Tom Earley spoke on behalf of the Library Board at the last Dell Rapid City Council Meeting on Tuesday, January 21st. The Library Board has met with engineers to review the plans for the library renovation/expansion project. The board recommended to the City Council that the prior contract with SEH, Inc. be terminated and that the council approve a new contract that better covers the new scope of the project. Councilor Paul Miles moved to terminate the prior contract and approve the new contract with SEH. Councilor Mark Crisp seconded the motion, and the motion carried.
Earley and the council also held discussions on the utility replacement for the entire project. Earley told the council that the Library board held discussions with SEH about replacing the entire sewer line instead of just replacing part of the line. The approved changed in the scope of the utility replacement portion of the project adds an estimated additional $4,000 to the budget of the utility replacement, bringing that entire budget to just under $100,000. The Library Board is paying for the utility replacement project, however, the City Council has agreed to pay the contracting expenses. The Library Board recommended to the City Council to approve the bid letting for the utility replacement project, but councilor Lee Burggraff requested the amount SEH is requesting as contracting expenses be presented to the council prior to voting the approval of the bid letting. That amount was not available, so councilor Chad Andrews motioned to table the approval of bid letting until the next meeting. Councilor Gary Haak seconded that motion, and the motion carried to table the bid letting approval.
The Library Board has been in discussions with the Dell Rapids School Board about possibly relocating to the old elementary building during the renovation project.