HomeMy Public PortalAbout2019.11.22 Special Council Minutes
MINUTES
McCall City Council
Special Meeting
McCall City Hall -- Legion Hall
November 22, 2019
Call to Order and Roll Call
Work Session
Adjournment
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor Aymon called the special meeting of the McCall City Council to order at 9:00 a.m.
Mayor Aymon, Council Member Giles, Council Member Holmes, Council Member Nielsen,
and Council Member Sowers all answered roll call.
City staff members present were Anette Spickard, City Manager; BessieJo Wagner, City Clerk;
Erin Greaves, Communications Manager; Linda Stokes, City Treasurer; Kurt Wolf, Parks and
Recreation Director; John Powell, Building Official; Meg Lojek, Library Director; Chris Curtin,
Information Systems Manager
Also, in attendance were Dennis Humphries, Humphries Poli Architects; Anna Sparrell and
Dominick Fery, CM Company; Amy Rush, Campaign Coordinator; Christian Anderson, Zions
Bank; Lynn Lewinsky, Library Board of Trustees
WORK SESSION
Library Director Meg Lojek introduced the speakers and provided a brief update on the project
status. In 2016, the McCall Public Library Board of Trustees commissioned a Building Expansion
Committee to conduct a conceptual design study and space programming for a Library expansion.
The results of the 2016 study are available on the Library website and in the Library. The Library
team implemented a fundraising campaign in 2017. Community support remains high. In spring
of 2019, Humphries Poli was re-engaged. CM Company was brought into the Construction
Manager/General Contractor team in late June 2019, and the floor plans and detailed budget are
being developed. The Parks Department is fully involved to ensure their move will occur in a
timely and cost-effective manner. She finished by outlining some decision points that are
forthcoming.
Dennis Humphries of Humphries Poli Architects presented the updated design plans and budget
considerations with the construction management team, CM Company. He shared the preliminary
st
Library design and 1 stage of the campus plan. He gave a brief history of how the project has
arrived at where it is today. He spoke about the community input and the values-based process.
Next, he went over the materials to be used, the floor plans of the new Library space, elevations,
perspectives, and the intent of the timber construction design. Mr. Humphries shared that the
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repurposing of the existing Library will be a space for a Recreation Department storefront for
equipment rentals, extra storage space for the Library, Council Chambers, and additional meeting
room and bathrooms. He explained the additional construction elements including parking, the
Transit Center, the plaza space, and the relocation of the Parks and Recreation department. The
Parks and Recreation department location is a necessary first step before any construction on the
Library can commence. He gave an overview of the components necessary for the relocation to
the Historical Museum site.
Anna Sparrell and Dominick Fery of CM Company presented the Design Development Estimates
and the steps required for the project to go before the public for a bond. Mr. Fery explained the
cost estimate sheet. The estimated projected cost for the Library is $6,907,742, and the additional
Parks relocation, plaza, and parking would be $1,115,952 bringing the total estimated costs to
$8,023,694.
Amy Rush, Campaign Coordinator, gave an update on the fundraising campaign. She shared the
rd
fundraising had a successful 3 quarter and her expectation is another $250,000 will be coming as
there are applications still outstanding.
Christian Anderson, Vice President, Zions Bank gave an overview of the mechanics of the
financial planning and general obligation bond process. He explained Zions Bank is an advisory
role only and will not be loaning any money to the City. Mr. Anderson stated his role is to help
staff and the Council by providing the information necessary to decide what direction to take for
the ballot and to help make the bond a success. He shared there are only three qualified attorney
offices in the State of Idaho who can give legal Bond counsel and their role is to provide all the
legal advice and documents, and more importantly, provide an opinion to the market to secure a
low interest rate. The underwriter is the connection between the City and the investors to balance
the interests of both parties. Mr. Anderson explained the process of the purchase and marketing of
the bonds, the different options available to approach the process, and the different utilization of
the underwriter. He spoke of what is allowed by statue on a general election bond. He explained
the number of years required, the voting process, how the funds can be used or not used, tax levy
adjustments and restrictions, the disclosures that can go on the ballot, the total amount to be repaid,
length of time, and total indebtedness. The first step is determining how much and the repayment
timeframe, after which the bond counsel is brought in. March 20, 2020 is the deadline to submit
to Valley County in order to put the bond on the ballot. If the bond is approved, the issuance
process will take 8-12 weeks. He shared the bond process timeline. Lastly, he shared the Bond
Buyer index and explained how the tool can be used to estimate interest rates.
Library Director Lojek asked the Council to provide feedback on the overall project concept for
preliminary design, parking, plaza and timeline. The four areas of discussion staff would like
direction for are confirmation of preferred design options, preparation to publicize design options,
inform staff & consultants what information Council would like to see in January, and discuss
“additional construction elements”. She went over each option and explained the recommended
options.
The Council shared their thoughts. Council Member Sowers feels it is a good plan and a
community need. He believes doing all projects together is the best approach and does not have
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any issue with it going to bond. Council Member Giles requested a fourth item of the new Parks
building needs to be included in the bonding and had no issue with going to bond. Council Member
Holmes agrees the Parks building needs to be included as it is better to bundle all together. She is
not against going to bond but has some trepidation about the election climate, the amount of the
bond, and short amount of time in which to prepare for a May 2020 election. Council Member
Nielsen feels it is a great concept and a nice-looking facility, and he agrees with the other Council
members on the items they brought up. His biggest issue is the costs. Mayor Aymon feels the
Library expansion is needed and bonds are cheap right now. She feels this will not get less
expensive as time goes along and wants to do it in conjunction with the Parks Street road
construction and add in the Parks Department building.
Council Member Nielsen asked about the sustainability and environmentally friendly design of the
building. Mr. Humphries responded timber construction materials will be regionally sourced. The
material is highly sustainable, and a sustainability scorecard is being crafted. There is the ability
to include an abundance of sunlight which promotes wellness, installing LED lighting that can be
adjusted to the amount of sunlight, and stated the materials will not be off gassing. There is a green
wall on the inside to produce clean oxygen and a consideration of the use of solar panels in the
future. The goal is to provide sustainability with affordable materials that can be used as an
education tool for the public, and investigate opportunities which are readily achievable,
economical, and unique to the area, and to minimize materials going to the landfill. He explained
the reason for not pursuing certification is mostly due to costs factors and shared most of the
libraries they are currently building are not getting certification due the expense. Certification can
be explored if the Council desires but to know there is costs associated with the process. Council
Member Nielsen feels if certification is not pursued, it is important to at least highlight the
sustainability of the building. Mr. Humphries explained a heat pump system is being analyzed that
can rapidly adjust to temper changes inside the building. Also being considered is different grades
of glass installed that can deal with the different temperatures between the north and south sides
of the building and windows that will allow for natural ventilation. Ms. Sparrell stated, if a formal
environmental scoring system is not used, tracking measures can be implemented to provide
documentation which can be presented to the public to explain what has been done to make the
building more sustainable.
Council Member Sowers stated older buildings are more costly and harder to maintain over newer
buildings and asked if a cost comparison estimate on energy and maintenance costs/saving of the
larger, new building versus the current building could be addressed. Mr. Humphries stated the
existing Library of 4,500 square feet will be changing to 12,000 square feet with the repurposed
existing building, so it is hard to give an estimate. The new building will be highly more efficient
than what is currently in place but there are no cost estimates yet as that is further along in the
design process. Those numbers will be included in the cost estimate later. He estimated the life
span of the new building is at minimum 50 years and because of the nature of timber construction
could be much longer.
Council Member Holmes stated that the fund-raising efforts were great and that the presentation
gives a clear picture of the process. She asked staff if the desire was to bond on the May 2020
ballot. Library Director Lojek stated the Library Board feels the May 2020 election is best. She
explained the school bonds will be on the ballot in March 2021 so waiting until May 2021 could
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pose problems. And financially, the cost is not going to get less with time. She understands there
is a lot of work to be accomplished to make the May 2020 ballot. Ms. Rush shared the fundraising
efforts will continue throughout the bond process and will continue after the bond passes for the
large donations. She explained the downside of continuing a public campaign for smaller
donations. Mr. Anderson answered questions about accepting a large donation to be put toward
the bond as a pay down and explained how that can be accomplished.
Library Director Lojek answered questions regarding the plan if the bond fails explaining it
depends on by how much it fails. The plan would be to try again but if the bond loses by a large
amount, the goal would be to scale back the project. It would also depend on the amount brought
in by the fundraising efforts. Library Board of Trustees Member Lynn Lewinsky feels there is a
great need to enlarge the facility for the community and the Library Board would like to see the
project move forward however it can be accomplished.
Council Member Nielsen asked questions about how much is in the bank, how much has been
spent, and how much the bond would be. Ms. Rush explained about 50% of monies fundraised are
pledge donations which means those people will donate at the time the bond passes, and there are
two large contingency pledges. Staff explained there are two components when it comes to the
fundraising and finances: donations direct to the Library and donations made to the Library
Foundation. The City Treasurer has been tracking all the expenses and there is an agenda bill
forthcoming to give an update on the project funding and expenses. City Manager Anette Spickard
stated the bond amount has not been prepared as it was not anticipated a decision about the bond
would be made today. That information will be available after staff has received direction from
the Council.
Council Member Nielsen wanted to know how this would affect the Park Street project. Parks &
Recreation Director Kurt Wolf explained the sidewalk will be completed on either side of the
Library construction area with the finalization of the Park Street project and completing the
sidewalk when the new Library is built. The goal is to avoid having to tear out the new sidewalk
when the construction begins and save money.
Council Member Nielsen would like a proposal presented on the energy efficiency sustainability
overview of the construction. Council Member Holmes would like to see the marketing plan for
promoting a positive vote at the election. City Manager Spickard will work with staff to bring back
a more refined Parks component.
ADJOURNMENT
Without further business, Mayor Aymon adjourned the meeting at 10:53 a.m.
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