By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
Cranbury library officials want the town to allow them to begin constructing a new library without having all the funds in hand for a roughly $3-million-project.
The library’s Board of Trustees has said there is a gap of $324,586 between what has been raised and committed in pledges from donors and what low bids from construction companies were last month. The three lowest bidders came in “clustered around” $3.1 million, Library Board of Trustees President Kirstie Venanzi told the Township Committee on Monday.
“This was in the higher range of what we were expecting,” she said in pointing to a “little bit of a short-fall, basically.”
She said the library board has until Sept. 27 to respond to the bids, with officials concerned that delaying the project will drive up costs.
For their part, library officials are looking for some relief from the town. They do not want to have to carry a 5-percent contingency as part of the project cost, a move that would shave off $133,500 and leave them with about $200,000 left to raise to pay for everything.
Town officials, however, have wanted that contingency in place in case costs rise during construction and stipulated the library board has all the funds for the project in the bank before construction starts.
“But one thing you could do is not make us have all the money in the bank,” said Audrey Smith, who sits on the Cranbury Library Foundation, a nonprofit that has raised money for the new building. “And that would create a trust and a respect for the donors and the foundation members, who will continue to keep fundraising for as long as it takes to get every drop of that money for the project.”
She said some donors are “holding back” their contributions because they don’t think “this is going to happen.”
“Look, we wish we were in a position where we were done with the fundraising,” Foundation President Michael Ferrante said to the governing body.
For his part, Mayor David Cook said officials would “look at” the contingency issue.
The town has agreed to pay for the parking lot, donated the land and will do the site work, although those initial costs have gone up to around $90,000.
One funding source could come through a statewide voter referendum this fall to pay for library projects around New Jersey. In November, voters will decide a ballot question to provide that funding.
“But this still needs to be voted on, so it’s not a guarantee,” Venanzi said. “And also, we may or may not be a good candidate for that.”
Deputy Mayor Susan Goetz, in questions to Ferrante, asked what should town officials tell people who ask what happens if the funding does not come through.
“Just believe,” a woman said from the standing-room crowd in town hall. “Just believe.”
