Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 2, 1995 TAG: 9505020108
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The Library Board of Trustees will be asked Wednesday to endorse a $1.98 million low bid. If it does so, that figure should go to the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors for final consideration Monday. The Library Board meets at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the headquarters library in Christiansburg at 125 Sheltman St.
Two weeks of negotiation between county representatives and Martin Bros. Contractors Inc. knocked $36,700, or 2 percent, off the bid submitted April 14. It was the second time the project had been up for bid. In March, the county rejected a lone bid that came in 37 percent over budget.
The new figure still is 14 percent, or $240,000, higher than the original construction budget set nearly two years ago, before county voters endorsed a bond referendum.
The Library Building Committee has recommended making up that $240,000 shortfall in two ways:
Using $100,000 in interest earned from the $1.88 million in bonds. The county sold the general obligation bonds in November. The bond money has been earning interest since then.
Covering the other $140,000 from a fund-raising drive and from Blacksburg's contribution to the construction cost.
At last week's ground-breaking ceremony, Library Board Vice Chairman Jim Johnson announced a $300,000 fund-raising campaign for the Blacksburg branch to pay for furniture, shelving, desks and other finishing touches not paid for by the bond money. The money will be added to $277,000 already in hand from donations and a federal grant toward the $600,000 cost of library equipment and furnishings.
by CNB