ERVING – Some relief is coming to taxpayers, at least for the purchase of the new public library.
Voters at the Special Town Meeting Monday night unanimously approved using $500,000 from free cash for the construction of the new library to reduce the amount of borrowing the town would need to do.
The Selectboard explained the reason for the article was to try to save money on the project overall.
Selectboard Chairman Scott Bastarache said the Town Meeting approved the project “by all means,” meaning the town has the option of borrowing, transferring from free cash or raising and appropriating. After a discussion with the treasurer, it was determined that the town would save more money using free cash to reduce the amount the town would need to borrow.
Without any questions, voters approved the article.
The new 8,300-square-foot $5 million dollar library construction is tentatively scheduled to begin the last Friday in March. The town is hopeful that the construction will continue through the fall and be open for 2020, according to Smith.
The new library, approved by voters in 2017, will be on Northfield Road at 2 Care Drive between the Erving Elementary School and the Erving Senior/Community Center.
Smith said the town will end up paying for about $2.2 to $2.4 million for the project.
The state is going to be reimbursing the town about 58 percent, because the project received a commitment of state funding for $2.7 million through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, according to Town Administrator Bryan Smith.
Earlier this month, Marois Construction Company Inc. was chosen for the construction of the public library project, which was designed by Johnson Roberts Associates Inc. of Somerville.
The privately owned South Hadley construction company was chosen in a joint meeting with the Erving Selectboard, Board of Library Trustees and the Library Building Committee and project manager, Daniel Pallotta of P3, Inc.
There are other cost saving measures being taken, as well. The furniture, fixtures and equipment and the solar array are not covered by the approved funding for the library, but the friends of the library are planning fundraisers to try to cover that cost. The town is also exploring potential grant opportunities for the solar array.