To the editor:

We, the Lynnfield Public Library Board of Trustees, ask all Lynnfield residents to vote YES for the Lynnfield Library Renovation at the Special Town Meeting on November 13, 2024 at 7p.m. at Lynnfield Middle School.

We believe that the proposed Renovation not only offers the Town critical fixes to the building, but also the greatest public value, using the most cost effective and efficient path forward.

But before voting on this $18.3M capital project at Town Meeting, it’s only natural to ask – what could be the other paths forward for the Lynnfield Public Library? We see four basic options:

Option 1 — Do nothing

Simply put — this is not an option. The building is not up to code (plumbing, fire protection, electrical) and is not compliant with ADA (American with Disabilities Act) standards. The most recent portion of the building is 57 years old, which results in constant and increasing maintenance issues with water intrusion, failing pipes, electrical outlets not working, and more.

To give one example — in a single day in October, faulty fire alarms caused multiple evacuations of the building and required the Lynnfield Fire Department to visit the building and investigate.

Beyond the basic code/ADA issues, the lack of programming space results in issues and inefficiencies for the Library, such as overcrowding in the Children’s Area at weekly Storytime and noise carrying from any programming on the Mezzanine to the entire Reading Room.

It’s also important to note that changes to a building cost more than one-third the assessed value would trigger ADA/code compliance — Tappe Architects have estimated this cost (with building envelope repairs) at $10 to $12M. So almost any attempt to fix the basic issues could escalate in cost quickly.

This building needs basic fixes, therefore “do nothing” does not exist.

Option 2 — Wait until later

Construction costs are increasing 5% per year, which means that every year we wait to do a $18.3M project, the total project cost for the exact same project increases by nearly $1M. The town also has a unique opportunity to utilize the temporary space currently occupied by TownHall.

Once the Public Safety buildings are complete, the town departments could move back in and the Library could occupy the temporary space. If we wait, that space will be rented to other tenants and there is no possible temporary space that the Library can utilize during major construction. And while we wait, the existing building would continue to deteriorate, requiring numerous visits from DPW, costly repairs.

Option 3 — ‘Repair only’ over time

Let’s say we just repair the building – add no new space, and fix it in smaller projects every two years. Each individual project would require a 5% cost escalation to the year it would start — Project 1 in 2027, Project 2 in 2029, and so on.

Multiple construction projects would also be the least efficient approach with the highest risk of scope creep — each one would require mobilization of staff and equipment, storing materials, multiple Library closures during major construction, and so on. Once the building was fully repaired, the total cost of repairs could be the same or exceed the $18.3M estimated for the proposed Renovation and would actually result in a net LOSS of usable space in the building.

And to pay for all these projects, the Town would either need to divert budget from other projects in Town OR request multiple debt exclusions to pay for each repair.

Option 4: Renovation

The proposed Renovation offers the most efficient, most cost-effective, and least disruptive path forward for the Library. It will bring the building up to code and ADA compliance, provide programming space for the Library, add new space for children, teens, and adults, and preserve the character of the historic building that anchors our Town Common. Anyone interested in more specific details of the renovation (designs, new library features, costs, etc.) is invited to visit www.lynnfieldlibrary.org/renovation/ or email Library Director [email protected] with any questions.

We believe that the proposed Renovation of the Lynnfield Public Library gives the Town the greatest possible public value, by creating an improved version of the Library Building for generations to come. However, the project will not proceed without a two-thirds majority vote from the attendees at Town Meeting, and so we ask Lynnfield residents to attend Town Meeting on Nov. 13 at 7pm at Lynnfield Middle School and vote YES for the Library Renovation.

Faith Horner-Coakley

Richard Mazzola

Joe Gallagher

Anne Malenfant

Darlene Samikkannu Kumar

Lynnfield Library Board of Trustees