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By FRAN EMMONS - GREENVILLE - Shaw Public Library has been struggling for several years with the aftermath of severe flooding in its basement, the water forcing the children's collection upstairs to the already crowded adult stacks and continuing seepage and mold eliminating rehabilitation of the space. Although the Department of Transportation replaced a culvert that was determined to be the culprit in the original flooding problems, other plans to seal the basement have come and gone without implementation for a variety of reasons. Furthermore, the facility is not fully ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. However, there now appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. The Board of Trustees have come up with a four-phase plan that will repair the existing problems with the physical plant as well as provide for a capital campaign that will double the present square footage. The Board of Selectmen gave the rehabilitation program the thumbs up last week. If funding drives are successful, there would be no cost to the taxpayer for any of the phases, according to Karen Chandler, library director. Phase I would begin immediately. A consultant would be hired to further outline the scope of work involved in the multi-prong project, develop costs estimates, identify and inform grant-writing opportunities, and ultimately design and oversee the various phases of the improvements. The estimated cost for Phase I, less the complete design of the project, is $2,500 to $3,000. These funds would come from existing accounts held by the library, including trust income, donations specific to repairs related to the flooding and funds raised by the Library Association. Phase II would address access and drainage issues, with an expected work schedule to start in the fall of 2008 and extend into summer 2009. The perimeter of the building would be excavated, drains leading water away from the building installed and the exterior concrete block walls sealed. While this would not allow the basement to be used for public purposes, Chandler explained, it would stop the mold problem that threatens the entire facility.Once the exterior walls are addressed the next step will be to construct a new handicapped access ramp with the proper slope. This ramp would lead from the front sidewalk to the side entrance and establish the Pleasant St. entry as the main access to the building. The ramp and stoop would be roofed over and an electric door opener installed to fulfill ADA requirements. This phase could run anywhere from $75,000 to $150,000, Town Manager John Simko said. However, the library had a windfall several years ago in the form of a gift of cartoon drawings, the assessed value of which is $80,000. The trustees have voted to sell these drawings and use the proceeds to complete Phase II. The plan also proposes that funding be sought from the State of Maine's New Century Library Grant, which just opened up. The town can receive a maximum of $50,000 and requires a direct match. The trustees propose that the sale of the cartoon drawings be used as the matching funds. However, the town must act quickly, Simko told the board. Applications for this grant are due on Monday, May 5. There is the possibility that a grant could be won from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation as well, according to the plan. Phase III is slotted for Fall 2009 and is expected to be complete in 12 months, pending successful funding applications. The scope of this segment of the project would replace all current furniture, shelving and fixtures to be ADA compliant. Forthermore, the bathroom would be remodeled and enlarged to meet ADA requirements. The price tag for this work is estimated at the same amount as Phase II, and the trustees proposed seeking grants from such sources and Plum Creek, Bangor Savings, Maine Community Foundation and the Kresge foundation. The town is also eligible for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) - up to $250,000 - in the Public Facilities, Removal of Architectural Barriers program. Normally Greenville doesn't qualify for CDBG funds, Simko stated, because “we aren't poor enough. Most CDBG grants require that 51 percent of the population be in the low-to-moderate income bracket, and statistically, Greenville residents fall short. This phase would be the only segment of the project that town officials could recommend seeking a general obligation bond to complete, the manager said. The final phase proposes to double the floor space in the facility by lifting the roof and adding a second floor. Again, ADA regulations come into play and such a move would require an elevator. Conceptually, the addition would include a large reading room and bay window overlooking East Cove, Simko explained. The time frame for Phase IV is after 2010, once the estimated $400,000 to $500,000 cost of the improvements is raised. Library trustees recommend that a significant capital campaign be undertaken to bring in funding. Other grant funding may also be sought, such as the Kresge Foundation, Simko said, noting that Kresge funds require a direct one-to-one match. Selectman Burt Whitman questioned whether the library's existing foundation could structurally support a second story. The engineering study will make that determination, the manager responded. The estimates for each phase are rough, Simko said. Should funding be obtained for a specific segment and the project cost actually come in beneath that amount, those funds will be available for the next phase, he explained.
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