2006/05/10 sp
Berlin-Peck Memorial Library First Floor Expansion Committee
Special Committee Meeting
Board Meeting Room of Berlin-Peck Memorial Library
5/10/06 – 6:30 P.M.
Present:Frank Steele Co-Chairman, Sharon Powell, Co-Chairman, John E.
Darrow, Lisa Larom, Melanie Jortner and Donna Moore.
Staff Liaisons:Sara Munson, Library Director & Cathy Nelson, Assistant Library
Director.
Approval of Minutes –
John Darrow made a motion to accept the Special Committee
Minutes of April 12, 2006 as written. Lisa Larom seconded the motion. Minutes
accepted.
Asst. Dir. Nelson submitted copies of three newspaper articles, (2 from the Herald & 1
from the Berlin Citizen), and a copy of the Resolution for State Bonding dated 2/16/1999
to move forward with the application for $800,000 for construction of the temporary
Community Center in the lower level of the Peck Library building. (Copies attached).
Co-Chairman Steele stated that these articles justify the reason for having these meeting
and doing the planning for use of the space that will eventually be available to the
Library.
Scope of Community Involvement –
Co-Chairman Steele stated that the Committee
plans to make the public aware that plans are in place for expanding the Library into the
lower level as soon as the Community Center moves to a permanent location. This would
mean getting public involvement by finding out what townspeople would like to see in
the expanded area. When the Community Center opened on Feb. 17, 2000, it was
understood that the location would be temporary and that the Library would take back the
space approximately ten years later. Lisa Larom noted that the Library is expanding and
growing and that computers are responsible for bringing Library functions into a new
age.
The Committee decided to put together an appropriate letter to civic organizations,
churches, the Historical Society, etc. asking for input and ideas and making them aware
of the future plans to expand the Library space. This would allow these groups to reach
their members and get further input.
The Committee also decided to put together a short questionnaire that would be available
at the Library, along with a suggestion box.
An article in the Berlin Citizen was discussed, coordinating discussion of the expansion
th
with the upcoming 20 Anniversary of the Library being in its new building. Lisa Larom
Peck Library First Floor Expansion Committee Minutes – 5/10/06 – page 2
th
suggested the article state that the Library is coming up on its 20 Anniversary and still
going strong.
Co-Chairman Steele asked that the focus of next months meeting be a draft letter and that
all members think of suggestions for the questionnaire.
The First Floor Expansion Committee will meet again next month @6:30, before the
regular Library Board Meeting.
Sharon Powell moved to adjourn the meeting @6:59 P.M., Seconded by Donna Moore
Respectfully submitted by Juliet Benjamin
Berlin~outhingtonN ewingtonFarmin
Community center ~~~
' " Republican caucus set
· dId The Berlin Republican Party will hold a Caucus on Wednesday <
openmg eave 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Berlin Thwn!lall to nOminate an
' 'J . elect members to the Berlin Republican Town Committee. All regi~
· , h' tered Republicans may attend. Those interested in joining the con
un, tiI ne, xi, m on t mittee may call 828-4963 for further information.'
BlOodmobile scheduled
An American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be held Thursday Iron
1:45 to 6:45 p.m. at the Berlin Peck Memorial Library. It is spon
sored by the Berlin Junior Woman's Club. For an appointment call
1-800-433-1879. Walk-ins are welcome.
By ROBIN VINCI
Staff Writer
Although officials had hoped
the new community center'
being built at the Peck Memorial
Library would be open in early
January, the plan has been
pushed back to the beginning of ,
February.
The center had originally
been sched-
1":J~~~'t~jJ ~~~ Jan. t~
or sooner,
but putting in the heating took a
little bit longer than expected.
~I'in hoping it's open in early
February - induding having the
recreation department in there,'
said Bonnie Therrien, town
manager. "I am putting in
TueSday's Town Council agenda
looking for a mover." '
Clarion Construction is doing
the community center construc-
tion, in the basement of the
library on KE!nsington Road;
work includes the wood trim,
patterning the floor,' telephone
and cable, wiring, insulating,
light fIXtures and more at a cost
of $733,890. '
The project, at an area of
16,750 square feet, includes six
meeting rooms, a mUlti-purpose
'room; four offices, a reception
area, a lounge, an exercise room,
bathrooms, five storage areas
and a lobby.
The largest square footage is
planned for the meeting rooms
at 4,340, followed by the multi'"
purpose rOOm at 1,590 square
feet and the weight/exercise
room at 1,580 square feet
The plan also Calls for a tem-
porary relocation of the parks
and recreation department and
several other town organizations
located; in the old, Kensington
Grammar School at 462 Alling'
St to the new community cen-
ter. S~ral, such as Scraptivity,
are not moving arid have no
home for storage or meetings, '
Gov. John G. Rowland
announced in March of 1998
that he would propose that the
state bonding COmmission give
$800,000 to the relocation pro-
ject bf the community center
with the funds earmarked to be
used for teens and. seniors. The.
governor's plan called' for the
community center to be open at
the library for 10 Yl:ars.
Mastery test Scores up
in most areas, grades
ByrAM STAPLErON
Staff Writer
Southington administrators
announced state Mastery Test
results Friday, content With
score percentage increases in
most all grades and subjects,
except for sixth-grade writing.
From 1998 to 1999, the per-
centage of both fourth and
"They accomplish a Couple of
. thmgs,' Coppola said of the
standardized tests. "They point
out kids who are haVing difficul-
ties. Second, it gives us an idea
of where we are as a school sys-
tem."
Southington administrator's
did not receive the' statewide
averages by Friday to compare
their scores to the rest of the
schools in the state. Thev exnPf't .
Saturday, January 8, 2000 I A4 I '.lim IIERAI.D
. . Free throw championship planned
All boys and girls ages 10 to 14 are invited to participate in the
local level of the competition for the Knights of Columbus Free
Throw Championship. The local competition will be held on Jan. 15
in the 81. Paul School gym in Berlin. Registration will be at 12:45
p.m. and competition will begin at 1 p.m. Advanced registration is
not mandatory. For information contact Terry Lescoe at 828-9285.
, , McGee PrO to gather
McGee PTO will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the library. Any con-
cerns paremts/guardians have can be addressed at 6:30 p.m. in the
library.
Griswold Pack 41 to meet
Griswold School Cub Scout Pack 41 will hold its monthly meet-
ing on Jan. 20 at 6:30 in the auditorium. Anyone going to the
Wolfpack hOCkey game on Jan. 22 needs to have money in by
Sunday. '
. . Square dance planned
On Jan. 14 from 8 to 10:45 p.m. the Bucks 'N Does Square Dance
Club will sponsor Y2K plus level square danCing at the Griswold
School on Heather Lane. John Hendron will be calling and Geoff
Smith will be the CUer. Donation is $4 per person and soft-soled
' shoes must be Worn. For more information call 666-6384.
, Bingo offered
K of C bingo Every Monday in January the Knight of Columbus
will have progressive bingo at the ballroom on Percival Avenue.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and games start at 7 p.m.
Museum closed
The Berlin Historical SOciety Museum, located at the comer of
Peck and Main streets, has closed for the season and will re-open iI7
April. . .
K of C meetings scheduled
The Knights of COlumbus Council, meeting will b'"
Tuesday at the club room on Percival Avenue at 7'30 p
Knights will meet Jan. 18 at the ballroom at 7 p.;'.
Berlin Band Parents v
The next meeting of the Berlin Band PaT""
Tuesday at 7 p.m. It will be held in the ~
roOm. All parents of the colour guard, .' .
come to attend.
EBVFD .,..
Edito'rlal ' '<',' ",' ", ,,-.
Let's be thrify
\\rith temporary
community center
Moving the Community Center to the
basement of Berlin-Peck Memorial
Library in early February will be bit-
tersweet.
. Safety issues will no longer be a factor when
the move is completed - the library basement
is sound and appropriate to house the center.
However, the basement is only a temporary
location; it is estimated the Community Center
will operate there for about 10 years until a new,
permanent home is built.
The town has been planning to move the cen-
ter to the basemenf since it became known that
the state would contribufe $800,000 toward the
temporary relqcation. :
The relocation and all costs associated with it
should have been budgeted within the bound-
aries of the state money. Apparently, some
expenses must be paid for with taxpayer money.
An additional $60,510 was recently requested
by the Parks and Recreation Department to pay
for moving expenses and additional equipment.
The bulk of that amount - $20,000 - was
requested to be used to install an operable parti-
tion.
Last week, the Town Council refused a trans-
fer of $60,510 from the capital nonrecurring
fund to the Community Center account.
But the council is likely to reconsider the
IDi~asure at its next meeting with revisions -
minus the operable partition.
Of the $800,000, only $7,500 is left and the
building is not complete yet.
Continuing the operation of the Community
Cl~nter is necessary while plans for a permanent
home are under way.
But the basement is only a TEMPORARY
location. The town must be frugal in spending
money for something that is only temporary and
save money for the permanent Community
G::nter. An operable rar~ition isn't frugal.
~ TOW~ RtCR~AiION
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"C;ORE ~POT"
FOR ""S. DON'T t;PEtiO
p.,Wy U~NEC.E~C;ARY tf\OtiE
ON A BAND-A'''...
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The Berlin
Citizen
The Berlin Citizen Company
470 New Britain Road
Kensington, CT 06037
TELEPHONE
Editorial: 860/829-5720
Advertising: 860/828-6942
Fax: 860/829-5733
Volume Iv; Nuinber 3
Published every Wednesday. Delivere
mail to all of the homes and business
the two zip codes serving Berlin - 0603
06023.
Publisher - The Berlin Citizen Company
Editor - Karen A. Avitabile
Staff Writer - Chuck LaRose
Advertising Manager- Dick Lavallee
Sales Consultant - Mary Malavenda
The Berlin Citizen is published by The I
Citizen Company, a whoIly-owned subsid
of the Record-Journal Publishing Comp31
Government Meetings
Board of Education, Mon.,
Jan. 24, BOE Meeting Room,
Town Hall, 7 p.m.
Bristol Resource Recovery
Committee, Fri., Jan. 28, 43
Enterprise Drive, Bristol, 9
a.m.
Central Connecticut
Health District, Thurs., Jan.
20, Wethersfield Town Hall,
Town Manager's Conference
Room, 505 Silas Deane
Highway, 6 p.m.
Commission for the Aging,
M~n~ Jan. 24, Town Hall, 7
p.m. '
Fire Board, Thurs., Jan. 27,
Berlin Fire House, 7 p.m.
Mobile Home. Park
Committee, immediately fol-
lowing Housing Authority, if
needed.
North Central Area
Agency on Aging, Wed.. Jan.
26, 2 Hartford Square West,
Suite 101, Hartford, 9:30 a.m.
Planning and Zoning
Commission, Thurs., Jan. 27,
Town Hall, Council Chambers,
7 p.m.
Public Building
Commission, Thu,rs., Jan. 27,
Town HaIl, Room 8, 7::
Public Health l"i
Service, Mon.; Jan. 24
Hall, Caucus Room A, .
Town Council, Tue
25, Town HaIl, (
Chambers, 7 p.m.
TROC, Wed., Jan.
Enterprise Drive, Bri
a.m.
Worthington Fire D
Tues., Jan. 25, District
1140 Wilbur Cross Hi
4:30 p.m.
Zoning Board of A:
Tues., Jan.. 25. Town
Room 8, 7 p.m.