Committee recommends architect for library expansion project

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Sparta’s blue ribbon committee on the Sparta library expansion completed its main task Wednesday when it recommended an architect for the project.

The eight-member committee unanimously endorsed FEH Design of Dubuque, IA, which drew up the library’s preliminary expansion design in 2018. The other firm the committee considered was HSR of La Crosse, designer of the recently completed Sparta police station.

While committee members had no problem with either firm, they leaned toward FEH because of its extensive experience with libraries and renovations of historic buildings.

“This is what they do,” said committee Chairman John Winkelmann.

Other committee members include Sparta co-city administrators Todd Fahning and Mark Sund, aldermen Bruce Humphrey and Kevin Riley, Library Director Michelle Tryggestad, Library board member Reinhard Mueller and John LaCourse, who represents the Friends of the Sparta Free Library (FOSFL).

Both FEH and HSR gave presentations to the Library Board earlier this week where they submitted estimated fees of $318,000 and $332,000 respectively. Fahning advised the committee to not focus on those figures, saying they are negotiable.

He also said it will now be up to the city council to vote on the committee’s recommendation, which will be addressed through a resolution. The council can rely on the blue ribbon committee’s endorsement but it doesn’t necessarily have to, added Fahning.

The city would be in control of the project with aldermen making the final decisions since the library is a city-owned building. The city will be in charge of the brick and mortar part of the project, which will be driven by input from the library staff.

Fahning said there are still a lot of money issues that need to be addressed before anything can be done. The city council agreed to fund 70% of a $5 million library expansion project. The FOSFL, a non-profit organization that raises money for the library, was to come up with the rest of the funds, $1.5 million.

That complicates things, according to Fahning, with which pool of money will fund which parts of the project and when will the money be available.

According to LaCourse, FOSFL’s fundraising efforts will garner $1 million cash in hand by December 31. That is projected to rise to $1.2 million by the end of 2022, and $1.3 million by the end of 2023. That’s without any additional pledges, other grants or a $250,000 federal appropriation currently winding its way through Congress.

Including those, FOSFL’s potential contribution to the project is $1.8 million. Still, Sund said the city will borrow only up to $3.5 million and likely wouldn’t bond for the money until late 2022.

“It all depends on when construction starts,” he said.

Fahning was quick to remind the committee that there is no project design yet and therefore no solid numbers on the total cost of a project. In 2018, FEH did a preliminary design for the purposes of fundraising that put an estimated cost of the expansion at $5 million.

It was pointed out that FEH reduced the square footage it could build for that amount given today’s prices.

Sparta Area Library

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