GREENFIELD — Mayor William Martin has numerous assessments of the Greenfield Public Library planned, after receiving a report about occupancy, accessibility and water conducted by city officials.
The central maintenance director, library director, building inspector, health director, fire chief and chair of the Commission on Disability Access were ordered to present the report to Martin within 15 days of his executive order restricting the library’s use. The report details the steps needed to move forward regarding occupancy, bathroom access, building deficiencies and safety compliance.
Per the order, the report was submitted to the mayor’s office on Sept. 13.
Based on the report, Martin said he has:
■continued the restriction of usage after-hours and for all posted public meetings;
■requested the town work with a design professional to get information in preparation for a financial order expected in October, as well as a detailed upgrade report in the event that repairs exceed the $217,080 threshold for Level III Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance;
■directed central maintenance to hire a professional to perform air quality testing;
■and directed the Water Department to perform updated tests at the library.
The executive order, issued on Aug. 23, which was effective immediately, stated, “The library’s meeting rooms will not be used for posted public meetings of the city’s governmental bodies, including boards and commissions.”
The reason for the restriction is because after closing, without staff present, there is only one door into the building, the order explained, which is not accessible. There are also other options for meeting rooms in the city, including the John Zon Community Center.
In August’s City Council meeting, Martin explained that if 30 percent of the building’s assessed value were to be spent on improvements, a Level III renovation scope according to the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board would require a “total rehab project.” Other state building code requirements may also require improvements.
“The library is valued at $723,600. Therefore, the 30 percent threshold is actually $217,080. Included in that 30 percent are all qualified expenditures we have already spent in the last three years,” Martin wrote to the council in a memo. “While we know that central maintenance has spent and plans to spend almost $200,000 in repairs, not all are qualified. However, it would not take much to trigger the requirement in the recommended updates for compliance.”
Martin said it is “highly unlikely” the city can avoid breaching the 30 percent threshold while conducting improvements.
According to the report filed with the mayor, no documentation can be found stating the maximum occupancy loads for the library. The city officials who conducted the report recommended an evaluation be done by a design professional who can include the scope of work for any upgrades. The group agreed with the executive order that “no off-hours meetings occur until occupancy load is determined and egress areas identified by the professional evaluation.”
The report also notes the following issues:
■“Currently there are no existing public restrooms in the building that fully meet AAB (Architectural Access Board) or ADA requirements. If work is started to upgrade public restrooms to fully meet the accessibility regulations, that work will trigger additional requirements and work through the state building code requirements, and possibly state plumbing and electrical codes.”
■“Peeling paint in one of the meeting rooms raises a concern about the possibility of lead. Therefore, the Health Department tested the basement and back caged areas, and both tested negative for lead paint.”
■“Due to the age of the building and the basement’s limited air exchange, the group recommends that the air be professionally tested.”
■“Due to the age of the building and piping system, the group recommends that the Water Department perform testing on lead, copper, chlorine and pH to provide updated information on the status of the water.”
■“The fire chief assessed the book sale area in the basement and sent minor corrections and upgrades to egress and general housekeeping practices. The book sale can continue as-is.”
The June 2018 Greenfield ADA self-evaluation and transition plan estimate of $64,000 to make the library accessible was found to be incorrect, according to Massachusetts Office on Disability Assistant Director Jeffrey Dougan and Access Specialist Jakira Rogers. Dougan and Rogers met with library trustees, the library director and the chair of the Commission on Disability Access to go over the self-evaluation and transition plan.
They found that the cost estimate of $64,000 was not accurate and that the costs could be significantly higher.
“It does not appear as though the proposed cost estimate captures the entirety of the work that may be required under the ADA to meet the Title II obligations, along with additional work that may be required under our State Building Code for accessibility,” Dougan and Rogers wrote in a letter.
“Additionally, there may be other obligations that will be triggered under other portions of the state building code (plumbing, fire, electrical, historical) that may mean additional work would need to be performed,” the two added.
The estimated cost of bringing the library up to code is roughly $8.4 to $8.8 million, according to Martin — roughly the same as cost estimates to construct a new library.
The City Council approved construction of a new library in March. However, now it will be up to voters since the project will be on the November general election ballot following the successful submission of a citizen’s petition.
Reach Melina Bourdeau at 413-772-0261, ext. 263 or mbourdeau@recorder.com.