The Central Library Building Committee convened for the first time on January 10, 2007. Library Board trustee Ed Frederickson holds forth as chair. Other trustees serving on the committee are board president Laura Bartell, Robert Klacza, and Mary Beth Smith. Staff members include Library Director Vickey Bloom, Priscilla Burns, Kathleen Gallagher, Stefanie Lozon and Cynthia Zurschmiede. Community members include Laurie Arora, Charles Collinson, Janet Cornillie, Donald Day, Diana Domin, Tony Foust, Brian Garves, William Giovan, Margot Kessler, Steve Najjar, Jenny Nolan, Start Pettitt, Bill Salot, Bob Schaltenbrand, Henry Sprague, W.A. Steiner and Michael West. Phew!!! Impressive in size, breadth of experience and range of expertise of community members, as well as the immensity of the task at hand.
To give a little background, a System-Wide Programming and Planning Study was completed for the Grosse Pointe Public Library in 2001 that outlined the goals for improving library service to the community. The board is striving to bring library service in Grosse Pointe up to the upper quartile for the state of Michigan. The plan included improvements to all three libraries, two of which have now been completed.
The role of the committee is to assist the Library Board in the selection of an architect, needs assessment, space planning, the process of value engineering, preparing the budget, selection of a construction manager, the exterior design of the building and to provide a vital interface with the public concerning the millage.
Questions? Comments? All meetings of the building committee and the library board are open to the public.
