Library Manager: Project is Under Budget
- May 16th 2025
- Libraries
The renovated Goodall Library entrance
Photo: Lawrence Furbish
By Lawrence Furbish
As Goodall Memorial Library prepares for an audit of its finances, the library business manager sought to correct what she said are misinterpretations of the cost of its recent relocation and building renovations.
According to Julie Norsworthy, the total cost of the renovation of the library will be $3,970.907.41. This final cost would be $43.93 under budget. According to Tim Morrison, senior architect at Barba Wheelock and project manager for the renovation, this figure covers the cost of renovating the building and includes construction costs, architectural and engineering fees and furniture.
The $3.9 million figure is not the total project cost, though, as it does not include the rental of the space at Shaw’s Plaza or the two moves of the library’s books and materials. According to Morrison, there is $74,000 left in the “owner’s contingency” that could be applied to the cost of the rental space and the moves. He also said there is an estimated $66,000 of “allowance credit” coming back to the library. According to Norsworthy, the library received a $35,000 contribution from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation that went toward the rent during the extended stay at Shaw’s Plaza. Norsworthy said she couldn’t estimate the actual cost of the rental and moves.
Last October, when she was leaving her position as the director of Goodall Library, Ann Thomas said that expenses due to the unexpectedly long relocation had driven up the overall cost of the expansion from $3.9 million to $4.5 million. Thomas was reached this week for comment about project costs and said she could not recall specifics. She urged collaboration among all parties moving forward and said the community would be “so much richer” with two strong libraries.
Norsworthy said, “TPD construction and Barba & Wheelock Architecture have gone above and beyond to keep the cost as low as possible and support Goodall Library as they completed this renovation. We will be forever grateful to them for their patience and understanding throughout this project.”
Library finances came under close scrutiny during budget deliberations by the City Council this spring, with councilors calling for an audit. The library has retained the accounting firm of Purdy Powers from Portland to conduct an audit of the library’s finances. This is in the very early stages, and it is still being determined what level of audit is needed.
The library expects to close for about a month beginning on May 30 for the move back to its original 952 Main St. location. This would mean the grand reopening would occur sometime around July 1.
