Mincoqua Library Bid Process Approved Despite Concerns Over Cost

Link to September 24 Lakeland Times article, "Minocqua library expansion bid opening OK'd
Approval follows extended debate about project’s affordability".

Excerpt:   Though plans for the library expansion are bid-ready, town board members are still raising concerns about the scope of the project.

Initiating a debate which lasted nearly an hour at the board meeting Tuesday night, supervisor Mark Hartzheim raised concerns about the final $1.75 million price tag on the library expansion.

Town chairman Joe Handrick said those concerns, though legitimate, were being voiced far too late in a process which began nearly a year ago when an overwhelming 73 percent of voters approved an 11,700 square-foot expansion at a cost of $1.6 million.

"The townspeople did give approval up to $1.6 million but that doesn't mean we can't build something for $1 million or $1.2 million," Hartzheim said.

"That was never the direction of the board to the committee that was working on the project," Handrick said.

Supervisor John Thompson joined Hartzheim in expressing disappointment with the final price, directing his concerns to Mike Murphy of Miron Construction, who was present at the meeting along with Daniel Voss, Miron's regional vice president of business development, and David Drews, senior design architect with Zimmerman architectural studios.

Related articles: 
August 5th groundbreaking. (8/9/2010)
Library Committee narrows architect candidates to six.  (3/18/2010)
Minocqua Public Library Building Project Update.  (2/19/2010)
More on Minocqua Referendum. (11/5/2009)
Two for Two: Minocqua Library Referendum Passes. (11/4/2009)
Computers in Libraries: Keeping up with Demand. (10/17/2009)