Update on Walk Rutland

A couple quick notes about an entry in my column today about Walk Rutland, a Rutland Area Physical Activity Coalition effort.

First, anyone who completes the 100-day, 100-mile challenge will receive a t-shirt, not a survey. Secondly, Jen Coleman reports that enrollment in the challenge is now up near 350 people.

Here's the full text of the release we received from Library Director Paula Baker, on behalf of the library trustees, earlier today:

We have received financial projections from the developer of the Berwick site, and they differ substantially from, and are much less advantageous than the estimates we were initially given. Based upon these updated estimates, the Board of Trustees has come to the conclusion that the Berwick, as currently proposed and structured, does not represent a viable future location for the library. As a result, the Board of Trustees plans to return attention to the existing building to determine how we best can use the building so as to be able to serve the changing needs of the community. Going forward, the Board of Trustees will continue to keep an open mind as it seeks to achieve its goal of providing the best possible library services to the community, and in this regard does not necessarily rule out the possibility of moving the library if the Berwick project can be restructured, or if some other alternative arises that presents a viable and more suitable location for the library. The board continues to fully support the bond issuance proposed by the Board of Finance, which is absolutely critical to preserve the the building at 10 Court Street.

We deeply appreciate the patience and understanding of the Board of Finance and of the public for allowing us the time necessary to explore what we believe could have been a very exciting prospect both for the library and for the City, and we look forward to working together to make the library the best it can be.

Big library news today...

The Rutland Free Library has abandoned its interest in relocating to the Berwick site, its Board of Trustees announced this morning.

After receiving financial projections that "differ substantially from, and are much less advantageous" than what they were initially told, the trustees said they will refocus their attention on their existing building, which requires about $1.1 million in repairs.

However, the trustees said they will also "continue to keep an open mind" about the best interests of the library, include the possibility of moving to the Berwick site if the project can be restructured, or an alternative location.

Last week, the city's Board of Finance recommended to the aldermen that a $500,000 bond question for repairs to the library's Court Street building be placed on the March ballot. According to the library trustees, the bond is "absolutely critical to preserve the building at 10 Court St."

Just got out of a two-hour meeting between the Board of Finance, representatives of the Rutland Free Library staff and trustees and the architect and cost estimator responsible for the initial building report.

The short of it is the Board of Aldermen will be asked next week to consider putting a $500,000 bonding question on the Town Meeting Day ballot.

The long version you can read in the paper tomorrow.