The Richard Foster Building is set to open its doors at the end of the week, with just a few items left to take care of. That’s according to City Manager Tom Moran.
“The library has nearly completed its move and if IT installation cooperates, it could be open to the public as soon as Saturday,” Moran said.
Moran said the latest the library will open is the following Saturday, March 5. He made the announcement at the most recent City Council meeting.
The new building will also house the Carrie M. McLain Museum and Kawerak’s cultural center. Even though a certificate of completion was issued in mid-February, Moran says there are still a few things that need fixing.
“The punch list items is a handful, it really is less than 10,” assured Moran.
The handful of items include a scratched floor, damaged wall paneling, and paint that has bled through a few of the chairs in the library. With the damaged items, the city can choose to replace the items, free of charge, or deduct the price from the overall bill.
Councilman Matt Culley supports price deductions over returning the damaged goods.
“On those [faulty] items, they look not good… I realize we have a new building, so we need new, new, new, [but everyone] needs to remember that any money for things like landscaping would be nice and this is a way to have a little bit of savings,” Culley urged.
The City Council seemed to agree that seeking price reductions was the best option.
While the doors to the Richard Foster Building are set to open this weekend, its still not clear when visitors will be able to make use of a fully stocked library, museum and cultural center.