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All Woodstock citizens will have the ability to select, on Tuesday, Would possibly 10, whether or not to permit the Woodstock Library to borrow $3.95 million to buy and renovate the previous Miller/Howard Investments construction on Dixon Street in Bearsville for its new house. 

At their March 17 assembly the Library Trustees additionally licensed a proposed settlement with town to avoid zoning laws to permit the transfer. Town board has but to agree, however will imagine the Library’s proposed Memorandum of Working out at its March 22 assembly. 

Along with the $2.596 million acquire worth, the volume to be borrowed within the bond factor would quilt a $1.3 million renovation to make the construction resist the weight of e-book stacks and make it extra obtainable. The mortgage may even quilt transferring prices.

Trustees additionally opted to transport onto Section II of the state-required environmental evaluate after analysis discovered contamination left from the website’s former use. “The construction had had a Section II finished in 2012. Our engineers really feel that they sought after to get additional info than that Section II that was once finished in 2012,” library board President Jeff Collins mentioned. “It’s principally relating to some dry wells that had been there when it was once an business construction. We wish to be sure that they perceive what, if anything else, is in the ones dry wells and the way it’s affecting the soil.”

From 1970 thru 2012, a company referred to as Fashion Optics manufactured lenses. Waste produced right through the producing procedure was once disposed right into a settling tank and discharged into dry wells, in line with the environmental document by way of Colliers Engineering & Design commissioned by way of the library.

The 2012 environmental find out about discovered increased ranges of lead and arsenic at the website and the presence of chlorinated solvents close to the dry wells, in line with Colliers Engineering analysis.

“The ones dry wells are 18 toes under the bottom. They’re no longer going to impact any one on the floor, however they only wish to see what’s taking place under the bottom,” board president Collins mentioned. “The following factor they wish to take a look at is that there was once a burn pit many years in the past. It were given coated over. They wish to take a look at what’s within the burn pit and be sure that’s ok,” he mentioned. 

The 2012 engineering paintings didn’t come with result of the burn pit remnants and Colliers Engineering recommends additional investigation of its contents in addition to the standing of the septic machine.

“After which the very last thing they wish to do is that they wish to perform a little exams across the septic and leach box to be sure that if any individual poured one thing down the drain 30 plus years in the past or no matter, that it’s no longer contaminating the bottom,” mentioned Collins.

Trustees additionally licensed moving $20,000 from the library Basic Fund to hide an estimated $17,500 for the Section II environmental find out about and any overages. The board intends reimburse the Basic Fund with proceeds from the bond, will have to it move within the Would possibly 10 election.

Presenting town board with MOU

On the March 17 assembly, Trustees voted to approve and provide to town board a Memorandum of Working out (MOU) matter to town’s approval, that can permit a library on the 10 Dixon Street location the place one isn’t lately approved. As a separate taxing entity, the library believes it’s exempt from the town code and zoning laws, very similar to a municipal or college construction. 

With the intention to handle transparency, Library trustees have determined that they’re going to nonetheless search Making plans and The city Board enter.

“So the purpose of that is to principally say legally, we don’t need to observe the town zoning code. Alternatively, we’re going to do the entire processes that we wish to do for town,” mentioned Collins. “We’re going to visit the Making plans Board, we’re going to hear them, we’re going to take the feedback and react to the feedback,” he mentioned. “I don’t need this to sound like we’re seeking to steer clear of doing the appropriate factor. I wish to be transparent that it is a solution to expedite what we’re doing whilst nonetheless operating with a the town in a accountable means.”

Collins mentioned the Making plans Board will most probably cling a public listening to at the topic.

The The city Board would possibly talk about and vote at the MOU at its March 22 assembly.

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