of the dumpster (which needs to be on the plan even if we do not currently have a dumpster and may not get one) and the placement of the trees and bushes and the effect on the view of the building. Bushes have beeen placed to disguise the A/C units. There is substantial discussion of the parking plans, how many spaces are needed and the optimal place to put them. Eliza will call Rosemary to get more information on MBLC parking requirements.

MBLC meeting: Harold and Eliza and Stephen review their meeting with Rosemary and Patience. Eliza passes out notes from the meeting to share with the group.

Meeting adjourned: 8:00PM
Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 3rd at 6:00PM at the Library

Meeting Minutes 12/13/11

2012-02-16T10:09:00.000-08:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved 12/20/11
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
12/13/2011

Present: Mary Williams, Dodie Gaudet, Harold Green, Stephen Hale and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary)
Not Present: Not present: Susan Gaughan, Jim Phaneuf and Bryan Nicholson

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:43

Approval of Minutes: Deferred

Floor Plans: The Committee goes over the Children’s area, Book Sale area, and Reference/Periodicals

Landscape: The Committee receives a phone call from Tim the landscaper and goes over the landscaping for the library.

MBLC meeting: Harold and Eliza and Stephen are going to meet with Rosemary and possibly Patience at the MBLC. Depending on when the meeting is scheduled, Rosemary and Patience may be able to meet us halfway, but if not Harold and Eliza are willing to drive to Boston.

Geotech Contract: Moved/Seconded/Approved: Let O’Reilly, Talbot and Okun of Springfield produce the Geotechnical Report for the site (estimate under $1000)

Other: The Committee discusses rendering and model possibilities. Moved/Seconded/Approved: Pay Invoice HAT07

Meeting adjourned: 8:00PM
Next Meeting: Tuesday, December 20 at 6:00PM at the Library

Meeting Minutes 11/29/2011

2012-02-16T10:07:00.001-08:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved 12/20
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
11/29/2011

Present: Dodie Gaudet, Harold Green, Bryan Nicholas, Jim Phaneuf, Stephen Hale and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary) and Susan Gaughan
Not Present: Mary Williams

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:00

Approval of Minutes: MOVED, SECONDED, APPROVED: Minutes from 11/14

Design Brainstorming: The Committee went over the current design and discussed the particulars.

Holy Trinity: The Committee went through the Site Matrix with the addition of the Holy Trinity Church and made corrections as needed. The Trinity Church ranks 5 out of 6 options so they Committee will not be pursuing the Church as a site M/S/A: Revised Site Matrix

Foundation Meeting: Harold and Dodie will attend the next Foundation meeting to help bring the committee up to date.

Meeting adjourned: 8:00PM
Next Meeting: Tuesday, December 13 at 6:00PM at the Library

Meeting Minutes 11/9/2011

2011-11-15T09:05:00.001-08:00

Town of Hatfield - Approved 11/14/2011
Library Building Committee
Minutes of Meeting
Nov 9th 2011
Call to order by chairman Green at 7:00
Members Present: M. Williams, B. Nicholas, H. Green
Guest: S. Hale
Minutes Review – passed for next meeting
Action following 11/8 Town Hall Vote
Vote to extend Hale Architect contract. H. Green and S. Hale to draft additional clause.
Need to review and eliminate opposition from Holy Trinity option supporters. H. Green and S. Hale to contact realtor or chuch officials and get a tour prior to next meeting.
MBLC Grant discussion:
S. Hale reviewed his notes, which are slightly different from Eliza’s of the mblc review. Copy Attached:
Old Business: None discussed
New Business: Tentative Future Schedule Nov-14, Nov-28, Dec-5, Dec-19, Jan-2, Jan-16 all at 6:00 at the Library
Adjourn 8:30 PM

Meeting Minutes 10/29/2011

2011-11-15T09:04:00.001-08:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved 11/14/2011
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
10/29/2011

Present: Harold Green, Susan Gaughan, and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary) and Mary Williams and Members of the Historical Society Board including Kathie Gow, George Ashley, Cory Bardwell, Helen (Huddie) Bardwell, Pat Cady, John Pease, Terry Pickunka

Not Present: Jim Phaneuf, Bryan Nicholas, Dodie

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 10:08

Approval of Minutes: No Minutes

The Building Committee and Historical Society discussed the MBLC grant, the Town Hall Renovation. We reviewed the history of the grant and went over our talking points for the upcoming Town Meeting. Historical Society members expressed their support of the project.

Meeting adjourned: 11:00AM

Meeting Minutes 10/20/2011

2011-11-15T09:03:00.000-08:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved 11/14/2011
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
20 October 2011

Present: Dodie Gaudet, Harold Green, Susan Gaughan, Mary Williams, Stephen Hale (architect) and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary)
Not Present: Jim Phaneuf, Bryan Nicholas

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 10:10

Approval of Minutes: Deferred to the next meeting.

Special Town Meeting: A Special Town Meeting will be held on November 8th at 7PM at the Building Committee’s request. The Building Committee submitted two articles to the Board of Selectman. The first article asks for $25,000 from the Stabilization fund to be used to redesign the proposed library renovation according to MBLC suggestions. The second article asked for the transfer of the Library’s land parcel to the “care and custody” of the Library Trustees. This article would have allowed us to put the assessed value of the Library parcel (approximately $109,000) into the grant as already secured funds. This would have increased the total cost of the project by $109,000 and, since the MBLC are paying for more than 55% of the project, would have increased the amount of money we received from the MBLC by almost $60,000. However the Board of Selectman were not happy with the second article and felt they had not been given enough advanced warning about it. Dodie attended a Selectboard meeting and explained the benefit of the land transfer ($60,000) and why we were bringing it up at short notice (we only met with the MBLC at the end of September) but they declined to put the article on the warrant. Building Committee efforts will focus on getting votes for the first article since without that it will be difficult to continue the project.

The Committee discussed talking points and how to answer some of the questions which will be posed by voters. Members put together a handout to give to voters. Since the handout will be at the library, we will be careful to “inform but not influence.” Dodie will be writing a persuasive email which can be passed around by private citizens outlining the need to continue the project. The Committee discussed the importance of getting support from the Historical Society. Susan Gaughan will try to arrange a meeting with the Historical Society Board on Saturday the 29th of October.

Meeting adjourned: 11:30AM
Next Meeting: ??

Meeting Minutes 9/25/2011

2011-11-15T08:59:00.001-08:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved 11/14/2011
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
9/25/2011

Present: Dodie Gaudet, Harold Green, Susan Gaughan, Stephen Hale (arrived 11:15) and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary) and Mary Williams
Not Present: Jim Phaneuf, Bryan Nicholas

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 11:00

Approval of Minutes: MOVED, SECONDED, APPROVED: Minutes from November, January and February.

MBLC Grant: The MBLC grant was rejected but we have been strongly encouraged to make changes and resubmit. Stephen Hale and Eliza Langhans met with Patience Jackson and Rosemary Waltos of the MBLC at Bolton Public Library on September 14th.

While waiting for Stephen Hale, the Committee discussed the Holy Trinity Church. Several community members have suggested the Church, which may soon be up for sale, as a potential library. The Church would need a new HVAC system and elevator. Committee members who have been in the Church noted that is a fine building and has potential as a library. However, time is extremely limited as we have to resubmit the grant by January 19th and this option was determined to be unfeasible at this time.

The main reasons the MBLC gave us for rejecting the grant were the size and complexity of the building and the safety and security issues created as a result. The large presence of the historical museum was also a major factor. More details about the grant review can be found in the document Grant Review Meeting Notes distributed by Eliza at the meeting.

The Committee determined that possible paths included resubmitting the grant using the current building with adjustments, or switching to a separate, one-story building next to the current library. Options were discussed at great length and no clear consensus was formed, though there is strong desire among Committee members to resubmit the grant in some form. However, we only $8,000 remaining and need as much as $30,000 to extend our contract with Stephen Hale and have him redesign the plan. Stephen will get us a more exact cost estimate. In order to get the money, we will need to ask the Town at a Special Town Meeting. MOVED, SECONDED, APPROVED: Harold will draft an article asking for $25,000 and attend the next Selectman’s meeting and see if we can get on the warrant to request the money at the Special Town Meeting on October 18th, 2011. If the Selectman do not put us on the warrant we need 100 signatures by October 4th to get on through petition. The Fall Festival will be a good time to get signatures and advocate among voters. As talking points we will emphasize that:

We have been encouraged to reapply - we have a very strong overall application and need is very clear
Withdrawal of museum forces us to redo design
Designing a smaller, single-purpose building will significantly lower project cost and lower long-term operational costs

We will meet again as soon as possible.

Meeting adjourned: 2:00PM
Next Meeting: Thursday, September 29th at 9:00AM at the Library

Meeting Minutes 2/9/2011

2011-10-24T12:43:00.000-07:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved 9/25/2011
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
9 February 2011

Present: Dodie Gaudet, Harold Green, Bryan Nicholas, Susan Gaughan and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary)
Not Present: Jim Phaneuf, Mary Williams

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:06.

Committee Membership Status Updates: We will wait until June to recruit more members since the Committee will be relatively inactive until that time.

Approval of Minutes: Deferred to the next meeting.

MBLC Grant: Harold drove the MBLC grant to Boston on Wednesday - thank you, Harold! Eliza will save as much of the Grant as possible into one document which can be made into a PDF.
Harold submitted the documentation to the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
CPC Grant: Harold will see how they want to consider our application since we will find out about the MBLC grant between town meetings.
USDA Grant: Harold will send a letter to the Board of Selectman letting them know that we will not apply for a USDA grant for a joint Library/Museum project since they instructed us not to pursue any museum funding.

Joint Meeting with the Library Foundation: Scheduled for February 24th at 7PM.

Capital Planning Meeting: Eliza and Harold attended. The Capital Planning Committee (or Commission?) members are primarily concerned about operating costs.

Meeting adjourned: 6:28PM
Next Meeting: March 9th at 6:00PM at the Library - only if needed!

Meeting Minutes 1/18/2011

2011-10-24T12:41:00.001-07:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved September 25, 2011
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library/Conference Call
18 January 2011

Present: Dodie Gaudet, Mary Williams, Harold Green, Stephen Hale (architect), Susan Gaughan and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary)
Not Present: Jim Phaneuf, Bryan Nicholas

Call to Order: Due to extreme weather conditions, all parties are participating in a conference call. Harold and Stephen are at the Library.

Committee Membership Status Updates: Deferred to the next meeting.

Approval of Minutes: Deferred to the next meeting.

MBLC Grant: The Committee discusses what is left for the completion of the grant, which is due in a week and two days. Eliza notes that we need Harold’s signature on the title page as well as the total cost estimate. We need to purchase 8 (or more) three inch binders. The MBLC has provided dividers which Eliza has at the Library. We need to check carefully to make sure we have all the appendices. We also need updated numbers for volume capacity in the new building, which Stephen will provide.

Eliza asks that all Committee members keep an eye out for consistent formatting as they read over the grant. Harold suggests some minor changes to the photo captions. Eliza will make the changes.

Harold submitted the documentation to the Massachusetts Historical Commission. We will need the Board of Selectman’s signatures on the final application and need to complete it in time to meet with them.

Other: In other business, Harold will buy one or more set of frames so we can hang up the renderings in the Library and Town Hall. Harold will also try to get on Hatfield Currents.

Meeting adjourned.
Next Meeting: February 9th at 6:00PM at the Library

Meeting

2011-10-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

Meeting Minutes - Approved December 8th 2010
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Hatfield Public Library
10 November 2010

Present: Bryan Nicholas, Dodie Gaudet, Mary Williams, Harold Green, Stephen Hale (architect), Susan Gaughan and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary)
Not Present: Jim Phaneuf

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:00PM

Committee Membership Status Updates: Ed Lesko has resigned from the Committee due to time constraints. We are now short three members and do not have a liaison with the Board of Selectman. Dodie will act as recording secretary while Eliza is away in December.

Approval of Minutes: Minutes from both the October 13th and the October 27th meeting were approved.

Historical Commission/Society: Harold reported on the meeting with the Historical Commission on 11/9. Two members of the Commission were not at the meeting, preventing those present from making any decisions. Members of the Historical Commission will meet with the Historical Society on 11/18. Dodie, Susan and Harold volunteer to attend as well. Unfortunately, the meeting will be very short (1/2 hour) so there is some concern over whether a decision will be reached. The biggest concern from the Historical Commission regarding the current plan is the flooding. Harold is concerned that if the project changes too significantly that we will need to get a second vote from the Town approving the concept. This would have to take place at the Spring Town Meeting. Harold will contact the Selectman to ask if Town Counsel can advise on the matter.

There is also concern from Building Committee members as to where museum exhibits will go if library construction commences before the museum is ready to move into Town Hall. This leads to a side discussion about where books and library materials will go during construction. There is a general consensus that while at least some portion of the library (Eliza suggests popular fiction, new non-fiction, audio books and DVDs as well as a selection of Children’s items) should remain open, some portions of the collection will also have to be put in storage. Although it might be nice to have construction be staggered so that the building could remain open throughout construction, this may not be feasible for health, safety and aesthetic reasons.

Renderings: Moved, Seconded, Approved: Pay the bill for the renderings using the remaining grant money. Harold will pay for the fourth rendering which was not covered in the original estimate.

Video Project Status: The video is done. Eliza made two versions and will share them with the committee as soon as she has a copy on DVD.

Capital Planning Form: Eliza read off a small change and had Dodie sign the form (the form was already approved at a previous meeting).

MBLC Grant: The Committee went through the grant in detail and assigned members to work on different sections. The entire application will be on Google Docs so that individuals can work on their sections and other Committee members can view progress.

Motioned, Seconded, Approved: Appoint Bryan Nicholas acting Owner’s Project Manager until we are ready to hire someone. Bryan is well qualified and will provide Eliza with his credentials to include in the grant.

Next Meeting: December 8th at 6:30PM at the Library

The meeting adjourned at 8:17.

Special Meeting 10/27

2010-11-29T11:04:00.001-08:00

Meeting Minutes - approved 11/10/2010
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee (Special Meeting)
Hatfield Public Library
27 October 2010

Present: Bryan Nicholas, Dodie Gaudet, Jim Phaneuf, Mary Williams (arrived at 6:20), Harold Green, Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary), Susan Gaughan (left early) and Susan McGlew (arrived at 6:30), Gary Irish (artist) and Stephen Hale (architect)
Not Present: Ed Lesko

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:00PM

Discussion of Renderings: Stephen Hale and Gary Irish go over the changes to the renderings. The Committee goes through each rendering to discuss the changes. Gary will make changes for final versions of the renderings.

Historical Commission/Society: The Committee discussed the Historical Society’s decision to pull out of the library building project. The Committee discussed the logistics of this change and the effect on the grant. There was general agreement that the current plan could be adjusted to accommodate this change, but the Committee needed to know for sure as soon as possible since much of the work currently in progress depends upon this decision. Several members brought up the need to consult the Historical Commission since they too would be involved in the decision. Harold will talk with George Ashley and get back to the Committee.

MBLC Grant: Eliza and Dodie attended the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners mandatory grant workshop to learn more about the grant process. The workshop was very helpful and the Committee will go over the grant in greater detail at the next meeting.

Next Meeting: November 10, 2010 at 6:00 in the Library

Meeting Minutes 10/13/2010

2010-11-29T11:03:00.001-08:00

Meeting Minutes - approved 11/10
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Smith Academy Media Room
13 October 2010

Present: Bryan Nicholas, Dodie Gaudet, Mary Williams, Harold Green, Ed Lesko, and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary)
Not Present: Jim Phaneuf, Susan Gaughan

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:35PM

Committee Membership Status Updates: We are still short two members.

Discussion of Renderings: The Committee discussed their reaction to the first of the colored renderings, which shows the exterior of the building. The rendering was compared to the schematic design. Concerns were expressed by multiple members about the color of the siding, the roof lines and the rounded transition in the front. Eliza noted that some changes discussed with the architect were not made. Harold expressed his dissatisfaction with the rendering and will call Stephen Hale to discuss. Overall there was a feeling that the rendering would not effectively sell the building.

Approval of Minutes: MOVED, SECONDED, APPROVED.

MBLC Grant: Eliza submitted the Letter of Intent and received a confirmation. She and Dodie will attend a workshop on October 26th. We need to commission a geotechnical report as part of the grant process. Harold will get a cost estimate fromStephen.

Capital Project Form B: The committee reviewed the numbers and information for Form B. We will include an attachment for box seven (Cost & Recommended Sources of Financing) since our numbers are more complicated than what will fit on the form. Eliza will get estimates of yearly elevator and fire/security alarm costs for section eight (Net Effects on Operating Costs). Harold will be the contact person since Eliza will be out in December.

Historical Commission/Society: The committee discussed how to reach out to the Historical Society and ensure that their needs are met with the current plan. Harold will invite Pat Cady to the next meeting.

Town Center Visioning: The committee discussed the Town Visioning that was held last month. There was general agreement that there was too much on the agenda for effective discussion, but the committee is interested in seeing the results when they come out in December.

Owner’s Project Manager: Since we do not have money now, we will wait until we have more grant funds to hire a OPM. We agree that we have the skills and resources necessary to write the Construction Grant without an OPM.

Next Meeting: November 10, 2010 at 6:00 in the Library

Meeting Minutes 9/8/2010

2010-10-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

Meeting Minutes - approved 10/13/2010
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Smith Academy Media Room
8 September 2010

Present: Jim Phaneuf, Dodie Gaudet, Mary Williams, Harold Green, Susan Gaughan, Nancy Little (Library Trustee) and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary)
Not Present: Bryan Nicholas, Ed Lesko

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:00PM

Committee Membership Status Updates: We are still short two members.

Approval of Minutes: MOVED, SECONDED, APPROVED.

Capital Project Request: As it has every year, the Town requests that the library submit a copy of Form B: Capital Budget Request (Excluding Equipment). The Building Project falls under this category. Section 8 of the form, or “Net effects on Operating Costs” can be taken from numbers calculated for the USDA grant. Section 7, or “Cost and Recommended Sources of Financing,” asks for a budget for each of the next 6 fiscal years. Harold will talk to someone from the Capital Planning Committee and find out exactly how they want this number calculated.

Grant Application Status:

o MBLC - Eliza presents the Letter of Intent and the Committee goes through each question. The Library Trustees need to approve a new Action Plan by December 1st. The Letter of Intent ask for estimates of how much of the current building will be renovated and how much will be demolished. Harold will calculate these numbers and Eliza will fill out the Letter of Intent and send it in. Dodie and Eliza will attend the MBLC Construction workshop on October 26th from 10AM to 1PM.
o CPC - Dodie and Eliza presented the grant draft to the Community Preservation Committee. The CPC had many questions about the plans, and we need to work on preparing answers to potential questions before future presentations. After some discussion, we determined that we will not be able to apply for the CPA money before the MBLC money.
o USDA - No new work has been done on the USDA grant.
o Other - Emi completed a list of additional grants and pertinent information for each grant. However, we need a 501c3 number to apply. The Library Foundation is working on getting a 501c3 number.

New Open Meeting Law: The committee reviews the new open meeting law rules again and Susan Gaughan and Nancy Little sign the form.

Historical Commission/Society: Kathie Gow and George Ashley went to the Board of Selectman last night to ask for immediate use of more storage space in the Town Hall. This space will not be climate controlled, but will temporarily alleviate some of the Museum’s space issues. We wish them luck and hope they get what they need.

Town Center Visioning: There will be a meeting on Wednesday, September 15th at Smith Academy at 7PM to discuss a vision for downtown Hatfield. Since the library is likely to be included in this discussion, Building Committee members are encouraged to attend.

Next Meeting: October 13, 2010 at 6:30 in the Library

Meeting Minutes 8/11

2010-09-10T13:00:00.001-07:00

Meeting Minutes
Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Dickinson Memorial Hall
11 August 2010

Present: Jim Phaneuf, Bryan Nicholas, Dodie Gaudet, Mary Williams, Harold Green, Emi Estelle (library intern), Stephen Hale (architect) and Eliza Langhans (librarian and recording secretary)

Call to Order: The meeting commenced at 6:35PM.

Committee Membership Status Updates: Jim has been confirmed as a member. We are still short two members.

Approval of Minutes: MOVED, SECONDED, APPROVED.

Grant Application Status:

o MBLC - We have not been working on the MBLC (Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners) grant because all our focus has been on the CPC (Community Preservation Council) grant. Eliza will bring the Letter of Intent to next month’s meeting since that is due in October.
o CPC - Eliza, Dodie, Emi and Harold completed a draft of the CPC grant to present to the CPC at their next meeting, believed to be the 25th of August. MOVED, SECONDED, APPROVED: Motion to approve this draft subject to editorial review. Eliza notes that we will also need to get Letters of Support for the grant. She will solicit Letters of Support from the Friends, the Church and Thomas Carroll. Harold will solicit letters from the Board of Selectman, the Historical Commission, State Rep Kocut and Senator Rosenberg. We should also include some photos of the library. Stephen has photos on file and will send Eliza copies, including photos of the facade, woodwork, front door, street view and museum.
o USDA - No new work has been done on the USDA grant.
o Other - Emi is working on a list of other possible grants.

Renderings: Stephen presents updated drafts of the renderings and the Committee discusses the changes.

New Open Meeting Law: Eliza distributes copies of the New Meeting Laws, to be signed by Committee members. Harold collects the signatures to take to Louise at Town Hall.

Historical Commission/Society:

* Bugs - Evidence of termites remains inconclusive and the situation is being monitored.
* Space - Kathie Gow, Museum Curator, wrote a letter to the Committee expressing concerns about the level of space provided for the Museum in the current schematic design. Several Committee members expressed a desire for more exact information about how many items the museum has and how much space they will need. Members of the Historical Society are working on an inventory of the Museum collection. Eliza suggests that they may need to hire or recruit the services of a museum specialist/consultant, as Kathie mentions in her letter that no one in the Society is qualified to give an accurate assessment. Harold suggests that they divide the inventory into (1) items that will be on display all the time, (2) items that will be on display in rotation (10% of the time), and (3) items that will be archived. Everyone agrees that we need to address these concerns with the Historical Society and make appropriate changes to the schematic design. Dodie will draft a written response to Kathie’s letter with input from Eliza.

Next Meeting: September 8th, 2010 at 6:30 in the Library

Minutes for July 14th, 2010

2010-08-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hatfield Public Library Building Committee
Dickinson Memorial Building
July 14, 2010 6:30PM

Present: Dodie Gaudet, Mary Williams, Susan Gaughan, Stephen Hale (architect), Bryan Nicholas, Emi Estelle (intern), and Eliza Langhans (recording secretary and librarian)

Committee Membership Updates: Milton Howard may be interested in returning as a member but needs to be contacted. Jim Phaneuf has not yet been sworn in as a member.

Approval of the Minutes: Moved, Seconded, Voted: Approve the minutes with minor edits (typos!)

Grant Application Status

* MBLC grant: Emi has divided the grant into a checklist of subsections to make it easier to divide up and assign to different people. Each member received a copy to take home and look over, and Eliza will also sent out copies of the 2005 Construction grant for those who want more detail. Susan volunteered to help with Section 1 (General) and Bryan volunteered to help with Section 2 (Project Description).
* CPA Grant: Deciding that it would be more efficient to work in a smaller group, we formed a subcommittee to meet on July 28th at 6:30PM. Emi will be out of town that day, but will leave us with her research and working draft. At the moment, this grant has the most priority.
* USDA: Eliza will email Harold to meet and try to finalize this grant.
*

Other: Emi shares several grant opportunities she discovered. The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts gave $20,000 to Westhampton for their Building Project. The deadline for this grant is in the Spring. Bank of America gave money to the Lily Library for their C/W MARS conversion. Construction is one of the options covered by their grant. An organization called the Gladys Bilks (sp?) Foundation also gives money to libraries with a rolling deadline. These grants are all strong possibilities but, at the moment, their grants are a lower priority.

Video Project Status: Eliza says they need a place in Hatfield with space to set up the editing equipment (there is no spot in the library to leave it set up, and it is cumbersome to take apart and put together). Sue Gaughan offers the den in her house and says that people will be welcome to come over and work on the editing.

Community Relations Updates: Members of the Historical Society are concerned there may be termites in the roof of the building. The situation will be monitored and Eliza will call an exterminator if needed. Members of the Historical Society are also concerned that there may not be space for all museum materials in the current plan. They are taking an inventory of all items which will help them determine how much space they need. This inventory has been delayed due to high temperatures in the museum space.

Renderings: Stephen Hale showed us the drafts of three renderings and the group made comments. Stephen will pass comments on to the artist. Renderings should be ready before the Community Preservation Committee meeting at the end of August.

New Open Meeting Law Impact: Bumped to the next meeting due to lack of new information.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, August 11th at 6:30PM

Minutes for June 9, 2010

2010-07-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

Building Committee Meeting Minutes
6/9/2010
Hatfield Public Library

Present: Dodie Gaudet, Susan Gaughan, Harold Green (Chair), Stephen Hale (architect), Bryan Nicholas, Emi Estelle (intern) and Eliza Langhans (Librarian and Recording Secretary).

1. Introductions: We introduce our new intern, Emi Estelle, and our architect, Stephen Hale, who has brought two models and a variety of renderings from other libraries.

2. Committee Membership Status Updates: Eliza has not received confirmation that Jim is a member so it was determined that the four voting members present constitute quorum.

3. Renderings or Model discussions: Stephen Hale shows us examples of renderings and models and we look at his examples. Stephen works with a man named Gary Irish (http://www.garyirishgraphics.com).

The Committee discusses the pros and cons of renderings and models. Harold states that a model is more clear and will give a better understanding of the building. Eliza agrees but argues that renderings inspire an emotional connection lacking in a model. She says that we want people to see the picture and think “I want this.” Bryan asks about the reaction to the design of the new elementary school (built several years ago) and whether there was a desire to go back to a more traditional plan. Harold says no.

Renderings are cheaper than models but not inexpensive, running from $1200 to $1600. This would include an electronic file. The Committee notes that we received several hundred dollars in memory of Rita Prew. This money is pegged for the Building Project and can be used anytime in addition to the remaining money from the Planning and Design Grant.

(note: at this point we jumped to our next agenda item, the Community Preservation Act (CPA) grant, since Bob from the Community Preservation Council (CPC) was waiting to talk to us. This section of the meeting is included in item four of the Minutes. We returned to vote on renderings and models after the conclusion of the CPA discussion. Note that, when asked, Bob expressed a preference for renderings, saying they are more accessible).

MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Commission three renderings from Gary Irish via Stephen Hale.

The Committee decided that the renderings should depict, in order of priority:

1) The circulation desk (ie the view when you first walk into the building)
2) An outside view of the library from the street (standing south slightly of the library)
3) A view of the Children’s area, with a possible view of the hallway to the meeting room.

4. CPA Funding: Bob Wagner from the CPC talks to us about the availability of CPA funding for the Library Building Project. He says that there is no doubt that Dickinson Memorial Hall qualifies, as it is a historic structure in a historic district. However, some of the work will qualify and some will not. Anything falling under the category of regular maintenance will not qualify, only what is associated with restoration, retrofitting and environmental controls. The historic restoration has to meet federal guidelines. This can be tricky in some cases.

Another issue is bonding. The CPC allows the community to use proceeds from a line item account in the town budget to pay off a bond on an eligible project. Though unlikely, there is a risk that the Town could make a commitment and then bring in less CPA money or eliminate the CPA. In this situation, they would still be responsible for the debt and would need to maintain a surcharge on property taxes without any state match. There is some hesitancy about this risk on the CPC and we may need to lobby them about the benefits of bonding.

Ten percent of the CPA money needs to go to community housing, ten percent to open space and ten percent to historic projects. The rest can go to any combination of those and recreation. Harold notes that community housing and open space do not apply to the Library Project, but historical renovation and recreation both do. The Committee discusses whether to propose the restoration as one big project or bit by bit. Harold asks about the timeframe and Bob says we should get the application in as soon as possible. We should have at least a draft before the next CPC meeting, which is the last Wednesday in August.

Our thanks to Bob for taking the time to come and speak with us and answer our questions.

5. Video Project Status: A number of people have been interviewed but the project is currently on hold due to the demands of the Summer Reading Program/Eliza’s upcoming vacation. Filming and editing will continue in the second half of July and August.

6. Timeline: The Committee looks at the timeline for the MBLC grant. Bryan suggest that we make a checklist for the different sections of the grant so it will be clearer to Committee members how they can help.

7. Minutes from the Last Meeting: MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Approve last month’s minutes.

The meeting adjourned at 8:11PM.

Minutes May 12th, 2010

2010-07-14T11:26:00.001-07:00

Building Committee Meeting Minutes
May 12, 2010
Hatfield Public Library

The meeting commenced at 6:37PM. Present were Dodie Gaudet, Susan Gaughan, Mary Williams, Ed Lesko, Bryan Nicholas, and Eliza Langhans (Library and Recording Secretary). Jim Phaneuf was present as a new member who has not yet been appointed and sworn in.

1. Member status. We started the meeting by discussing Jim and Bryan's membership status. Bryan has been appointed by the Board of Selectman and sworn in at the Town Hall. Eliza has received confirmation of his status. Jim needs to be approved by the Selectman before he can be sworn in. Ed will propose his membership at the next Selectman meeting.

2. Historical Society Meeting. Dodie will attend the Historical Society Meeting on 5/20/2010 at 7PM to give the Society a brief update of the Building Committee's progress.

3. Video Project. Eliza updates the Committee about the video project. She has borrowed and been trained on the Town of Hatfield's video camera and editing equipment and she and other video project sub-committee members are just waiting for a sunny day to begin interviews. The sub-committee is looking for old pictures of the library and the town to include in the video. Dodie mentions Digital Treasures, an online digital repository funded by the regional systems. Dodie volunteers to put the photographs we find on Digital Treasures so townspeople will have access to them at any time.

4. Library Intern. Eliza has recruited a library intern, Emi Estelle, to help us with the library building project. Emi is a double-major in political science and English and is looking for grant-writing experience. She will be able to help us over the summer with both research and writing for our various grant applications. She may need to work with Committee members directly on some of the grants.

5. Library Visits. As part of her trip to Cape Cod for the Massachusetts Library Association Annual Conference, Eliza visited four of Stephen Hale's libraries and was very impressed. Check out the photos she took and some of her comments.

6. Stephen Hale Architect. Ed asked if Stephen has completed all the project work previously asked about him. The Committee confirmed that he has, though we have additional money in the account if we are looking for additional services. The subject of a rendering or model was brought up and Eliza agreed to contact Stephen to see if he can give us a cost estimate. Eliza will also contact the architecture program at University of Massachusetts to see if any recent graduates might be interested in taking the job.

7. Timeline. Once we have more complete information from the MBLC we will be able to fill in a more definite timeline.

8. Open meeting law. We discussed the fact that once new regulations are passed we may not be able to use email between meetings. The use of a wiki was suggested and agreed upon as a possible alternative.

The Committee voted to adjourn at 7:34PM

Meeting Minutes 4/14/2010

2010-05-19T15:41:00.001-07:00

LIBRARY BUILDING COMMITTEE - Meeting – April 14,2010

The meeting opened at 7:15 PM.

Present: Harold Green, Ed Lesko, Dodie Gaudet, Eliza Langhans, Susan Gaughan

Jim Phaneuf joined us to consider joining the committee

Bryan Nicholas was present as a new member who is not yet appointed and sworn in.

The Minutes of the March 10 and 17 meetings were read and accepted.

1. Eliza reported on recent meetings of the Foundation. They are still working on increasing membership. Eliza and Trustee Nina Antonetti met recently with Nancy Reeves who gave them good advice about what the Foundation should be doing at this point. The Friends were asked for seed money. They were very positive but would like to see a preliminary budget before they make a decision.
2. Eliza has begun the application for the MBLC grant. Letter of intent must be in by October 5, 2010 at 4PM. They will be sending us the application by May 19, 2010.
3. CPA - Harold hasn’t met with Bob Wagner yet
4. The overall project was discussed and explained to the two new members.

Dodie explained how the MBLC grant application works. Money is already in place with the state. Our long-rang plan, building program and schematic drawings are also in place.

5. Dodie told us about the Bolton MA library project which began with a building much like ours and added a two-floor addition. They did have to increase staff as we expect we will have to do. Harold mentioned that this project will necessitate a budget increase that will probably involve an override vote. We discussed when the override vote would probably take place – spring 2011.
6. We discussed that we should be present at the May 11, 2010 Town Meeting to discuss this project - there is nothing on the warrant for this meeting.
7. Eliza mentioned a grant that we could apply for from USDA. Bryan is aware of this grant and states that we should apply for the design section. Bryan also suggests talking with Congressman Olver about federal grants. He will be talking to his staff on April 15 and will seek information.
8. Dodie asked, “What’s next??” We discussed the fact that we are working on a public relations video and program and that we need to set a schedule and get this project out to the public.

Eliza and Susan and Martin are in the process of working on this.

The meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan Gaughan

3/10/10

2010-03-30T08:09:00.001-07:00

Building Committee Meeting Minutes (Approved 3/17/2010)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Hatfield Public Library

The meeting was brought to order at 6:37PM. Present were Eliza Langhans (Librarian and Recording Secretary), Susan Gaughan (Vice Chair) and Dodie Gaudet (Trustee Liason). Martin Antonetti (Historical Commission Rep) arrived at 6:55.

1. Call to Order. Discussion determined that, once Martin arrived, the Committee would have quorum.

2. Membership. The Committee discussed possible replacements for Lynn and the need to contact Milton to determine if he intends to continue with the Committee. Since Milton is currently out of town, this will have to wait. Dodie volunteered to contact Bob Flaherty and ask him to post a newspaper piece advertising the need for members of both the Building Committee and Foundation. Eliza Langhans will be the contact point for interested parties. Any new members will have to be approved by both the Board of Trustees and the Board of Selectman.

3. Foundation/Building Committee Joint Meeting. Reaction to the joint meeting between the Foundation and the Building Committee was positive. Eliza discusses the upcoming Foundation meeting and the need for the two committees to work closely as we promote public awareness of the Library Building Project.

4. Action Plan. Martin asks for clarification regarding the most important roles of the Building Committee in the upcoming months. Committee members name grant-writing, public forums, networking with community groups and supporting the Foundation. Eliza adds that we need to respond to community comments and concerns. It is essential to the project that community members understand and support all aspects of the plan.

The Committee discusses how to get groups like the Historical Society more involved with the plan. We decide to see if Committee members can attend the Society's April 15th meeting or the May 20th meeting.

Committee members emphasize the need to keep generating positive interest in the project and to get started now on the many components of our grants and applications. For that reason, we decide to create a Building Committee Action Plan consisting of a timeline, list of groups with whom we can network and how, and a list of potential "issues" with the building and how we are going to address them. Eliza will outline this plan and post it on Google Docs for all to edit. For those of you who are not familiar with Google Docs, Eliza will be happy to give you a tutorial. Remember that you can edit the document directly. We will always be able to view earlier iterations. Also, more than one person can edit the document at once. If you would like to make a comment or ask a question without actually changing the text you can hit "control+M" to make a comment.

5. The Committee is concerned that we have much to do and do not want to wait until next month's meeting. Therefore, a meeting is scheduled for March 17th at the library at 6:30PM. All those present will be able to attend this meeting and hope that other members will be able to attend as well. We will still have our "regular" meeting on April 14th.

6. Review of Minutes - postponed from the start of the meeting due to lack of quorum. MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Approve last meeting's minutes.

The meeting adjourned at 8:02PM.

2/18/2010

2010-03-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

Building Committee Meeting Minutes - approved 3/10/2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010

The Library Building Committee met at the Hatfield Public Library at 7:04PM.

Present: Harold Green (Chair), Dodie Gaudet (Trustee Liaison), Mary Williams, Sue Gaughan, Eliza Langhans (Librarian)

1. Call to Order. This meeting was rescheduled from 2/10/2010 due to weather.

2. Review of Minutes. MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Approve last meeting's minutes.

3. Received an invoice from Stephen Hale for copying, shipping, etc.
MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: pay the invoice.

4. Discussion of CPA application article. Harold asks whether we should propose the article now or include it with the rest of the Building Project proposal. Acting now could help keep up public awareness of the Building Project and our process, but could also be potentially confusing. On the other hand, if we tell our story carefully, we could minimize confusion. The committee agreed that it would be a good idea to talk to Bob Wagner and will invite him to our next meeting.

The committee reviews the CPA application questions and criteria. Harold shares the current draft and committee members agree to work together on the application through Google Docs.

4. MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Accept the resignation of Lynn Omasta due to health reasons. The committee deeply regrets having to accept this resignation.

MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Sue Gaughan will replace Lynn Omasta as vice-chair.

Lynn was also Contracts Administrator but a replacement for this position is not immediately needed and the position could be taken by the Project Manager when hired.

5. Dodie reports on the Foundation meeting and we discuss the upcoming joint Foundation and Building Committee meeting. Five dates are proposed and Eliza will run them by Stephen and then put out a Doodle. At the meeting we will give a history of the Building Project and review the schematic designs, making sure to go over our decision-making process for those who are new to the project.

The meeting adjourned at 8:18PM. Our next meeting will be at the library on 3/10/2010

1/16/2010

2010-03-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

Building Committee Meeting Minutes
Saturday, January 16, 2010, 9:00AM
Hatfield Public Library, non-fiction area (downstairs)

1.Call to Order. Present are Harold Green, Stephen Hale (Architect), Ed Lesko, Dodie Gaudet, Lynn Omasta, Susan Gaughan, Martin Antonetti, Mary Williams and Eliza Langhans (Librarian)

2. Welcome and Introductions. Note that at the time of the meeting only Harold, Lynn, Susan and Mary have submitted their letters to the town and been sworn in as official committee members. Only they can vote. Special welcome to Ed Lesko, our representative from the Board of Selectman.

3. Officer Elections.

MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Harold is the Chair of the Building Committee.
MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Lynn is the Vice Chair.
MOVED, SECONDED, VOTED: Lynn is also Contracts Administrator.
Eliza will act as Secretary (staff position)

4. Mission and Objectives

The Committee reviewed the public comments made on the schematic design. Many of the comments were vague, and conversations with library patrons and community members were brought into the discussion. One issue that came up was an aversion to the handicapped access ramp on the front of the building. One option would be to close of the front entrance but the committee foresees objections to that as well. A variance might allow the front entrance to remain in use without handicapped access, but may not be obtainable. Committee members favor demonstrating to voters that the handicapped ramp could be attractive and discreet rather than a mar on street view of the library.

Two other issues that came up were the meeting room and children's area being upstairs. Committee members protested the idea of any redesign, and questioned how small changes could be made without a complete redesign which would cost time and money. The Librarian expressed concern about staffing costs for the new building and Ed expressed similar concern regarding ongoing maintenance costs. Ed pointed out that the Town currently can't afford the new building, though the situation may changed in future years. He also suggested a non-binding ballot question which would gauge attitudes towards the new building by town voters. Harold voiced doubts as to the effectiveness of this technique.

Stephen Hale recommended that we all read The ABC's of Library Promotion. He lent his copy to Harold who will pass it around.

The Committee reviewed the timeline for the MBLC application process. This timeline currently stands as follows:

Grant Round Schedule

	2011
Activities	Grant Round


MBLC Announces Next Grant Program	Jun 2010

Libraries Submit Letters of Intent Due	Sept 2010

Libraries Attend Applicant Workshops	Oct & Nov 2010

Libraries Submit Applications	Dec 2010

MBLC Reviewers Review Applications	Jan - Mar 2011

MBLC Approves of Awards & Wait List by	May 2011

Libraries Secure Local Funding/
Accept Award	Nov 2011

Libraries Start Construction no later than	Nov 2012

5. Meeting Schedule

A meeting has been proposed with the newly formed Library Foundation and the Library Trustees. No moderator will be needed for that meeting. Harold will make a poll using Doodle to find a time when we can all meet, preferably a Wednesday evening. We will meet at the library so the Committees will have physical reference points while going over the plans. The next meeting for the Building Committee will be February 10th. We will continue meeting on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 11:00AM.