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Bozeman Public Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Library Director’s Office
Bozeman Public Library
July 9, 2001, 10:00 A.M.
ATTENDANCE
Trustees: Holly Brown; Al Kesselheim; Jerry Bancroft; Bob Gutzman; Molly Richardson, Foundation Board; Steve Kirchhoff, City Commission; Liza McClelland and Cindy Christin, Staff; and Alice Meister, Director. Guests: Ron Farmer, Building Committee; Rick Brandstatter, CMC Heartland Partners; Clark Johnson, City Manager; and Brian Blicker, Resource Tehnologies Inc.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Farmer at 10:05 a.m.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT UPDATE; SITE SELECTION
Farmer opened the discussion with Brandstatter by giving some background information. The $4,000,000 bond issue passed successfully on June 28; the appraisal for the CMC property ranged from $1,400,000 to $1,900,000; and the new site remediation costs are $854,520 assuming that the City landfill can be used. Feeling that the appraised value for the property was closer to $1,400,000, Farmer asked for a reduction in price from $2,250,000 to $1,800,000 since the original cost of the clean-up was estimated to be $500,000. Brandstatter countered by saying the original offer had been for $3,000,000 with $400,000 required in earnest money and that CMC had discounted the property $750,000 already. He felt capping the contaminated soil would be much cheaper though Blicker said that the Montana Department of
Environmental Quality preferred not to bury on site as a fence and signs around the property would be required. Also much of the property would be lost due to an asbestos depository. Brown wondered if CMC could contribute to our Library Foundation. However, Brandstatter said that CMC is not willing to reduce the price and that a contribution would be unlikely. The CMC Board felt it had already given an excessive discount and that other developers were waiting to purchase the property if the Library does not purchase it. Since the Library was a City entity and a more responsible and easier group with which to work, the CMC Board had decided to offer the property to the Library. Bancroft inquired about taking in CMC as a cost-sharing partner. Kirchhoff replied that it might be a difficult sell to the public and the City Commission. Brown inquired at what level CMC would be willing to participate. She suggested that if the Library’s cost exceeds the $3,000,000 level
($2,250,000 for purchase and $750,000 for remediation) that CMC share costs with the Library above that amount. Brandstatter replied that this was not outside the realm of possibility. Brown then suggested that CMC share 50% of the cleanup costs with the Library in excess of $500,000. The remediation costs had increased due to treatment and handling costs. Regarding the use of the City landfill, Johnson said that this was an enterprise fund and not a general fund and revenues would be lost if the Library were allowed to use it for free. There is a possibility of shipping the waste to Great Falls on a rail spur, and he is checking into that possibility. It cannot be used for construction or parking lot purposes. The question still remains as to who will pay the ultimate cost. He also said that the Library Board was on the City Commission agenda for Monday, July 16, at 3:00 p.m. to discuss the Memorandum of Understanding and the use of
the landfill. He suggested that it might be a non-cash transaction with the amount amortized over 15 years back to the general fund. Brown will write a letter to CMC asking for an extension from July 15 to July 18, 2001 of the Library’s deadline to notify CMC and for CMC to consider a 50/50 participation with the Library in the cleanup costs in excess of $500,000. Kesselheim pointed out that public perception of CMC would be more favorable.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:26 a.m. The next meeting will be Wednesday, July 18, at 9:00 a.m. in the Library Director’s Office.
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