While the ballot question posed to voters in November of 2008 listed the cost to build a library at $3 million, a financial breakdown shows that the new Marian J. Mohr facility is getting more bang for the buck.

“We’re very excited,” said Mayor Joseph Polisena. “It’s well deserved and it’s part of our future. It’s been a long time coming.”

Combined with a $236,390 grant from the Champlin Foundation, the actual amount of funds available is $3,241,037. To date, less than $260,000 has been spent on soft costs such as legal fees, advertising and bond rating services.

With Champlin reviewing close to 400 grant applications, the Mohr board applied for money for specific projects within the new library. Because of that, Finance Director Joseph Chiodo says that money is independent from the bond-approved money.

“We have that in a separate account that’s building interest,” he said.

The project funds have accrued more than $4,000 in interest since September.

Tower Construction on Plainfield Pike, which was awarded the bid, is being paid $2,497,000 for the project that must be completed this summer. They came in as the lowest of eight bids, beating out its closest competitor by $32,000. The highest base bid was close to half a million dollars more than Tower.

That leaves more than $744,000 to be spent on costs not associated with the construction of the facility.

“Believe me, they’ll find ways to spend it,” Chiodo said.

Polisena says he looks forward to seeing how the library board does spend it, listing software updates as a potential area for improvements.

In a recent interview with the Sun Rise, Library Director Jon Anderson said technology would be a big-ticket item on his wish list. Moreover, money from the Champlin Foundation will allow them to expand the project.

“It means that we’ll be able to add several hundred square feet to the library,” he said.

A byproduct of the new Mohr library being built is that the town’s Municipal Court, currently located in the same Hartford Avenue complex at Brewed Awakenings, will be moved to the current library building.

“We’re going to get out of the leasing business. We’re tired of paying other peoples’ mortgages for them,” Polisena said.

In addition to providing more space for the court, the mayor hopes to give the Town Council more opportunities to interact with constituents. He envisions a room downstairs with phones, answering machines and meeting space to allow council members to field phone calls or host small-scale meetings.

He already has Court Administrator Joseph Tedino in mind for some of the handiwork needed to get such a space in order.

“He’s very handy,” Polisena said, laughing.

Going back to the original vote on the new library, Polisena said that he is proud that the town was able to work together on making the project a reality.

“I believe it’s the first time the voters were able to vote on spending their own money,” he said, noting that the question passed by over 60 percent and he plans to make that process customary for instances where the administration wants to spend large sums of taxpayer dollars.

“Whenever we make a major purchase it’s going to be up to the voters,” he said.

In terms of the financial status of the project, he said he is confident that all budgets will be met and the library board will have enough funding to meet their needs as well.

“No more, no less, we’ll use that $3 million to build that library,” he said. “We need a library there’s no doubt about it and every dollar will be accounted for.”