City Commissioners voted 4-0 during their April 16 meeting to approve a $873,158 contract to Cushing Terrell for the library remodel design.

Commissioner Shannon Wilson was absent.

Staff recommended approval of the contact that the library board approved in March.

Library approves contract for remodel design

The top goal identified in the library’s 2023-2026 strategic plan is to “create a safe, accessible library that will serve the community for the next 50 years,” according to city staff, and a step in reaching that goal is hiring a consultant to develop detailed designs for the proposed remodel.

The library requested proposals as required by city finance policies.

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The city received three proposals that were reviewed and scored by a selection committee consisting of two library board members, a city engineer, two library staff members and two library foundation board members.

They recommended Cushing Terrell, which scored the highest, to design the remodel for the 56-year-old building that hasn’t had a major upgrade during its existence, according to library staff.

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The scope of work includes architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, civil engineering and landscape design services required to complete final construction documents based in general on the scope of work outlined in the masterplan completed in 2022, according to the staff report.

“Cushing Terrell understands that the masterplan began to address a series of improvements throughout the existing building, and that our team will need to review each with your team and further inform the direction for the renovation. This proposal includes a hazardous materials inspection and excludes bidding and construction administration, as these services are anticipated to be needed later in the project, following full funding. Services not
anticipated to be needed include platting, geotechnical engineering, traffic study and public utility extensions,” Cushing Terrell wrote in their proposal to the library.

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The design work will help library and foundation staff raise funds for the remodel by providing budget estimates and defining sections of the project, according to staff, and for the foundation in requesting funds from private citizens.

Accessibility improvements in the library can qualify for Community Development Block Grants and energy efficiency improvements can qualify for other federal funds designated for green projects, according to the city staff report.

The design is being funded by private funds.

The library currently has $117,000 in library funds designated for the project, which are foundation funds previously given to the library for other projects but redesignated toward the remodel as those projects are on hold.

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As Cushing Terrell submits invoices, the library will use those existing funds, then request dedicated funds from the foundation.

There are two funds related to the library within the city budget, the library fund holds operational funds and the library foundation fund, which holds donated funds.

Susie McIntyre, library director, told commissioners that the foundation would be funding the entire design contract and had sufficient funding obligated for the project.

She said the library foundation has been part of the master plan process since it began several years ago and was part of the RFP process for the design.

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McIntyre said that the foundation wasn’t moving the rest of the funding to the city yet since their funds sit in investment accounts and continue to earn interest with good rates right now, so they’d hold the funds to continue generating revenue, then pay invoices as they come due.

Commissioner Susan Wolff moved to approve the contract.

A local man who worked as director of facilities at Great Falls College MSU, who worked under Wolff, said that he thought they should use the master plan to fundraise and shouldn’t start design until funding had been secured for the construction project.

Jeni Dodd was concerned that the city was approving the contract without a written agreement with the foundation that it would provide the funding.

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Jolene Schalper, speaking as a citizen, said she was concerned that commissioners too often here from “naysayers” when supporters had voted in great enough numbers to approve the levy last summer.

She said the library staff and board, with the foundation, had done the strategic planning process and “it’s time, we need to renovate.”

Brianne Laurin, library foundation director, said that they have raised 119 percent of the funds to pay the contract.

She said those donors had specifically designated their gift to the design phase of the remodel project, knowing anything left after the design was paid, would be diverted to the full construction phase of the project.

Laurin said that as a fundraiser, it can be difficult to ask people to donate when they can’t see what the project is, but understands the process is different for public entities like the library.

She said having designs will be important in applying for grants for the project.

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The library team is working with the architect to ensure the remodel design in done in phases to be able to do that work in chunks if needed based on funding.

She said a no from the commission on the design will have her going to donors saying voters wanted more services, but they aren’t able to improve the facility.

Whitney Olson, library board chair, said the board, staff and foundation had been working on the strategic plan and remodel plans since 2022.

Approval of the design contact, she said, would “show the community where we’re headed and we’re headed to good things.”

Commissioner Rick Tryon said that the commission had to vote on the contract, even though it was being funded by the foundation, because of the 1993 management agreement between the commission and library board.

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David Dennis, city attorney, said the agreement allowed the library board to negotiate contracts and expend funds, but doesn’t authorize them to enter into contracts.

Tyron said that was a point that could be addressed in discussions about the management agreement.

He said it seemed to him that the library would want to be able to spend foundation funds without having to get commission approval.

McIntyre, the library director, reminded commissioners that the library building itself remained city property.

Laurin said that she had spoken to Melissa Kinzler, city finance director, about the best plan being for the foundation to hold the funds that were continuing to generate interest until invoices came due and then the foundation would issue those funds.

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She said she could draft a memorandum of understanding to that effect between the foundation and the city.

Dennis, city attorney, said that the foundation exists solely to support the library and that similar processes have been used in the past.

The foundation is raising money for the remodel project, he said, “so I would say there’s very little risk in this situation of the foundation not coming through on their obligation.”

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The library staff, board and foundation spent most of 2022 developing a library master plan that would help staff “design the future of public library service for Great Falls and Cascade County. A master plan helps communities create a vision of what they want to look like in the future. It is about making the connection between buildings, services, and community needs,” according to the library at the time.

Commissioners approved a $68,000 contract to MMW Architects for the library master plan and the project was funded by the library foundation.

The master plan included an online survey, focus groups and multiple public meetings.

In September 2022, the library board approved the master plan, which calls for a major remodel of the entire library.

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The library is funded primarily through the city, but also receives funding from Cascade County and the Montana State Library.

The library board voted 4-1 with Noelle Johnson dissenting but she didn’t provide her reasoning for voting against the contract during the meeting.