Thursday, August 14 2008 | 9:46 a.m.
HOWARD BUCK - Columbian staff writer
Confronted with ever-rising building costs, Fort Vancouver Regional Library District trustees have kicked nearly $1 million more into construction of the new Battle Ground Community Library.
The $986,000 transfer from a capital projects reserve fund approved on Monday should keep the Battle Ground facility on track for completion next May, officials said.
Library planners have already plunged into extensive "value engineering" to offset cost overruns on that project and new libraries due in Cascade Park and downtown Vancouver.
An estimated 30 percent jump in materials costs since the projects were penciled out in 2004-05 forced the dip into reserves, library leaders said.
"We put some money aside for the unexpected. This was the unexpected," said Jack Burkman, one of four trustees to back the transfer.
The new cost estimate for the Battle Ground library is $4.3 million.
Its budget includes nearly $800,000 of private money and grants secured by boosters, and about $1 million for the building shell and land in the Battle Ground Village mixed-use development being donated by developer Dennis Pavlina.
In April 2007, the library district contributed $750,000 in general funds to assist Battle Ground boosters, who then were able to secure two large grants. The new allocation brings FVRL's share to $1.7 million.
Other funds come from property sales and interest.
Battle Ground fundraisers are still about $40,000 shy of a roughly $1 million target. Burkman said they can't be asked for more.
"It's a huge challenge for them," Burkman said. Historically, the district has asked communities to approve construction bonds, as Vancouver voters did in September 2006 for two new libraries. Battle Ground's long struggle, with multiple bond failures, is different, he said.
"This is an exception. We've worked on this for 20 years. We chose not to wait and keep trying for bond efforts. Waiting is not necessarily cheaper," Burkman said.
Rita Levesque, library district project manager, said Clark County's building slump hasn't brought price relief on materials because world demand has soared.
"It's been tough. Concrete and steel are just going through the roof," Levesque said. Contractors haven't cut costs because they can't afford to, she said.
The capital fund tapped was mostly earmarked for centralized warehouse and office functions once the downtown library opens, Levesque said. That likely must wait.
The district will forgo initial installation of a sophisticated automated materials handler in Battle Ground (savings: $113,000) and in the Vancouver downtown library. (Patrons will still see new self-checkout and self-return systems).
Levesque said less expensive carpet, roof materials and furnishings are options. The district is likely to delay book purchases, and boosters might need to raise funds to fully stock the new shelves.
"You can always get the money for books later, but you can't get the money for construction," said Bruce Ziegman, library district executive officer.
The Cascade Park and downtown Vancouver libraries have sufficient construction bond reserves to rule out further transfers, Ziegman said.
"We're full-steam ahead. We're going to build great libraries," he said.
Jane Higgins, lead Battle Ground fundraiser, was able to breathe easier after Monday's vote. "We're very grateful. It meant the trustees are standing behind the project," she said.
Merle Koplan was the lone trustee to dissent. She also opposed the district's first transfer to Battle Ground, in the belief communities must back library bonds for new libraries, she said.
"I'm still in support of the project," Koplan said Tuesday. But she wants boosters to know the funding spigot is closed for good. "It was not a slam-dunk, easy decision for us," she said.
Original Source Here
LIBRARY
DYNAMOS