By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) approved an extension for the proposed Lynnfield Public Library project on Jan. 4.
The town requested the extension after Fall Town Meeting narrowly rejected two warrant articles associated with the library project last October. While Article 10 received 293 votes in favor and 230 against, it did not pass by the required two-thirds majority that was needed. Article 10 would have sent the project to a townwide debt exclusion vote.
A similar outcome occurred with Article 11, which have designated that the new library would be built on a portion of the Reedy Meadow Golf Course. While Article 11 received 281 votes in favor and 148 against, it did not meet the required two-thirds majority to pass by 15 votes.
Library Director Abigail Porter recalled in an email that the MBLC awarded the town a $9 million grant for the library project last July. The extension is through Tuesday, April 30.
“After losing by a small margin at the Fall Town Meeting, an extension was requested from the MBLC to give the Library Building Committee more time to hear concerns and ideas from the Lynnfield community and present a new conceptual design at a Special Town Meeting,” said Porter.
Porter said the Library Building Committee and architect William Rawn Associates will be holding two forums on Thursday, Jan. 11, taking place at the Al Merritt Media and Cultural Center, 600 Market St.
“Join the Library Building Committee and Rawn Associates on Thursday, Jan. 11 at one of two planned public forums to share your thoughts about a new library,” said Porter. “These sessions will be hosted from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Rawn Associates and the Library Building Committee will be sharing design ideas and looking for feedback from the community on changes to the conceptual design for a new public library. We look forward to hearing from you about what you want to see in your library.
In order to schedule a Special Town Meeting, the Library Building Committee will need to collect 200 signatures to request the meeting. Additionally, the Finance Committee will need to vote to place the debt exclusion vote question back on the warrant. Additionally, the Planning Board needs to approve getting the land article back on the warrant.
While the Planning Board unanimously voted to recommend the library project for Fall Town Meeting, the FinCom voted 6-5 not to recommend it.
If residents have any questions about the library project, they can email Porter at aporter@noblenet.org.