Despite hopes for a ground-breaking for the new library in September, changes to the library’s design – created by architect Tom Lonardo – are still being considered.

The changes suggested by library staff and the Friends of Mohr Library at the first meeting of the library’s building committee, held on Tuesday, June 23, include a “bump-out” of the young adult reading area on the upper story and the corresponding lower story. The additional space would also increase the overall costs of the building, “adding to the footprint” with “ripple effects” on various systems, including air handling.

The increase in space on the lower level, however, would provide some much-needed storage.

Town Solicitor William Conley, who had to leave the meeting early, requested a budget schedule for the projectso that the town could go out to bond.

“We are moving, and a lot of engineering has been done,” he said. “We passed the bond re-imbursement resolution – it’s best to do it soon to limit transactional fees.”

Conley hoped to have that portion of the process done by this week.

“Shortly thereafter – weeks, not months – we should finish it off,” he said, referring to the final budget and design.

Lonardo said he and Eric S. Ahlborg, president of Ahlborg Companies, the project’s construction manager, have been meeting “quite regularly;” he estimated they’re about 70 percent done with the construction designs.

“We had a bump in the road about two weeks ago, with utilities,” he explained. “The site costs were just exploding – it’s not the greatest of sites.”

New sewer and gas lines are going to hook up with mains on Memorial Drive – not Atwood Avenue, as originally assumed – and changes needed to be made to the parking lot and detention area.

“We can make the changes, but it comes with a price tag and time,” said Lonardo.

He said that other costs, including that of insufficient water pressure, have not yet been fully investigated, mentioning that upgrades to the Cherry Hill Pump Station had not yet been completed. He also said winter weather could affect construction costs.

“We’re as tight as we’ve ever been on any municipal project,” said Lonardo. “Any luxury is out – someone asked about self-flushing toilets [and I told them] no.”

The 10,000-square-foot library has been estimated to cost about $200 a square foot, for a total of $2.47 million. The additional bump-out, increasing the area of the young adult room from about 500 to 800 square feet (an extra 250 to 300 square feet on each floor) will add an estimated $100,000 to the budget.

“It has a real impact on his structural grid – it changes the whole design,” said Ahlborg. “Every time we’re doing this, it’s pulling away from our budget.”

A “conceptual plan” for the new library had been approved in early May and last week the committee discussed the possibility of a future Champlain grant, which could be as much as $750,000 over the course of three years. The library had hoped to receive an “early commitment” from the foundation.

Another possible source of revenue, the Ralph S. Mohr Trust, will be discussed at a future meeting.

The meeting ended with the Mohr Library Board of Trustees planning to review a request for private funds; if funding is approved by the private foundation, the change would be made.

Yesterday, Library Director Jon Anderson said the decision is “pending additional funds,” and that the decision wouldn’t be known until the next meeting, to be held on July 8.

“I’m hearing September – as far as I know,” he said of the anticipated groundbreaking date.

A blog has been created at the Mohr Library Web site to provide patrons with up-to-the-minute details of the new library project. Please visit mohrlibrary.wordpress.com.