Over budget

Council sends library tender back to the drawing board

Council was left suffering from a case of sticker shock at Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. Picton Library Board chair Devon Jones and chair of finance Sandy Murray made a presentation to council, asking it to approve a tender in the amount of $2.7 million— up from the $2 million approved earlier this year—so construction could start next month.

The Picton Library is housed in a 112- year-old building, which according to the report, presents some functional deficiencies as well as space restrictions. The Picton Library renovation project would see construction of a new three-floor addition to the rear of the existing building. The addition would extend the two existing floors, adding 5,300 square feet, as well as an additional basement area of 1,680 square feet with outside grade access. Once the addition is complete, the existing two floors would move temporarily into the new space and renovations of the existing building area will occur.

In the 2018 capital budget, council approved the Picton Library expansion project at a budget of $1.2 million. In the 2019 capital budget council was asked for an additional $800,000, bringing the total cost to $2 million. Council approved the request. On Thursday, the library board was seeking approval of the lowest tender of $2.3 million from Knudsen Construction to move forward with the project starting next month. With a draw from the Capital Sustainability Reserve of $160,000 as well as $169,135 released from development charges, the budget for the expansion was asked to be increased to $2,723,427.30. The library board would have to fundraise an additional $394,292, bringing the total needing to be fundraised to north of $1 million.

At Thursday’s meeting, many council members were finding the increase hard to cope with. Councillor Andreas Bolik told his colleagues he felt his trust had been broken. “I find myself conflicted today. We were here a few months ago with a $2 million ask, which we approved. Now we come back at $2.7, up from $1.2 last year. That is a 125 per cent increase. I must say that my trust has been broken. I would suggest you go back to the drawing board and come back with a plan for a $2 million addition,” he said. Bolik also wanted to see a plan for the other five library branches, and how this renovation project would affect them. “We’ve got five small branches. Are they viable? Will they continue? It’s nice to have a flagship, but if people aren’t going to use it, then it’s hard to ask residents for their money,” said Bolik.

Councillor Mike Harper was concerned about the new fundraising goal. “You want to start construction this fall, but you are a million short. What’s your scenario if you are not successful?” asked Harper. Murray said he was confident the million dollars would come through as he has two or three larger donors waiting on the approval, but many donors wanted a set figure and the project approved. “I’ve had a couple individuals say that they would be prepared to advance funds to help us out. A lot of donors want to give more, but they feel there is an uncertainty whether it is going forward,” said Murray. “A lot of people who have contributed have said ‘I will dig into my pocket again if council commits to the Knudsen bid and starts construction’.”

Councillor Phil Prinzen took exception to Murray’s words. “The donors wanted to see council was in support. We are in support of $2 million. It feels to me you are holding us over a barrel saying you have to approve this, or else we can’t get any more fundraising,” he said. Prinzen also worried that the ask was too much for a project that might not be a necessity. “Early on you compare the library to the hospital. To me it’s like comparing apples to oranges. We need a hospital. We don’t necessarily need a library. It’s a nice to have,” said Prinzen.

Councillor Kate MacNaughton defended the new ask, saying the library and its satellite branches offer a valuable service to the community. “This is an essential service,” said MacNaughton. “This is an essential service because of who this system serves. The amount of lives that this system touches, and the amount of direct connection that it allows for people who don’t have the direct connections in their lives that they need to keep them afloat. It’s a profound service provided to those people,” she said.

Councillor John Hirsch agreed, saying he expected an increase. “I think if we are honest, none of us really believed that $2 million number back in the spring. I was never expecting it to come in anywhere near $2 million,” said Hirsch.

Councillor Phil St. Jean, who also sits on the Picton Town Hall board of management, explained that he had concerns about the overlap with the new design, and what the community already has to offer. “I have serious concerns about the design. The design has a direct impact on your budget. The design also has a direct impact on our community,” he said. St. Jean questioned the need for a new auditorium with the Regent Theatre in such close proximity, as well as the need for a meeting space, with a struggling and under-utilized Picton Town Hall just around the corner. “We want to build something new? For who? Our populaton is not growing. We need to sustain what we have before we expand on what we think we will need,” said St. Jean.

Bolik ended the talks with a request of his fellow council members. “I would encourage council to send this back, and have them come back with numbers that work for us,” he said. “We can’t afford to come up with an estimate, approve something, and then look at 35 per cent increases and 100 per cent increases.”

The motion by councillors Brad Nieman and Bolik to send the tender award back to the Library board to fit within the $2 million budget was approved. The issue will come back to council for changes or ratification.