Shrewsbury's Public Library has reached a critical point. As the intellectual heart of our community, the library has been a vibrant resource for the people of Shrewsbury. ?Aging infrastructure and continued water infiltration issues have resulted in a serious situation that must now be addressed.
The current facility is inadequate in size and resources. ?Repair work to address the infrastructure and ADA code requirements is estimated at $12.8M and would result in a smaller library with less usable space and limited parking.? These repair costs are not eligible for the state grant reimbursement.
By moving ahead with a renovation and expansion project, a guaranteed $7.9M state grant coupled with significant private fundraising dollars covers 41 % of the project costs, leaving the town to fund the remaining $13.6M through a debt exclusion. ?The grant is time sensitive and awarded for this project only.? It cannot be used for a repair plan or a smaller library!
The Library Board of Trustees supports the renovation and expansion project as the most cost effective solution to the problem.? It will provide taxpayers with a new, up-to-date library to meet the needs of our community for decades.
The Library Board of Trustees urges you to vote YES for the Library Project on November 5th to accept the grant monies and make our new library a reality.
Sincerely,
Shrewsbury Library Board of Trustees
Laurie Hogan, Chair?????????????? Kevin McKenna????????????????????????????????? Carl Larsen
Joan Barry, Vice-Chair????????? Beth Casavant???????????????????????????????????? Frances Whitney
Nancy Gilbert, Secretary?????? Frank Stille????????????????????????????????????????? Jack Avis